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Quote by Ernest Hemingway

Work

Ernest Hemingway Selected Letters 1917-1961

This volume presents a selection of letters written by Ernest Hemingway from 1917 to 1961, offering insights into his personal life, literary career, and thoughts on various subjects. more

Author

Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway

American author known for his concise and forceful writing style, as well as his profound insights into life. Hemingway's works cover a wide range of themes including war, adventure, and love, with notable titles such as 'The Old Man and the Sea' and 'A Farewell to Arms'. more

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“There rise authors now and then, who seem proof against the mutability of language, because they have rooted themselves in the unchanging principles of human nature.”

“You can approach the act of writing with nervousness, excitement, hopefulness, or even despair - the sense that you can never completely put on the page what's in your mind and heart. You can come to the act with your fists clenched and your eyes narrowed, ready to kick ass and take down names. You can come to it because you want a girl to marry you or because you want to change the world. Come to it any way but lightly. Let me say it again: you must not come lightly to the blank page.”

“I have never heard a dancer asking for advice about how to stay focused on her footwork, or a painter complaining about the dull day-to-day task of painting. What task worth doing isn't worth daily effort? Do you think Michelangelo was having fun the whole time he was on his back painting the Sistine Chapel's ceiling?”

“If I were to offer any advice to young writers, it would be this: be discriminating and be discerning about the work you set for yourself. That done, be the untutored traveler, the eager reader, the enthusiastic listener. Put what you learn together carefully, and then write thoughtfully, with respect both for the reader and your sources.”