“I used to be a pre-industrial writer: thousands of words in a spurt and then a few days off. But as I get older, I've switched to a mode best described as 'slow and steady wins the race.' Basically, I write during the same four hours every day, after breakfast and the all-important coffee, generally in the same room and wearing the same pajamas.” WritingImportantUsedWinningHoursRoomsRaceFourCoffeeUsed To BeBreakfastSteadyDays OffPajamasSlow And Steady Author:Scott Westerfeld
“The O. Henry has become lingua franca among writers for saying, 'That guy can write a story.' It's prestigious, respected, coveted, dreamed about. It's very satisfying to be included in this group of writers. Here's a koan: Could O. Henry win an O. Henry?” WritingStoriesGuyWinningGroupsSatisfyingThat GuyPrestigiousO Henry Author:Tony D'Souza
“You write a book and you finish the book. That's your job done, right? You win the Booker and you have a whole new job. You have to be the thing, right? So instead of writing the story, you somehow are the story. And that I found that sort of terrible.” WritingBookDoneWholeStoriesJobsFoundWinningTerribleNew Job Author:Anne Enright
“Good editorial writing has less to do with winning an argument, since the other side is mostly not listening, than with telling the guys on your side how they ought to sound when they’re arguing.” WritingGuyWinningSoundSidesListeningOughtArgumentArguingYour SideEditorialsWinning An Argument Author:Adam Gopnik
“Not to write, for many of us, is to die. We must take ares each and every day, perhaps knowing that the battle cannot be entirely won, but fight we must, if only a gentle bout. The smallest effort to win means, at the end of each day, a sort of victory.” IfsWritingMeanEndsDiesFightingWinningEffortKnowingVictoryBattleGentleEach DaySmallest Author:Ray Bradbury
“I'm not worried about facing the Sacramento Queens. Write it down. Take a picture. I'm not going to talk about this all year. When I get back, there's going to be trouble.” WritingYearsWinningTroubleBasketballWorriedQueensGet BackSacramento Author:Shaquille O'Neal
“Some of my youthful readers are developing wonderful imaginations. This pleases me. When I was young I longed to write a great novel that should win me fame. Now that I am getting old my first book is written to amuse children. For aside from my evident inability to do anything "great," I have learned to regard fame as a will-o-the-wisp which, when caught, is not worth the possession; but to please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one's heart and brings its own reward.” ShouldWritingFirstsHeartChildrenBookYoungWinningImaginationNovelWonderfulWrittenSweetReaderPleaseFameRegardRewardsCaughtPossessionLovelyDevelopingI Have LearnedEvidentInabilityGetting OldPlease MeLovely ThingsWispsGreat Novels Author:L. Frank Baum
“Essayists must not only be succinct but have original ideas and, even harder to come by, or to fake, likable voices. Consciously or not, they endeavor to win us over by charm. If an essayist can not only charm but write the unforgettable sentence, one that reveals the heart in a few words, I'm her slave.” IfsWritingHeartIdeasWinningVoiceHarderOriginalsSlaveSentencesFakeCharmEndeavorCan NotFew WordsEssayistsUnforgettableOriginal Ideas Author:Cyra McFadden
“I'm not looking to write the great American novel, win a Pulitzer or teach history. I write to entertain my readers.” WritingWinningTeachNovelReaderGreat American Author:Dorothy Garlock
“Write something insightful. Say Morgan Freeman said it. Win at internet.” WritingSaidWinningInternetInsightfulFreeman Author:Morgan Freeman
“It's hard to be a celebrity nowadays. It's not about your track record anymore. If you have a great movie, you're good. If not, people are ready to write you off. I think the only ones who are really winning are people like Will Smith. People go, 'Oh, it's Will Smith. I've got to see him, whatever he's in.'” PeopleIfsThinkingWritingHardWinningRecordsReadyTrackTrack Record Author:Jamie Foxx
“I think anything thats creative really takes my mind off whatever it is that Im going through in my life. If youre going through heartbreak, and you can write a song, its a wonderful win-win, because it takes your mind off the heartbreak, and you get to vent.” IfsThinkingWritingMindHeartSongWinningCreativeWonderfulWin Win Author:Nikki Sixx
“Throughout much of history, women writers have capitulated to male standards, and have paid too much heed to what Virginia Woolf calls "the angel in the house." She is that little ghost who sits on one's shoulder while one writes and whispers, "Be nice, don't say anything that will embarrass the family, don't say anything your man will disapprove of ..." [ellipsis in original] The "angel in the house" castrates one's creativity because it deprives one of essential honesty, and many women writers have yet to win the freedom to be honest with themselves.” MenWritingLittlesHouseWinningCreativityToo MuchNiceHonestHonestyEssentialsStandardsAngelPaidOriginalsMalesGhostShouldersBeing HonestBeing NiceSay AnythingVirginiaHeedWoolf Author:Erica Jong
“I never pretend to be so superior a being as to be above having and indulging a hobby horse [her journal writing], and while I keep mine within due bounds and limits, nobody, I flatter myself, would wish to deprive me of the poor animal: to be sure, he is not formed for labour, and is rather lame and weak, but then the dear creature is faithful, constant, and loving, and though he sometimes prances, would not kick anyone into the mire, or hurt a single soul for the world--and I would not part with him for one who could win the greatest prize that ever was won at any races.” WorldWritingSoulSometimesWinningWishHurtAnimalPoorRaceMinesCreaturesLimitsWeakHorseConstantBoundsDearDuesSuperiorsFaithfulKicksLabourPrizeHobbiesJournalLameJournal Writing Author:Fanny Burney
“...we do not simply get showered with Hollywood money because we happened to write a little story about wizards one day. It's not winning the lottery. It's a real job, which real people do, and they have the same real problems as other real people.” PeopleWritingLittlesRealStoriesProblemRealityJobsWinningCommunityWorkMoneyHappenedOne DayHollywoodIdeologyWizardsLotteryReal ProblemsReal JobsWinning The Lottery Author:Joanne Harris
“But as for me, Emperor, nature has not given me stature, age has marred my face, and my strength is impaired by ill health. Therefore, since these advantages fail me, I shall win your approval, as I hope, by the help of my knowledge and my writings.” WritingHelpingAgeFacesWinningGivenFailingAdvantageIllApprovalEmperorStatureIll Health Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
“It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins.” WritingLittlesMatterHandsWinningHumiliating Author:Benito Mussolini
“With my own memoirs, they are truthful, and I write everything fully expecting to some day end up televised on Court TV, and I'm fully prepared to be challenged legally on it. Everything I write is the truth and I know that I would win.” KnowsWritingEndsWinningMy OwnTvsCourtPreparedMemoirExpectingTruthful Author:Augusten Burroughs
“The best advice I have is keep writing, keep practicing, keep winning, losing and understanding the difference. Never stop learning, never stop pushing yourself. Then find yourself a team you can work well with and help make awesome things happen.” WritingWellsHelpingHappensWinningUnderstandingDifferencesTeamAdviceLosingThings HappenPushingFinding YourselfPush YourselfBest AdviceNever Stop LearningWinning LosingAwesome Things Author:Rhianna Pratchett