Writing Quotes | Beyond Motive 3/25

top of page

Writing Quotes

"I don't think I've ever read an old book through from start to finish. Not after more than six months after writing it, that is."

"I don't think I've ever read an old book through from start to finish. Not after more than six months after writing it, that is."

Nicholas Mosley, British Novelist

Writing, Months, Old

15

"I like myself better when I'm writing regularly."

"I like myself better when I'm writing regularly."

Willie Nelson, American Musician

15

"I became paralyzed as an artist with writer's block."

"I became paralyzed as an artist with writer's block."

David Guterson, American Author

Writing, Artist, Writer

15

"My first semester, I got a D in creative writing."

"My first semester, I got a D in creative writing."

Conrad Hall, American Artist

15

"I am still interested in the long or serial poem, but have written a few smaller things. I may start sending to journals again in a year or so... that's about it."

"I am still interested in the long or serial poem, but have written a few smaller things. I may start sending to journals again in a year or so... that's about it."

George Murray, Canadian Poet

15

"I consciously try to end my novels at a point where I won't have to wonder about my characters ever again."

"I consciously try to end my novels at a point where I won't have to wonder about my characters ever again."

Anne Tyler, American Novelist

Writing, End, Wonder

15

"I did not have one bad spell during writing - an unprecedented record."

"I did not have one bad spell during writing - an unprecedented record."

Zane Grey, American Author

15

"She would give them order. She would create constellations."

"She would give them order. She would create constellations."

Thomas Pynchon, American Writer

15

"Cursive writing does not mean what I think it does."

"Cursive writing does not mean what I think it does."

Nancy Cartwright, American Actress

15

"I don't paint anymore. I haven't since I abandoned it at 19, in order to begin writing seriously."

"I don't paint anymore. I haven't since I abandoned it at 19, in order to begin writing seriously."

Jonathan Lethem, American Writer

15

"If you be pungent, be brief; for it is with words as with sunbeams - the more they are condensed the deeper they burn."

"If you be pungent, be brief; for it is with words as with sunbeams - the more they are condensed the deeper they burn."

John Dryden, English Poet

15

"Writing is no trouble: you just jot down ideas as they occur to you. The jotting is simplicity itself - it is the occurring which is difficult."

"Writing is no trouble: you just jot down ideas as they occur to you. The jotting is simplicity itself - it is the occurring which is difficult."

Stephen Leacock, Canadian Economist

Writing, Ideas, Simplicity

15

"Anyone who claims to be good at lying is obviously bad at lying. Thus - as a writer myself - I cannot comment on whether or not writers are exceptionally good liars, because whatever I said would actually mean its complete opposite."

"Anyone who claims to be good at lying is obviously bad at lying. Thus - as a writer myself - I cannot comment on whether or not writers are exceptionally good liars, because whatever I said would actually mean its complete opposite."

Chuck Klosterman, American Critic

Writing, Lying, Writer, Writers

15

"Let's just say, the American school of suburban angst is not my cup of tea."

"Let's just say, the American school of suburban angst is not my cup of tea."

Katherine Dunn, American Novelist

Writing, School, Tea

15

"Marriage: A word which should be pronounced "mirage"."

"Marriage: A word which should be pronounced "mirage"."

Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher

15

"Writers are the most pathetic souls when it comes to expressing their personal feelings. Their personalities are as complex as the characters they have weaved. And in a curious way, without them really knowing it, writers are the sum total of the characters they created in their heads or in their writings. Yes, My Dear Tania; writers are capable of reflecting their characters, even though most of them are determined to be just like your ordinary guy next door."

"Writers are the most pathetic souls when it comes to expressing their personal feelings. Their personalities are as complex as the characters they have weaved. And in a curious way, without them really knowing it, writers are the sum total of the characters they created in their heads or in their writings. Yes, My Dear Tania; writers are capable of reflecting their characters, even though most of them are determined to be just like your ordinary guy next door."

Janvier Chouteu-Chando, Cameroonian Author

Writing, Emotion, Identity, Art, Expression

15

"I started writing seriously when I was 18, wrote my first novel when I was 22, and I've never stopped writing since."

"I started writing seriously when I was 18, wrote my first novel when I was 22, and I've never stopped writing since."

Sue Grafton, American Novelist

15

"I write into an old book that smells of dust and whose pages are floppy with damp. Sometimes the ink splodges onto the paper, other times it will barely leave the nib of my pen."

"I write into an old book that smells of dust and whose pages are floppy with damp. Sometimes the ink splodges onto the paper, other times it will barely leave the nib of my pen."

Fennel Hudson, British Author

Writing, Memory, Nostalgia, Creativity

15

"When we see a natural style, we are astonished and charmed; for we expected to see an author, and we find a person."

"When we see a natural style, we are astonished and charmed; for we expected to see an author, and we find a person."

Blaise Pascal, French Philosopher

15

"Part fact part fiction is what life is. And it is always a cover story. I wrote my way out."

"Part fact part fiction is what life is. And it is always a cover story. I wrote my way out."

Jeanette Winterson, British Novelist

Writing, Story, Life, Fiction, Truth

15

"The way I outline has changed quite a bit from when I first started writing."

"The way I outline has changed quite a bit from when I first started writing."

George Stephen, Canadian Businessman

15

"Somebody is observing my writings, I know that.That's one reason why I keep reading and writing."

"Somebody is observing my writings, I know that.That's one reason why I keep reading and writing."

Toba Beta, Indonesian Author

Writing, Truth, Wisdom, Inspirational, Power

15

"I don't see why it matters what is written. Not when it's about people. It can always be crossed out."

"I don't see why it matters what is written. Not when it's about people. It can always be crossed out."

Neil Gaiman, British Author

Writing, Life, People, Truth

15

"Male writers who never find the stabilizing force of an understanding woman in their lives usually end up as the jaded figures of their days, the types who give much artistic expression to the world, but who are lonely in their overcrowded worlds of love."

"Male writers who never find the stabilizing force of an understanding woman in their lives usually end up as the jaded figures of their days, the types who give much artistic expression to the world, but who are lonely in their overcrowded worlds of love."

Janvier Chouteu-Chando, Cameroonian Author

Writing, Love, Women, Understanding, Stability

15

"I spent two months on the first draft, working 8 hours a day, five days a week."

"I spent two months on the first draft, working 8 hours a day, five days a week."

George Stephen, Canadian Businessman

Writing, Day, Draft, First, Months

15

"Rap is only one end of a whole spectrum of verbal play and virtuosity. Rap is geared for aural pleasure."

"Rap is only one end of a whole spectrum of verbal play and virtuosity. Rap is geared for aural pleasure."

Rita Dove, American Poet

Writing, End, Play, Pleasure, Rap

15

"They're mostly done before we went into the studio, although I do like writing in the studio."

"They're mostly done before we went into the studio, although I do like writing in the studio."

Keith Urban, American Musician

14

"After that, I specifically started writing lyrics. I would like sweat and think and get it all together."

"After that, I specifically started writing lyrics. I would like sweat and think and get it all together."

Jim Capaldi, British Musician

14

"Generally I finish a first draft in 2-6 months, then I set it aside for a while so that when I come back to it I can read it with fresh eyes and figure out how to improve it."

"Generally I finish a first draft in 2-6 months, then I set it aside for a while so that when I come back to it I can read it with fresh eyes and figure out how to improve it."

Margaret Haddix, American Author

Writing, Draft, Eyes, First, Months

14

"Readers are what it's all about, aren't they? If not, why am I writing?"

"Readers are what it's all about, aren't they? If not, why am I writing?"

Evan Hunter, American Author

14

"But usually I'll wake up and start writing about nine o'clock. I'll probably write for about three hours, and I'll do that over the next month and a half."

"But usually I'll wake up and start writing about nine o'clock. I'll probably write for about three hours, and I'll do that over the next month and a half."

Stanley Tucci, American Actor

14

"I started writing to please myself, a story I would like to read, and that is still true."

"I started writing to please myself, a story I would like to read, and that is still true."

Jean M. Auel, American Writer

14

"I'm a crap guitarist and I find it really hard writing on my own."

"I'm a crap guitarist and I find it really hard writing on my own."

Siobhan Fahey, British Musician

14

"Seventy percent of what I write, I throw out. I can write very easily, but writing original things is the hard bit."

"Seventy percent of what I write, I throw out. I can write very easily, but writing original things is the hard bit."

Mike Rutherford, English Musician

14

"I found the writing arena to be much less competitive."

"I found the writing arena to be much less competitive."

Phil Hartman, Canadian Actor

14

"Even this vein of writing is so foreign to me that I am amazed."

"Even this vein of writing is so foreign to me that I am amazed."

David O. Selznick, American Producer

14

"Eventually the bad stuff I'm writing turns into better stuff. Other times, I've just walked away from what I was working on, and figured I'd have a better perspective when I came back to it."

"Eventually the bad stuff I'm writing turns into better stuff. Other times, I've just walked away from what I was working on, and figured I'd have a better perspective when I came back to it."

Margaret Haddix, American Author

Writing, Perspective

14

"Nobody reads a mystery to get to the middle. They read it to get to the end. If it's a letdown, they won't buy anymore. The first page sells that book. The last page sells your next book."

"Nobody reads a mystery to get to the middle. They read it to get to the end. If it's a letdown, they won't buy anymore. The first page sells that book. The last page sells your next book."

Mickey Spillane, American Author

Writing, End, First, Mystery

14

"All artists are now free to express their own personality."

"All artists are now free to express their own personality."

Maurice Denis, French Artist

Writing, Artists, Now, Personality

14

"I completed my first novel when I was 19 years old."

"I completed my first novel when I was 19 years old."

Danielle Steel, American Novelist

Writing, First, Old, Years

14

"When you try to unravel something you've written, you belittle it in a way. It was created as a mystery."

"When you try to unravel something you've written, you belittle it in a way. It was created as a mystery."

Don DeLillo, American Novelist

Writing, Mystery

14

"Everything has to be pulling weight in a short story for it to be really of the first order."

"Everything has to be pulling weight in a short story for it to be really of the first order."

Tobias Wolff, American Writer

Writing, First, Order, Weight

14

"And there never was an apple, in Adam's opinion, that wasn't worth the trouble you got into for eating it."

"And there never was an apple, in Adam's opinion, that wasn't worth the trouble you got into for eating it."

Neil Gaiman, British Author

Writing, Eating, Opinion, Trouble, Worth

14

"I started off at the high level, in the slick magazines, but they didn't use my name, they used house names. Anyway, then I went downhill to the pulps, then downhill further to the comics."

"I started off at the high level, in the slick magazines, but they didn't use my name, they used house names. Anyway, then I went downhill to the pulps, then downhill further to the comics."

Mickey Spillane, American Author

Writing, Name, Names

14

"To be a poet is a condition, not a profession."

"To be a poet is a condition, not a profession."

Robert Frost, American Poet

Writing, Profession

14

"I think that like all writers - and if any writer disagrees with this, then he is not a writer - I write primarily for myself."

"I think that like all writers - and if any writer disagrees with this, then he is not a writer - I write primarily for myself."

Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Cuban Novelist

Writing, Writer, Writers

14

"This does make me very very careful, particularly in the second draft, to get it right, because you do feel that somebody in the future who may be extremely important for everybody, is going to have me behind them, and this is a responsibility, a huge one."

"This does make me very very careful, particularly in the second draft, to get it right, because you do feel that somebody in the future who may be extremely important for everybody, is going to have me behind them, and this is a responsibility, a huge one."

Diana Wynne Jones, English Writer

Writing, Draft, Future, May, Responsibility

14

"The very quick and high sales of the book caught us off guard, but fortunately we got the second edition from the printers at the end of last week and the shops should now be stocked again."

"The very quick and high sales of the book caught us off guard, but fortunately we got the second edition from the printers at the end of last week and the shops should now be stocked again."

Hansie Cronje, South African Athlete

Writing, End, Now, Quick, Sales

14

"I'm a third done into a new book but sorry - I have a superstition about talking about it!"

"I'm a third done into a new book but sorry - I have a superstition about talking about it!"

Joanna Trollope, English Novelist

Writing, Superstition, Talking

14

"I really enjoy writing novels. It's like the ocean. You can just build a boat and take off."

"I really enjoy writing novels. It's like the ocean. You can just build a boat and take off."

Denis Johnson, German Writer

14

bottom of page