“You wait for the right moment, and it will come to you. You need confidence that you will get an idea. And I have confidence because I have been writing for almost 40 years, and I know how to do it.”— Haruki Murakami, nytimes.com
“When I get home I shall write a book about this place... If I ever do get home.”— Winston Hibler, Alice (voice), Kathryn Beaumont, imdb.com
“The job of memoir is not the job of journalism. There is no pretense of 'objective memoir.'”— Sara Benincasa, medium.com
“If you make money you are always ensured work. It's a capitalist society baby.”— Bret Easton Ellis, reddit.com
“I've grown familiar with villains that live in my head. They beg me to write them so I'll never die when I'm dead.”— Halsey, open.spotify.com
“My biggest growth as a writer has been in realizing that people don’t want to be told how to live.”— Bianca Sparacino, collective.world
“I used to think those people who sat alone at Starbucks writing on their laptops were pretentious posers. Now I know: They are people who have recently moved in with someone.”— Michael Patrick King, Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker, imdb.com
“I’ve been a freelance copywriter for about ten years, and on the whole, I’ve made more money doing phone sex than I have turning in pages of well-researched, on-brand work. $15 for 500 words versus $4 a minute. You tell me the better way to spend an hour.”— Mila Jaroniec, lennyletter.com
“You're not here to line up behind what's cool, you're here to share what you truly love even if people aren't into it at the moment.”— John Mayer, instagram.com
“Who would've guessed reading and writing would pay off?”— Mike Reiss, Al Jean, Homer Simpson, Dan Castellaneta, imdb.com
“Bart, I am flabbergasted. Surely you knew as you were writing your own name in 40-foot high letters in the field that you would be caught.”— David M. Stern, Principal Skinner, Harry Shearer, imdb.com
“Reminder: A creative career is a lot like surfing. Most of it is about paddling like hell, trying not to drown, and waiting for just the right moment to stand. The surfing, although exhilarating, is the rarest, briefest part.”— Delilah S. Dawson, twitter.com
“Only one thing drives me to write books: OBSESSION. Ferocious love. From the beginning, I've thought of writing as my escape, as this special and important calling. Not drudgery, not *eyeroll* work. I get this fierce, desperate glee as I plan a story. Like planning a vacation.”— Delilah S. Dawson, twitter.com
“I feel like the biggest battle writers face is slogging through when the work isn't flowing, when it's hard, when we're unsure. It's so easy to say, 'Oh, well, the mojo ain't there today,' and quit. But even 500 words is more than 0. You've just got to push through.”— Delilah S. Dawson, twitter.com
“So the point of a writing schedule is to hold you accountable on those days when the writing isn't easy. You don't need a schedule to be a consistent writer. You don't need a calendar with stickers. You just have to figure out what works for *you*. Whatever works=your process.”— Delilah S. Dawson, twitter.com
“In order to write and edit a book and sell it to a publisher, you must be creative and conscientious. WHICH IS A PERFECT STORM FOR DEBUT PAIN. Bc you can imagine grand successes and then feel completely to blame when they do not come to pass. Honey, it ain't you.”— Delilah S. Dawson, twitter.com
“Your job is to write the best book you can. Period. Every time. Don't 'save' anything for later. Don't leave anything on the mat. If the idea sweeps you up in its fury, ride the dang wave.”— Delilah S. Dawson, twitter.com
“I worry for people whose first book is a wild success. What happens when you have a book that doesn't receive that attention? When you're suddenly not the belle of the ball? It's hard to fall from grace. You've got to be realistic + love the writing + know it's not all you.”— Delilah S. Dawson, twitter.com