Famous quote by Don Marquis

"The art of newspaper paragraphing is to stroke a platitude until it purrs like an epigram"

About this Quote

Don Marquis draws a sly and perceptive distinction between the mundane and the memorable in writing. A platitude is an overused, oft-repeated statement that holds a recognizable truth, but does so in such a tired way that its force is dulled. Platitudes are the currency of casual conversation and uninspired prose, particularly prevalent in journalism where daily deadlines pressure writers to revert to familiar expressions. By contrast, an epigram sparkles; it is a brief, witty, and often paradoxical statement that surprises with its freshness and insight, typically inviting reflection or laughter.

To “stroke a platitude until it purrs like an epigram” suggests the skillful reworking of banal truths and making them engaging, lively, and sharp, transforming the worn and ordinary into something unexpectedly delightful. The metaphor of stroking invokes the image of gentle, patient effort, coaxing something out of what seemed inert, making the familiar sing anew. The “purr” is the moment of satisfaction, when a reader encounters a commonplace idea but feels its hidden resonance because of the writer’s craft.

Newspaper paragraphing, employed expertly, distills information into concise, potent packets. The best practitioners find rhythm, wit, and emotional pull in the simplest statements. Marquis’s observation is both wry and admiring towards journalists and writers who can take what everyone knows, or thinks they know, and phrase it so freshly that it feels revelatory.

This process is not merely cosmetic; it requires a deeper understanding of language and thought. The writer uncovers latent humor, irony, or pathos in what appears self-evident. The platitude becomes the vessel for something richer, and the reader is both comforted by its familiarity and awakened by its newness. Marquis’s aphorism is itself an epigram, a purring example of the very transformation it celebrates.

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About the Author

Don Marquis This quote is from Don Marquis between July 29, 1878 and December 29, 1937. He was a famous Journalist from USA. The author also have 39 other quotes.
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