On Writing Quotes

Browse through our collection of quotes tagged with On Writing.

I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to wr

I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Books Reading Inspirational On Writing

Stories. Character. Dialouge. Entire worlds created on the p

Stories. Character. Dialouge. Entire worlds created on the page. Worlds that could sweep you away or frighten you, make you laugh or cry. Worlds that allowed you to escape to another country or time. Worlds built piece by piece of ink and punctuation.

Inspirational Storytelling On Writing

Most of us have a soundtrack running in the background of ou

Most of us have a soundtrack running in the background of our lives. I access that soundtrack when I write.

Inspirational On Writing

Read a lot, write a lot is the great commandment.

Read a lot, write a lot is the great commandment.

On Writing Memoir Craft Instruction Book

But it's writing, damn it, not washing the car or putting on

But it's writing, damn it, not washing the car or putting on eyeliner. If you can take it seriously, we can do business. If you can't or won't, it's time for you to close the book and do something else. Wash the car, maybe.

Stephen King On Writing

In the future, when something comes up, you tell exactly how

In the future, when something comes up, you tell exactly how it happened but write down for yourself the way you think it should have happened. Tell the truth and write the story. Then you won't get mixed up. It was the best advice Francie every got.

Truth On Writing

A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will

A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: 1. What am I trying to say? 2. What words will express it? 3. What image or idiom will make it clearer? 4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

Writing On Writing

Writers were blessed stenographers taking divine dictation.

Writers were blessed stenographers taking divine dictation.

On Writing

A successful book is not made of what is in it, but what is

A successful book is not made of what is in it, but what is left out of it.

Humor Funny Books Writing Wit On Writing

All I ask is that you do as well as you can, and remember th

All I ask is that you do as well as you can, and remember that, while to write adverbs is human, to write he said or she said is divine.

Stephen King On Writing

A writer is someone who has taught his mind to misbehave.

A writer is someone who has taught his mind to misbehave.

Writers On Writing

Running a close second [as a writing lesson] was the realiza

Running a close second [as a writing lesson] was the realization that stopping a piece of work just because it's hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it, and sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.

On Writing

O for a Muse of fire, that would ascendThe brightest heaven

O for a Muse of fire, that would ascendThe brightest heaven of invention!

William Shakespeare

Inspiration On Writing

Give me just enough information so that I can lie convincing

Give me just enough information so that I can lie convincingly.

Stephen King Horror King On Writing

Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong wo

Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Words Writing On Writing

There are books full of great writing that don't have very g

There are books full of great writing that don't have very good stories. Read sometimes for the story... don't be like the book-snobs who won't do that. Read sometimes for the words--the language. Don't be like the play-it-safers who won't do that. But when you find a book that has both a good story and good words, treasure that book.

Storytelling Stories On Writing Great Writing

Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say infinitel

Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say infinitely when you mean very; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.

Language Communication On Writing Power Of Words Exageration Superlatives

When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utter

When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them--then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are far apart.

On Writing

All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a

All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.

Storytelling On Writing

Whenever I'm asked what advice I have for young writers, I a

Whenever I'm asked what advice I have for young writers, I always say that the first thing is to read, and to read a lot. The second thing is to write. And the third thing, which I think is absolutely vital, is to tell stories and listen closely to the stories you're being told.

Storytelling On Writing