Mark Twain: Writing at 7 Cents Per Word
on Sunday, January 6, 2013Mark Twain Money Quote saying long words are paid the same as short words to a journalist paid by the word, so why write longer for the same pay? Mark Twain said:
“I never write metropolis for seven cents because I can get the same price for city. I never write policeman because I can get the same money for cop” — Mark Twain
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In this quote, Mark Twain is commenting humorously on his writing process and priorities as an author. He says that rather than using longer, more formal words like “metropolis” or “policeman,” he opts for shorter alternatives like “city” and “cop” that pay the same price in terms of his compensation per word.
Twain appears to be joking that as a paid writer, he will favor concise phrasing over elaborate terminology if it does not negatively impact his earnings. Overall, he seems to be lightheartedly acknowledging that economical language serves his professional interests as an author seeking to maximize profits for his work.