Analogies, it is true, decide nothing, but they can make one feel more at home.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
If you wish to be a writer; write!
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
The artist (in literature) appeals to that part of our being which is not dependent on wisdom; to that in us which is a gift and not an acquisition—and, therefore, more permanently enduring. He speaks to our capacity for delight and wonder, to the sense of mystery surrounding our lives; to our sense of pity, and beauty, and pain.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
Let those who would write heroic poems make their life an heroic poem.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
Any writer, I suppose, feels that the world into which he was born is nothing less than a conspiracy against the cultivation of his talent.
—James Baldwin (1924–87) American Novelist, Social Critic
The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
It’s hard enough to write a good drama, it’s much harder to write a good comedy, and it’s hardest of all to write a drama with comedy. Which is what life is.
—Jack Lemmon (1925–2001) American Actor, Musician
If writing seems hard, it’s because it is hard. It’s one of the hardest things people do.
—William Zinsser (1922–2015) American Writer, Editor, Literary Critic, Teacher
First we thought the PC was a calculator. Then we found out how to turn numbers into letters with ASCII—and we thought it was a typewriter. Then we discovered graphics, and we thought it was a television. With the World Wide Web, we’ve realized it’s a brochure.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
When we see a natural style we are quite amazed and delighted, because we expected to see an author and find a man.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Easy reading is damned hard writing.
—Anonymous
Find out what your hero or heroine wants, and when he or she wakes up in the morning, just follow him or her all day.
—Ray Bradbury (b.1920) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
With 60 staring me in the face, I have developed inflammation of the sentence structure and a definite hardening of the paragraphs.
—James Thurber
Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Easy writings curse is hard reading.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816) Irish-born British Playwright, Poet, Elected Rep
An author in his book must be like God in the universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere.
—Gustave Flaubert (1821–80) French Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
The aim, if reached or not, makes great the life: try to be Shakespeare, leave the rest to fate!
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
A man would do well to carry a pencil in his pocket and write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable, and should be secured, because they seldom return.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
You don’t write because you want to say something; you write because you’ve got something to say.
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
I don’t know much about creative writing programs. But they’re not telling the truth if they don’t teach, one, that writing is hard work, and, two, that you have to give up a great deal of life, your personal life, to be a writer.
—Doris Lessing (1919–2013) British Novelist, Poet
When once the itch of literature comes over a man, nothing can cure it but the scratching of a pen. But if you have not a pen, I suppose you must scratch any way you can.
—Samuel Lover (1797–1868) Anglo-Irish Writer, Artist, Songwriter
To note an artist’s limitations is but to define his talent. A reporter can write equally well about everything that is presented to his view, but a creative writer can do his best only with what lies within the range and character of his deepest sympathies.
—Willa Cather (1873–1947) American Novelist, Writer
What an occupation! To sit and flay your fellow men and then offer their skins for sale and expect them to buy them.
—August Strindberg (1849–1912) Swedish Playwright, Novelist, Essayist
The moving finger writes, and having written moves on. Nor all thy piety nor all thy wit, can cancel half a line of it.
—Omar Khayyam (1048–1123) Persian Mathematician
The best style is the style you don’t notice.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Don’t say it was “delightful” make us say “delightful” when we’ve read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are only like saying to your readers “Please will you do the job for me.”
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
Every drop of ink in my pen ran cold.
—Hugh Walpole (1884–1941) English Novelist, Short Story Writer, Dramatist
The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is you really want to say.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Never write on a subject until you have read yourself full of it.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
The future author is one who discovers that language, the exploration and manipulation of the resources of language, will serve him in winning through to his way.
—Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) American Novelist, Playwright
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