Writing Quotes | Beyond Motive 10/25

top of page

Writing Quotes

"The thriller is the most popular literary genre of the 20th century."

"The thriller is the most popular literary genre of the 20th century."

Ken Follett, Welsh Author

Writing, Literary, Popular

10

"I have been writing for 50 years and readers still read my first book from when I was in the Marine Corps."

"I have been writing for 50 years and readers still read my first book from when I was in the Marine Corps."

Leon Uris, American Writer

Writing, First, Years

10

"I never asked Tolstoy to write for me, a little colored girl in Lorain, Ohio. I never asked [James] Joyce not to mention Catholicism or the world of Dublin. Never. And I don't know why I should be asked to explain your life to you. We have splendid writers to do that, but I am not one of them. It is that business of being universal, a word hopelessly stripped of meaning for me. Faulkner wrote what I suppose could be called regional literature and had it published all over the world. That's what I wish to do. If I tried to write a universal novel, it would be water. Behind this question is the suggestion that to write for black people is somehow to diminish the writing. From my perspective there are only black people. When I say 'people,' that's what I mean."

"I never asked Tolstoy to write for me, a little colored girl in Lorain, Ohio. I never asked [James] Joyce not to mention Catholicism or the world of Dublin. Never. And I don't know why I should be asked to explain your life to you. We have splendid writers to do that, but I am not one of them. It is that business of being universal, a word hopelessly stripped of meaning for me. Faulkner wrote what I suppose could be called regional literature and had it published all over the world. That's what I wish to do. If I tried to write a universal novel, it would be water. Behind this question is the suggestion that to write for black people is somehow to diminish the writing. From my perspective there are only black people. When I say 'people,' that's what I mean."

Toni Morrison, American Novelist

Writing, Identity, Culture, Truth

10

"We learned in the university to consider Wordsworth and Keats as Romantics. They were only a generation apart, but Wordsworth didn't even read Keats's book when he gave him a copy."

"We learned in the university to consider Wordsworth and Keats as Romantics. They were only a generation apart, but Wordsworth didn't even read Keats's book when he gave him a copy."

Thom Gunn, British Poet

Writing, University

10

"I was editor of my high school literary magazine and a reporter for the school newspaper."

"I was editor of my high school literary magazine and a reporter for the school newspaper."

Jeffery Deaver, American Writer

Writing, Literary, School

10

"Ideally a book would have no order to it, and the reader would have to discover his own."

"Ideally a book would have no order to it, and the reader would have to discover his own."

Mark Twain, American Author

10

"We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand."

"We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand."

C. Day Lewis, English Poet

10

"I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste."

"I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste."

Marcel Duchamp, French Artist

Writing, Order, Taste

10

"The history of my life is the history of the struggle between an overwhelming urge to write and a combination of circumstances bent on keeping me from it."

"The history of my life is the history of the struggle between an overwhelming urge to write and a combination of circumstances bent on keeping me from it."

F. Scott Fitzgerald, American Author

Writing, Struggle, Truth, Passion

10

"I avoided writers very carefully because they can perpetuate trouble as no one else can."

"I avoided writers very carefully because they can perpetuate trouble as no one else can."

F. Scott Fitzgerald, American Author

Writing, Trouble, Truth, Creativity, Influence

10

"We do not write as we want but as we can."

"We do not write as we want but as we can."

W. Somerset Maugham, British Playwright

Writing, Ability, Expression, Want

10

"I took two years away from making films to write a novel."

"I took two years away from making films to write a novel."

Neil Jordan, Irish Director

10

"Write about the dream you see during wakefulness."

"Write about the dream you see during wakefulness."

Debasish Mridha, American Author

Writing, Dream, Wakefulness, Inspiration

10

"I start drawing, and eventually the characters involve themselves in a situation. Then in the end, I go back and try to cut out most of the preachments."

"I start drawing, and eventually the characters involve themselves in a situation. Then in the end, I go back and try to cut out most of the preachments."

Dr. Seuss, American Writer

9

"Perhaps it would be better not to be a writer, but if you must, then write."

"Perhaps it would be better not to be a writer, but if you must, then write."

J. B. Priestley, British Writer

9

"I was a sort of rock journalist - whatever that is - in London in the late '60s."

"I was a sort of rock journalist - whatever that is - in London in the late '60s."

Jonathan Demme, American Director

Writing, London

9

"I notice that students, particularly for gay students, it's too easy to write about my last trick or something. It's not very interesting to the reader."

"I notice that students, particularly for gay students, it's too easy to write about my last trick or something. It's not very interesting to the reader."

Thom Gunn, British Poet

Writing, Gay, Students

9

"I am so happy to be on a show with writing I wanted to participate in."

"I am so happy to be on a show with writing I wanted to participate in."

Yancy Butler, American Actress

9

"And so The Snow Queen also became a story about the need to seek equilibrium, in our own lives, with the natural world, even within the universe at large."

"And so The Snow Queen also became a story about the need to seek equilibrium, in our own lives, with the natural world, even within the universe at large."

Joan D. Vinge, American Author

Writing, Queen, Snow, Universe, World

9

"In writing and politicking, it's best not to think about it, just do it."

"In writing and politicking, it's best not to think about it, just do it."

Gore Vidal, American Novelist

9

"Rock is all about writing your own script; it's all about pioneering."

"Rock is all about writing your own script; it's all about pioneering."

Courtney Love, American Musician

9

"I think Americans like the practical; they like the human. And I like both those things myself, and I try and put them into my books."

"I think Americans like the practical; they like the human. And I like both those things myself, and I try and put them into my books."

John Keegan, English Historian

Writing, Americans, Books

9

"I view myself primarily as a trial lawyer who happens to be writing, as opposed to a writer who happens to be a trial lawyer, so the audience is like a jury to me."

"I view myself primarily as a trial lawyer who happens to be writing, as opposed to a writer who happens to be a trial lawyer, so the audience is like a jury to me."

Vincent Bugliosi, American Author

Writing, Jury, Writer

9

"Sometimes that's a year, sometimes it's 18 months, where all I'm doing is taking notes. I'm reconstructing the story from the back to the front so that I know where the front is."

"Sometimes that's a year, sometimes it's 18 months, where all I'm doing is taking notes. I'm reconstructing the story from the back to the front so that I know where the front is."

John Irving, American Novelist

Writing, Months

9

"How can you stop writing?"

"How can you stop writing?"

Tony Hillerman, American Author

9

"No, you're either born a writer, a storyteller, or you're not."

"No, you're either born a writer, a storyteller, or you're not."

John Milius, American Director

Writing, Writer

9

"That wasn't a bad price for a first book. My agent upped it as much as possible. I was 27 and had nothing behind me. I was working like a fool to earn a living and pay for my apartment."

"That wasn't a bad price for a first book. My agent upped it as much as possible. I was 27 and had nothing behind me. I was working like a fool to earn a living and pay for my apartment."

Patricia Highsmith, American Novelist

Writing, First, Fool, Living, Nothing

9

"Writing is learning to say nothing, more cleverly each day."

"Writing is learning to say nothing, more cleverly each day."

William Allingham, Irish Poet

Writing, Day, Learning, Nothing

9

"I never intended to be a professional writer; as the story developed, the one thing I had in my hopes was that this would be something tangible to separate me from the nameless, numbered masses."

"I never intended to be a professional writer; as the story developed, the one thing I had in my hopes was that this would be something tangible to separate me from the nameless, numbered masses."

R. A. Salvatore, American Author

Writing, Writer

9

"Publishing a volume of verse is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo."

"Publishing a volume of verse is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo."

Don Marquis, American Poet

Writing, Echo, Publishing, Waiting

9

"I'm not sure why writing for others became harder. Probably a reluctance to give away anything you might conceivably use yourself caused a block. I did it, but it remained hard when it had once been easy."

"I'm not sure why writing for others became harder. Probably a reluctance to give away anything you might conceivably use yourself caused a block. I did it, but it remained hard when it had once been easy."

Dick Cavett, American Entertainer

9

"The professionals are going to be joined by the average Joe. Everybody's a publisher."

"The professionals are going to be joined by the average Joe. Everybody's a publisher."

Eric Brown, British Writer

Writing, Professionals

9

"I think my fascination is less with genre figures than with writers in general."

"I think my fascination is less with genre figures than with writers in general."

Eric Brown, British Writer

Writing, Writers

9

"Everything was in stark and dreadful contrast with the trivial crises and counterfeit emotions of Hollywood, and I returned to England deeply moved and emotionally worn out."

"Everything was in stark and dreadful contrast with the trivial crises and counterfeit emotions of Hollywood, and I returned to England deeply moved and emotionally worn out."

C. S. Forester, English Novelist

Writing, Contrast, Emotions, England, Hollywood

9

"But Ship Who Sang remains my favorite story. I really rocked folks with that and still cannot read it aloud myself without weeping at the end."

"But Ship Who Sang remains my favorite story. I really rocked folks with that and still cannot read it aloud myself without weeping at the end."

Anne McCaffrey, American Author

Writing, End, Favorite, Weeping

9

"I think Walking Dead is more of a stretch for me because I'm a light hearted superhero kind of guy."

"I think Walking Dead is more of a stretch for me because I'm a light hearted superhero kind of guy."

Robert Kirkman, American Writer

Writing, Light, Walking

9

"'Made it as a writer'? I'm still wondering if I've made it as a writer. I've made it as a published writer of the type of SF that I want to write and read, but I'm still waiting for that big breakthrough."

"'Made it as a writer'? I'm still wondering if I've made it as a writer. I've made it as a published writer of the type of SF that I want to write and read, but I'm still waiting for that big breakthrough."

Eric Brown, British Writer

Writing, Waiting, Want

9

"The first poem I ever wrote, about loss, when I was 5 years old, expressed the themes of everything I would ever write."

"The first poem I ever wrote, about loss, when I was 5 years old, expressed the themes of everything I would ever write."

Marguerite Young, American Author

Writing, First, Loss, Old, Years

9

"As far as arrangements after the basic track is cut, if I'm writing a horn arrangement or playing strings, I might arrange that, plan that out. Other times, I'll just sit and roll tape."

"As far as arrangements after the basic track is cut, if I'm writing a horn arrangement or playing strings, I might arrange that, plan that out. Other times, I'll just sit and roll tape."

Bernie Worrell, American Musician

9

"A writer is like a bean plant - he has his little day, and then gets stringy."

"A writer is like a bean plant - he has his little day, and then gets stringy."

E. B. White, American Writer

9

"Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else."

"Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else."

Gloria Steinem, American Activist

9

"I am writing a book about the Crusades so dull that I can scarcely write it."

"I am writing a book about the Crusades so dull that I can scarcely write it."

Hilaire Belloc, English Poet

9

"When that book came out, it was like Columbus telling about America at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella."

"When that book came out, it was like Columbus telling about America at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella."

Theodore White, American Journalist

Writing, America, Columbus, Court

9

"Anyone nit-picking enough to write a letter of correction to an editor doubtless deserves the error that provoked it."

"Anyone nit-picking enough to write a letter of correction to an editor doubtless deserves the error that provoked it."

Alvin Toffler, American Author

Writing, Correction, Error

9

"Accursed who brings to light of day the writings I have cast away."

"Accursed who brings to light of day the writings I have cast away."

William Butler Yeats, Irish Poet

Writing, Day, Light

9

"I am never going to write for the sake of writing."

"I am never going to write for the sake of writing."

Emma Lazarus, American Poet

9

"Eloquence is a painting of the thoughts."

"Eloquence is a painting of the thoughts."

Blaise Pascal, French Philosopher

Writing, Thoughts, Eloquence, Painting

9

"For me, writing a short story is much, much harder than writing a novel."

"For me, writing a short story is much, much harder than writing a novel."

Lynn Abbey, American Author

9

"Well, I just wanted to be a person. I just wanted them to keep writing me as humanistic as possible."

"Well, I just wanted to be a person. I just wanted them to keep writing me as humanistic as possible."

Fisher Stevens, American Actor

9

"I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don't know what I did before that. Just loafed I suppose."

"I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don't know what I did before that. Just loafed I suppose."

P. G. Wodehouse, English Writer

9

bottom of page