Best Writing Fiction Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings Page 3

“I love the resource of the Internet. I use it all the time. Anything I'm writing - for example, if I'm writing a scene about Washington D.C. and I want to know where this monument is, I can find it right away, I can get a picture of the monument, it just makes your life so much easier, especially if you're writing fiction. You can check stuff so much quicker, and I think that's all great for writers.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Want Writing I Can Use Stuff Fiction Example Internet Easier Scene Resources Checks Monument Writing Fiction

Author:Dave Barry

“Writing grew out of the pleasure of escape. My novels are very much outside of my personal experience. That is why I love writing fiction. It allows me to leave my existence and inhabit other lives.”

Writing Pleasure Existence Fiction Novel Grew Personal Experiences Writing Fiction

Author:Danielle Trussoni

“Whether or not you're writing fiction or you're making sculptures. You're trying to create a space. You're trying to make something where your own epiphanies and your own desires and your own understanding of the world can reveal itself.”

World Writing Trying Desire Understanding Space Fiction Sculpture Epiphany Writing Fiction

Author:Denison Witmer

“I have a process that I seem to always, to some degree, as a writer, adhere to, but I certainly have never imposed the way I write a novel on my students. When I had students, I never said, "You should never start writing a novel until you have the last sentence." I never did that, and I wouldn't do it now, but people now seem so interested in the process [of writing fiction] that I have to constantly make it clear when I describe mine that I'm not being prescriptive. I'm not proselytizing.”

People Way Should Writing Said Seems Lasts Process Fiction Novel Clear Students Mines Degrees Sentences Writing Fiction Proselytizing

Author:John Irving

“I came to fantasy fairly late. For some ten years, I had been happily writing fiction and non-fiction for adults. But I always loved fantasy, whether for adults or young people; and at that particular point in my life, I wanted to try it, to understand it, as part of the process of learning to be a writer. The results were beyond anything I could have foreseen. As I've said often and elsewhere, it was the most creative and liberating experience of my life.”

People Writing Trying Years Said Wanted Young Process Results Fiction Fantasy Creative Particular Ten Late Adults Elsewhere Liberating Non Fiction Writing Fiction Foreseen

Author:Lloyd Alexander

“Fiction is the truth inside the lie.”

Life Writing Truth Beautiful Lying Fiction Bad Ass Fiction Writing Fiction Writers Writing Fiction Reading And Writing Writers Reading Reading Writing Realistic Fiction

Book:Danse Macabre

Source: Danse Macabre

“Writing criticism is to writing fiction and poetry as hugging the shore is to sailing in the open sea.”

Writing Fiction Sea Criticism Critics Shore Censorship Hug Sailing Writing Fiction

Author:John Updike

“Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.”

Writing Country Lost Business Fiction Writing Fiction

Author:Gore Vidal

“I was uncomfortable writing fiction. My love was the personal essay rather than the novel.”

Writing Fiction Novel Uncomfortable Essays Writing Fiction Personal Essays

Author:Alain de Botton

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.”

Source: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

“Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public.”

Writing Book Lasts Adventure Masters Monsters Tyrants Toys Phases Amusement Mistress Writing A Book Servitude Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Fling Writing Fiction Writing By Writers

Book:Winston Churchill, His Wit and Wisdom: Selections from His Works and Speeches

Source: Winston Churchill, His Wit and Wisdom: Selections from His Works and Speeches

“Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. I'm always irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality. It is a plunge into reality and it's very shocking to the system.”

People Life Writing Reality Fall Fiction Novel Hair Terrible Teeth Decay Shocking Plunge Irritated Writing Fiction Real Talk

Author:Flannery O'Connor

“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer.”

“Mr. Franzen said he and Mr. Wallace, over years of letters and conversations about the ethical role of the novelist, had come to the joint conclusion that the purpose of writing fiction was “a way out of loneliness.” (NY Times article on the memorial service of David Foster Wallace.)”

Way Writing Years Said Purpose Fiction Roles Loneliness Conversation Letters Conclusion Novelists Ethical Articles Joints Memorial Writing Fiction Memorial Service Purpose Of Writing

Author:Jonathan Franzen

“Writing fiction is the act of weaving a series of lies to arrive at a greater truth.”

Writing Lying Fiction Greater Series Writing Fiction Weaving

Author:Khaled Hosseini

“I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within.”

Writing Sound My Own Ears Fingers Refuse Fiction Writing Funny Life Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Novel Writing Irritated Writing Fiction Writing By Writers Violinist Creativity And Writing

Author:Gustave Flaubert

“There's no such thing as writer's block. That was invented by people in California who couldn't write.”

People Writing Written Block California Confusing Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Writing Fiction Writer's Block Writing By Writers Creativity And Writing Writing From Famous Authors

Author:Terry Pratchett

“My own experience is that once a story has been written, one has to cross out the beginning and the end. It is there that we authors do most of our lying.”

“The worst part of writing fiction is the fear of wasting your life behind a keyboard. The idea that, dying, you'll realize you only lived on paper. Your only adventures were make-believe, and while the world fought and kissed, you sat in some dark room masturbating and making money.”

World Writing Believe Ideas Fear Realizing Dark Rooms Behinds Fiction Worst Dying Adventure Paper Making Money Sat Keyboards Make Believe Writing Fiction Dark Room

Book:Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories

Source: Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories

“You should never read just for "enjoyment." Read to make yourself smarter! Less judgmental. More apt to understand your friends' insane behavior, or better yet, your own. Pick "hard books." Ones you have to concentrate on while reading. And for god's sake, don't let me ever hear you say, "I can't read fiction. I only have time for the truth." Fiction is the truth, fool! Ever hear of "literature"? That means fiction, too, stupid.”

Should Writing Mean I Can Book Hard Motivational Reading Literature Fiction Stupid Fool Behavior Picks Let Me Sake Insane Enjoyment Smarter Judgmental Writing Fiction Reading Fiction

Author:John Waters

“Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say.”

“I didn't lie, I was writing fiction with my mouth.”

Writing Lying Fiction Mouths Writing Fiction

Author:Matt Groening

“It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does.”

Source: Faulkner at West Point

“It is perfectly okay to write garbage – as long as you edit brilliantly.”

“Writing fiction is not a profession that leaves one well-disposed toward reading fiction. One starts out loving books and stories, and then one becomes jaded and increasingly hard to please. I read less and less fiction these days, finding the buzz and the joy I used to get from fiction in ever stranger works of non-fiction, or poetry.”

Writing Wells Book Hard Stories Used Joy Reading Fiction Please Findings Stranger Profession These Days Non Fiction Buzz Writing Fiction Jaded Reading Fiction

Book:Adventures in the Dream Trade

Source: Adventures in the Dream Trade

“writing fiction is the best thing there is because absolutely everything is possible!”

Writing Fiction Best Things Writing Fiction

Author:Mario Vargas Llosa

“Writing fiction takes me out of time. I sit down and the clock will not exist for me for a few hours. That’s probably as close to immortal as we’ll ever get.”

Writing Hours Fiction Down And Clock Immortal Take Me Writing Fiction

Author:David Foster Wallace

“The trouble with writing fiction is that it has to make sense, whereas real life doesn't.”

Writing Real Fiction Trouble Real Life Make Sense Writing Fiction

Author:Iain Banks

“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

“When in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand.”

Men Writing Hands Doubt Doors Gun Writing Advice Fiction Writing Writing Fiction When In Doubt

Author:Raymond Chandler

“If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn't matter a damn how you write.”

“I have been successful probably because I have always realized that I knew nothing about writing and have merely tried to tell an interesting story entertainingly.”

Writing Has Beens Stories Interesting Successful Doubt Fiction Writing Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Writing Fiction Writing By Writers Story Writing Writing Stories Creativity And Writing Story Writers Interesting Stories Successful Writing

Author:Edgar Rice Burroughs

“The work never matches the dream of perfection the artist has to start with.”

Writing Dream Artist Perfection Fiction Writing Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Novel Writing Writing Fiction Writing By Writers Creativity And Writing

Author:William Faulkner

“Begin with an individual, and before you know it you find that you have created a type; begin with a type, and you find that you have created - nothing.”

Knows Writing Individual Type Writing Advice Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Book Writing Writing Fiction Writing By Writers Creativity And Writing Famous Writers Writing From Famous Authors

Author:F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Anecdotes don't make good stories. Generally I dig down underneath them so far that the story that finally comes out is not what people thought their anecdotes were about.”

People Writing Stories Good Story Good Writing Good Writers Fiction Writing Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Writing Fiction Writing By Writers Anecdotes Story Writing Writing Stories Creativity And Writing Story Writers

Author:Alice Munro

“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any.”

“If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor.”

Ifs Writing May Stories Hundred Favors Odds Fiction Writing Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Novel Writing Writing Fiction Writing By Writers Story Writing Writing Stories Creativity And Writing Story Writers Bad Writing

Author:Edgar Rice Burroughs

“Writing is turning one's worst moments into money.”

Writing Moments Worst Fiction Writing Writers And Writing Fiction Writers Writing Fiction Writing By Writers Creativity And Writing Worst Moments Writing Short Short Writing

Author:J. P. Donleavy

“Easy reading is damn hard writing.”

“When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing.”

Writing Effort Gone Creative Writing Writers And Writing Writing Fiction Writing By Writers Great Effort

Author:Enrique Jardiel Poncela

“The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.”

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”

“If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative.”

“Whether it is done quickly or slowly, however splendid the results, the process of writing fiction is inherently, inevitably, indistinguishable from wasting time.”

Writing Done Process Results Fiction Wasting Time Splendid Writing Fiction

Author:Deborah Eisenberg

“In science there is a dictum: don't add an experiment to an experiment. Don't make things unnecessarily complicated. In writing fiction, the more fantastic the tale, the plainer the prose should be. Don't ask your readers to admire your words when you want them to believe your story.”

Want Should Writing Believe Stories Asks Fiction Reader Add Complicated Experiments Tales Admire Fantastic Prose Writing Fiction

Book:Twice Seven: Stories

Source: Twice Seven: Stories

“Writing fiction is an inherently political activity because people-even imaginary ones-do not live in vacuums... From Twilight to Romeo and Juliet to The Little Mermaid, no work of the imagination is truly apolitical, because the world and our hopes for it are always part of our stories.”

People World Writing Littles Stories Political Imagination Fiction Activity Twilight Imaginary Vacuums Juliet Mermaid Writing Fiction Apolitical

Author:John Green

“Under fun's new administration, writing fiction becomes a way to go deep inside yourself and illuminate precisely the stuff you don't want to see or let anyone else see, and this stuff usually turns out (paradoxically) to be precisely the stuff all writers and readers share and respond to, feel.”

Way Want Feels Writing Turns Fun Stuff Fiction Share Reader Administration Deep Inside Writing Fiction

Book:Both Flesh And Not

Source: Both Flesh And Not

“Writing fiction is a solitary occupation but not really a lonely one. The writer's head is mobbed with characters, images and language.”

Writing Character Language Fiction Lonely Occupation Solitary Writing Fiction

Author:Hilma Wolitzer

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

“Once I got started, I wanted the life of a writer so fiercely that nothing could stop me. I wanted the intensity, the sense of aliveness that came from writing fiction. I'm still that way. My life is worth living when I've completed a good paragraph.”

Way Writing Stills Wanted Life Is Fiction Intensity Worth Living Paragraph Writing Fiction Life Is Worth Living

Author:Lynne Sharon Schwartz

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Writing Fiction Quotes