Indeed!

By Tracy Astle

Here's a quote for you.

          Every pint bottle should contain a quart.

                                                     Sir Boyle Roche

Okay, so when he said it, it didn't make a whole lot of sense, but this is actually a great maxim for writing if you think about it. 

First, if we look at it from the angle of trying to cram too much into too little, it reminds us to only say what we need to say, no extra words. If we use more words than are necessary, our writing can feel bogged down or overwritten.

Second, we can gather from this quote the idea that if we choose our words wisely, we can pack a quart's worth of meaning into a pint sized space. Think of how rich writing feels when an author can speak volumes with only a few words. 

So, next time you see a pint bottle think of your writing and ask yourself how much meaning you're fitting into the space you're using.