Quotes on Writing from Famous Writers

/ John W. Howell

Photo by Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash

Hi SEers, it is John with you today. We are going to take a little time out for a mental health break. Yup, that’s right. There comes a time when we all need to sit back and have someone tell us about the writing life. We know it can be a struggle, but all too often, we can’t find anyone who will sympathize with how we feel. After all, to most people writing looks like something that anyone can do, and most writers choose to do it, so it’s like a self-inflicted dose of pain.

I went on a hunt for some words from famous authors about the subject of writing. I stumbled upon The Writer’s College. They have a blog, and there was a post on famous quotes by writers. The reason for the post was to provide inspiration and courage to keep writing. This sounded swell to me, so I clicked on the LINK and found wise words from famous authors. Today I’m going to share some of them, and hopefully, there will be one that resonates. Here they are. If you want to see all of them, visit the link.

  • A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit ~ Richard Bach
  • I only write when I’m inspired, so I see that I’m inspired every morning at nine o’clock. ~ Peter De Vries
  • Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work. ~ Steven King
  • It’s none of their business that you have to learn how to write. Let them think you were born that way. ~ Ernest Hemingway
  • Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers. ~ Ray Bradbury
  • Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~ Joseph Heller
  • The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better. ~ Stephen King
  • There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. ~ W. Somerset Maugham
  • I try to write a certain amount each day, five days a week. A rule sometimes broken is better than no rule. ~ Herman Wouk
  • Beginning a novel is always hard. It feels like going nowhere. I always have to write at least 100 pages that go into the trashcan before it finally begins to work. It’s discouraging, but necessary to write those pages. I try to consider them pages -100 to zero of the novel. ~ Barbara Kingsolver
  • A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. ~Thomas Mann
  • The miraculous connection between writing and the immune system results from cracking through inhibition. It seems that when we don’t speak the truth of our experience, we inhibit our emotions, and that inhibits our immune function. Keeping secrets and maintaining denial requires physical energy, energy our bodies could use in healthier ways were it available. ~ Peggy Tabor Millin
  • If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor. ~ Edgar Rice Burroughs
  • Being a good writer is 3% talent, 97% not being distracted by the Internet. ~ Anon
  • If you wait for inspiration to write, you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.” ~ Dan Poynter.
  • My first feeling was that there was no way to continue. Writing isn’t like math; in math, two plus two always equals four no matter what your mood is like. With writing, the way you feel changes everything. ~ Stephenie Meyer
  • There is no greater threat to the critics and cynics and fearmongers than those of us who are willing to fall because we have learned how to rise. ~ Brené Brown

Isn’t it comforting to know that some well-known authors share some of the same challenges with writing? Then, at least we all know we are not alone.

How about you? Do you have any feelings about writing that you would like to express? Let us know in the comments. Thank you so much for your visit today. I hope you all have a super weekend

 

 

79 thoughts on “Quotes on Writing from Famous Writers”

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  15. Unlike many here I am not a fan of writing quotes simply because they are all obvious. I would like writing quotes from those who have failed.
    Something like “First daft, first draft, first draft, binned” Or “The worst book I ever wrote turns out to be the best book I ever wrote” something like that.
    Despite the fact he was and still is very successful Micheal Moorcock’s dedication in “Pheonix in Obsidian” reads something like, “This novel is dedicated to those whom I owe money. Without who it would never have been written and certainly not published” He famously wrote the novel from start to finish in Eighteen hours to secure an advance that would allow him to pay those he owed at “New Worlds” magazine.
    Still twas fun reading the quotes.

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  18. Lots of great words of wisdom there. I’m relatively new at this, but one thing I’ve seen from the authors I’ve met is that sometimes we are our worst enemies. Self-doubt is a crippling handicap, and even experienced writers with lots of past success seem to struggle with it.

    My advice is to put your best foot forward, continue to work on your craft because there is always something to learn, check your ego at the door, and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.

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  19. Great list of quotes, John. I have a writing quotes page on my blog, and I’ve included many of these same statements. One that resonates with me particularly right now is: “If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” It’s by Toni Morrison.

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  21. So many good quotes, I couldn’t pick a favorite. Somewhere along the line, I gave up on the idea that I was ever going to quit writing. I always missed it too much. So I adopted the Nike quote, “Just Do It.” Good day, bad day, I just plop my fanny in the chair and put my fingers on the keys.

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  27. When I taught the writing process, the first assignment was a list of quotes about writing from famous authors. Students had to choose the one that resonated most with them and explain why. It was a great way for students to see that writing is challenging for the best of writers–but the rewards are oh-so-great. When I added this quote from Maya Angelou to the list, it became the top pick: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

    These are the two on your list that resonate most with me at the moment:

    There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. ~ W. Somerset Maugham
    A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. ~Thomas Mann

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  29. Reading these quotes confirms that we’re all in good company. Thank you for sharing them, John. The smiles, nods, and the wisdom offer a great beginning to the day! 😊

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  30. Great collection of quotes, John. It is encouraging to know that even the best writers often face difficulties. The one that resonates with me the most (this morning) is the one by Dan Poynter. I’ve been waiting when I just need to write.

    I’ll share a quote that isn’t by a writer, but it can easily apply. “If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” (Vincent Van Gogh).

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  31. Truly, these quotes are comforting. I’ve read some of the quotes before, and it’s helpful to read them again and again. That reinforces the lesson that writing hasn’t come effortlessly to very accomplished writers. We’re not alone in facing difficulties. And, as Brené Brown says, the importance is getting up and continuing to strive.

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  40. Great post, John 🙂 I’m a huge fan of quotes and do find inspiration from other writer’s quotes. It makes you feel less alone along your journey with words, plus there are some good laughs and valuable insight. I enjoyed this and feel very motivated right now.

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