Best writing & book Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“An early editor characterized my books as 'romantic comedy for intelligent adults.' I think people see them as funny but kind. I don't set out to write either funny or kind, but it's a voice they like, quirky like me... And you know, people like happy endings.”

People Thinking Knows Writing Kind Book Voice Comedy Adults Intelligent Like Me Editors Happy Endings Quirky

Author:Elinor Lipman

“I had no idea how complicated and solitary it could be to write a simple book.”

Writing Book Ideas Simple Complicated No Idea Solitary

Author:Jenny Lawson

“What really grabs me is when a reader writes to express her personal story and how a book helped her situation, or her acceptance of a situation she can't change. I read some sad cases in my snail and electronic mail. I respond to all I can, affirming that they are the true heroes of life because they are fighting through adversity and surviving.”

Writing I Can Book Stories Fighting Situation Cases Acceptance Reader Hero Adversity Mail Surviving Can't Change Affirming Snail Personal Stories True Hero Fighting Through

Author:Lurlene McDaniel

“When you are writing, of course, you have to do all that writing and correcting for yourself. When I was a librarian it was expected that I would know about a wide range of books.”

Knows Writing Book Courses Wide Expected Range Librarian Correcting

Author:Margaret Mahy

“The novels take longer to write than the picture book texts, and they do take a different sort of concentration. However, a very short, simple story that works well is just as exciting to me as any longer and more complex book.”

Writing Wells Book Different Stories Simple Novel Exciting Complexes Concentration Picture Books

Author:Margaret Mahy

“I want to write such things as compel the admiring acclamation of the world at large, such things as are written but once in years, things subtle but distinctly different from the books written every day.”

World Want Writing Years Book Different Written Subtle Admiring

Book:Human Days: A Mary MacLane Reader

Source: Human Days: A Mary MacLane Reader

“I think people would actually be surprised by what we put out. Unfortunately the shadow that the original founders cast was that they were just artists that can't write books so people swept the whole of Image with that paintbrush.”

People Thinking Writing Book Whole Artist Shadow Originals Casts Founders Paintbrush

Author:Todd McFarlane

“Luckily I haven't fallen into the trap, which has claimed so many writers, of living from day to day thinking 'Ah, I'll write a book about that.'”

Thinking Writing Book Havens Fallen Traps Day To Day Amelie

Author:Amelie Nothomb

“The only pressure I feel is to write good books. And to not replicate the previous book. Whether you have a thousand readers or a million readers it doesn't change the pressure. I never feel tempted to give the reader what I think the reader wants.”

Thinking Want Giving Feels Writing Book Millions Reader Thousand Pressure Tempted Good Book Replicate

Author:Jo Nesbo

“I am not scared of anyone. I will write and publish my books.”

Writing Book Scared Publish

Author:Taslima Nasrin

“I have been writing poetry since 1975. My first poetry book was published in 1986.”

Writing Firsts Has Beens Book Writing Poetry

Author:Taslima Nasrin

“I certainly want to continue to write in a way that's intimate. I love books where you feel you're having a romance with the writer.”

Way Want Feels Writing Book Romance Intimate

Author:Joseph O'Neill

“A lot of writers that I know have told me that the first book you write, you write about your childhood, whether you want to or not. It calls you back.”

Knows Want Writing Firsts Book Childhood Your Children

Author:Tea Obreht

“Write a nonfiction book, and be prepared for the legion of readers who are going to doubt your fact. But write a novel, and get ready for the world to assume every word is true.”

World Writing Book Facts Novel Doubt Ready Reader Assuming Prepared Nonfiction Be Prepared Legion

Book:High Tide in Tucson

Source: High Tide in Tucson

“Well, first you have to love writing. A lot of authors love having written. But I enjoy the actual writing. Beside that, I think the main reason I can be so prolific is the huge amount of planning I do before I start to write. I do a very complete, chapter-by-chapter outline of every book I write. When I sit down to write, I already know everything that's going to happen in the book. This means I've done all the important thinking, and I can relax and enjoy the writing. I could never write so many books if I didn't outline them first.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Writing Firsts Wells Mean I Can Important Book Reason Done Happens Enjoy Written Huge Amount Planning Relax Chapters Outlines

Author:R. L. Stine

“You can't. Do you hear me? You think you've figured something out? You run over here so pleased with yourself because you changed your mind. Now you're certain. You're so... sloppy. You don't know anything. The book, the math, the dates, the writing, all that stuff you decided with your buddies, it's just evidence. It doesn't finish the job. It doesn't prove anything.”

Thinking Knows Writing Mind Book Running Jobs Certain Stuff Changed Prove Evidence Decided Logic Math Certainty Uncertainty Reasoning Buddy Ontology Sloppy You Changed

Author:David Auburn

“I have just finished my sketch of my species theory. If as I believe that my theory is true & if it be accepted even by one competent judge, it will be a considerable step in science. I therefore write this, in case of my sudden death, as my most solemn & last request, which I am sure you will consider the same as if legally entered in my will, that you will devote 400£ to its publication & further will yourself, or through Hensleigh [Wedgwood], take trouble in promoting it.”

Source: On Evolution: The Development of the Theory of Natural Selection

“To present a scientific subject in an attractive and stimulating manner is an artistic task, similar to that of a novelist or even a dramatic writer. The same holds for writing textbooks.”

Writing Book Science Subjects Tasks Artistic Novelists Attractive Dramatic Textbooks

Author:Max Born

“It is as easy to dream a book as it is hard to write one.”

Writing Book Hard Dream Easy

Author:Honore de Balzac

“You want the book to be special, and they are not always going to be special, but at least you want that to be the ambition. So the only way that happens is if you are not pressing to write a book.”

Ifs Way Want Writing Book Happens Special Ambition

Author:Michael Lewis

“With each book, in each place, I have to keep an ongoing map as I write because otherwise I don't know where I am.”

Knows Writing Book Maps Ongoing

Author:Tamora Pierce

“I don't write for an audience, I don't think whether my book will sell, I don't sell it before I finish writing it.”

Thinking Writing Book Audience Sells

Author:Ann Patchett

“All my books were easy to write - doesn't it show?”

Writing Book Shows Easy

Author:Daniel Pinkwater

“Name the book that made the biggest impression on you. I bet you read it before you hit puberty. In the time I've got left, I intend to write artistic books - for kids - because they're still open to new ideas.”

Writing Made Stills Book Ideas Kids Names Left Impression Artistic New Ideas Puberty Books For Kids

Author:Gary Paulsen

“It's important, I think, for a writer of fiction to maintain an awareness of the pace and shape of the book as he's writing it. That is, he should be making an object, not chattering.”

Thinking Should Writing Important Book Fiction Awareness Objects Shapes Pace

Author:Thomas Perry

“When I write a book, I'm making it the best book I can.”

Writing I Can Book

Author:Thomas Perry

“Now I'm trying to work outside first person. I do plan to write more books.”

Writing Trying Firsts Persons Book Plans Work Out First Person

Author:Brent Runyon

“Maybe I would have become an actor. I was a very outgoing kid, but being in the hospital - being outside of social action for so long - turned me into an observer. Actually, right after I got out of the hospital, I did start writing a novel, but the book was so transparently about me that I stopped.”

Writing Long Book Kids Action Actors Social Novel Hospitals Observers Outgoing Social Action

Author:Brent Runyon

“I don't have many friends. It's not because I'm a misanthrope. It's because I'm reserved. I'm self-contained. I get all my adventures in my head when I'm writing my books.”

Writing Book Self Adventure Reserved Many Friends Self Contained Misanthrope

Author:Ian Rankin

“I used to think that: whenever I heard that someone had taken 10 years to write a novel, I'd think it must be a big, serious book. Now I think, 'No - it took you one year to write, and nine years to sit around eating Kit Kats.”

Thinking Writing Years Book Bigs Used Novel Taken Heard Serious Eating Nine Nine Years

Author:Ian Rankin

“I'm often asked how I write books, but I don't think my approach is suitable for everyone. If I walked into a creative writing class, all I could say to them was 'I tend to make it up as I go along.' I'm not sure that's brilliant advice.”

Ifs Thinking Writing Book Class Creative Advice Approach Brilliant Not Sure Creative Writing Suitable

Author:Ian Rankin

“I have a lyric journal that I write in a lot. When I’m going to play, I just sit down and have my books with me and my notes and tapes and whatever I need to refer to. I just play and try different things. It’s a kind of discipline.”

Needs Writing Trying Kind Book Different Play Discipline Down And Notes Different Things Tape Journal

Author:Amy Ray

“Generally, if you preface an interview request with, 'I'm an author writing a book,' for some reason, that seems to open a lot of doors.”

Ifs Writing Book Reason Seems Doors Interviews Request Writing A Book

Author:James Rollins

“I wrote for years before I was ever published, and I don't think I could ever stop. That said, I was also a veterinarian before I sold my first book, and I still volunteer my time to help with animal welfare causes. So that is a career I would be happy to return to - while still secretly writing strange stories back in my doctor's office.”

“You won't see me writing about particle physics, or even planetary geology, or chemistry. I practically failed chemistry, and if I had to write a book in any of those areas, I don't think it would go well.”

Ifs Thinking Writing Wells Book Areas Physics Chemistry Particles Geology Particle Physics

Author:Mary Roach

“When I write my books, actually I'm known for very logical rule-based magic systems. I write with one foot in fantasy and one foot in science fiction.”

Writing Book Fiction Known Fantasy Magic Feet Science Fiction Logical

Author:Brandon Sanderson

“The craft of writing is all the stuff that you can learn through school; go to workshops and read books. Learn characterization, plot and dialogue and pacing and word choice and point of view. Then there's also the art of it which is sort of the unknown, the inspiration, the stuff that is noncerebral.”

Writing Art Book Inspiration School Choices Stuff Views Point Of View Dialogue Crafts Plot Workshops Characterization Pacing Word Choice

Author:Garth Stein

“I've been writing since I'm five years old. I've been writing books since high school - junior high, high school. I write every single day. I never thought I'd be published.”

Writing Years Book School Five High School Five Years Juniors Writing A Book Five Year Olds Junior High High School Junior

Author:Karrine Steffans

“I will get a loan and pay the money the court asks for. But I will not lay down my writing and I still say this was an important book to write.”

Writing Stills Important Book Asks Pay Court Lays Loan

Author:Asne Seierstad

“If I lose, then I have to accept that my way of writing books is not the way society says it's okay to write.”

Ifs Way Writing Book Loses Accepting Okay My Way Writing A Book

Author:Asne Seierstad

“There is nothing I would change - to change it I would have had to write a totally different book.”

Writing Book Different Different Books

Author:Asne Seierstad

“I just write the books that I think I would want to read.”

Thinking Want Writing Book

Author:Curtis Sittenfeld

“When I was writing my first two books I was also freelancing and teaching and doing other odd jobs.”

Writing Firsts Two Book Jobs Teaching Odd Odd Jobs

Author:Curtis Sittenfeld

“I don't think there was a particular book that made me want to write. They all did. I always wanted to write.”

Thinking Want Writing Made Book Wanted Particular

Author:Elizabeth Strout

“And I have finally realized that, you know, it's not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing aspirations. It could be that it would take me 12 more books at six years each to get it - which means I would have to live to be 126. Which I fully intend to do, of course.”

Knows Writing Years Mean Book Courses Given Six Aspiration Take Me Accommodate

Author:George Saunders

“Well, I am becoming doddering and old but I have - I'm writing two books a year now. It's like 220,000 words or something like finished, and, honest to God, I can't do that. I really do need the help of, you know, other people working with me.”

People Knows Needs Writing Years Wells I Can Two Book Helping Honest Becoming Finished

Author:John Sandford

“Tormented by the cursed ambition always to put a whole book in a page, a whole page in a sentence, and this sentence in a word. I am speaking of myself.”

Writing Book Whole Ambition Pages Sentences Cursed

Author:Joseph Joubert

“It appeared that after first contemplating a book on some subject, and after giving serious preliminary attention to it, I needed a period of subconscious incubation which could not be hurried and was if anything impeded by deliberate thinking.... Having, by a time of very intense concentration, planted the problem in my subconsciousness, it would germinate underground until, suddenly, the solution emerged with a blinding clarity, so that it only remained to write down what happened as if in a revelation.”

“But once an original book has been written - and no more than one or two appear in a century - men of letters imitate it, in other words, they copy it so that hundreds of thousands of books are published on exactly the same theme, with slightly different titles and modified phraseology. This should be able to be achieved by apes, who are essentially imitators, provided, of course, that they are able to make use of language.”

Men Should Writing Has Beens Two Book Different Use Able Courses Language Written Century Letters Originals Titles Theme Copies Apes Imitator Use Of Language

Book:Planet of the Apes

Source: Planet of the Apes

“It takes an awful lot of time to not write a book.”

Writing Book Awful

Author:Douglas Adams

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