Quote
Catalog

Quotes tagged ‘On Writing’

(50 total)

My narrative self (the culprit who invented) wishes to be discovered by my reflective self, the self who wants to understand and make sense of half-remembered moment.

— Patricia Hampl, amazon.com

Memory seeks a permanent home for feeling and image, a habitation where they can live together.

— Patricia Hampl, amazon.com

Intimacy with a piece of writing, as with a person, comes from paying attention to the revelations it is capable of giving, not by imposing my own notions and agenda, no matter how well intentioned they might be.

— Patricia Hampl, amazon.com

I don't write about what I know, but in order to find out what I know.

— Patricia Hampl, amazon.com

The experience was simply there, like a book that has always been on the shelf, whether I ever read it or not, the binding and the title showing as I skim across the contents of my life.

— Patricia Hampl, amazon.com

I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

Optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to failure.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

Let me say it again: You must not come lightly to the blank page.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

Let’s get one thing clear right now, shall we? There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new unde…

— Stephen King, amazon.com

But it’s writing, damn it, not washing the car or putting on eyeliner. If you can take it seriously, we can do business. If you can’t or won’t, it’s time for you to close the book and do something else. Wash the car, maybe.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it, and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

The more you read, the less apt you are to make a fool of yourself with your pen or word processor.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

Can I be blunt on this subject? If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room. Life isn’t a support system for art. It’s the other way around.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

The road to hell is paved with adverbs.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

By the time I was fourteen the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and went on writing.

— Stephen King, amazon.com

KWW K&M&&WWMK MWWWWWWWWWWW MM K & MWK WWKKMK&&&M&&&& WWWWWWWWWWWWWW &WK WWW K K WWWWWMMMWMWWW & W WK &WM WW MWWW&KK &K KWWWMMWWK W & & W W & K M &WWMWWWWMK K KK K W MW K MWMMWW& &M KMWWWW &WWWWWM& W WW K K K W &WWWWWWMK WWWWWWWWWWK&WWWWWWWWWMM &K K M W K W WW KWWWMK KWWMWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWM&KKK &WK& KWW M K &W K &&WWWWWW&MWWWWWWM&K K WW WM & MM& WW W K&MMMK & MWWW & KWW W WK MWWWK WWWW K K W && K& WWW KM W & MWM &W WWM &&&K KMW& WWW& & W K & &M W &MWWM WWW KW WW K & WW M KK&K WWWWWWWM&K &W W& W K WW K&MK &MWWWW&K W &WK M &WW K&&K K WM WM W K W &MWW KWWW MMM&& KKKKKK W W & K WWWWWWW WWWWM &&K &WWWWWWWWWWWMK KKK&K K W& MK MW WWWWW WWW WWWWMK&& KK &MMMMMMMM&&&WWWWWWWWWWW K&M KK WW WW K W W &WW&K& WWW MWWWW MM&KKKMK WWWWWWWWWWWWMMWWWWWWWWWWWW& KK&& WW KK KWW&W KKK & &W WWWWKKWWWW W K &WWW MM&&&MK &WWWWWWWWWWWWWWMWWWWWWWWWWWWWM KK KK K& W M& W MWWWM MWWWWWWWWM W &WM WW& MW &K &MWWWWWWWWWWWMMM&WWWWWWW WWWWWWW K & & W&M WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW& &WW& WWWWWWWW &MWWWWWWWWWMMMMMMMWWWWWWWKWWWWWWK KK M K WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW && KKWWWWWWWW K &MWWWWWWWWMMMMMM&&WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW KK KW & M& WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW MWWMWWWWWWWW KMWWWWWWWWMMMMMM&&MWWWWWWWWWWWWWWM KKK KW WW K W& WWWWWWWWWWWW&WWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWMWW& KMW &WWWWWWWWWMM&&&&KMWWWWWWMWWWWWWWW KK&K WWM &WW &W K &W&W MK MWWWMMWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW &WWWWWWMWWWWMW &WW KMWWWWWWWWMMM&&K &WWWWWWM&WMWWWWWM KKKK WWM KM WWW WK WWWWW WWWWWMWWWWWWKWWWWWWWW M&WWWWWWWMMWKWK K W KMWWWWWWWWWWMM&K WWWWWWWK&WWWWWWW K K WWW & &WWK W& WW WWWW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW MWWWWWWWMWWWW&W KM && &MWWWWWWWWWWMM& MWMWWWWWWWWKWWWW KKK WWWWW KM & K W KWWWWWWWWWWWMWWWWWW&MKM WWWWWWWWWWWWWWK& WK K K&WWWWWWWWWWMMMK MMWWWWM&KW&&&WWWK KKK&WWWM & WK WW WWWMWWWWWWWWWWWW WW&WW WWWWWWWWWWW&&WK WWW& &MWWWWWWWWWWM&K &MMMWWWWWWWW&WWW& KKMWWWW &&K W K K WWWWWWWWWWWWMWWWW&WWWKW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW KMWM K&MMWWWWWWWWM&K &&WWWKMMMWWKWWWM KKMWWWW MM MW & & WWWWWWMWWWWWWWWWWWMWM KWWWWW&WWWWWWWW WW& &M &&&MWWWWWWM&& M&WWWWK WK K&WMW KWWWWW MM&K &K WWWWWW WWWWWWWWK&WW WW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW WW K&MMWWWWWM&K &MWW& WWM WMKWWW WWWWW KK WWWKM &WWWWWWM &WWW&K &WWWWWWWMWWWWWW& WWWW KK&MMWWWWM& &MM&&W WWWM KWW& WWWWW K

... .,,::.. ...:: :,. :,, . ,,, . ... ,::. ... : . :: :: .: , ., : . , :. : .,.. .,::.....,: .., ,.,.: , ,., : :.....,:: .. : :,: : :., , .. .,, . . :., .... ,:::.. ,:: :,,: .,, : . ,.. : ,. ..:::. .. : : :,: . , : . .. . :: . . ., . .....,: :.....: ,..: ,.. , ,::. . , ,... .::: . ,: ::.: : . , .. ,.,,, : , , , .,:::. .,:: ,..:: ,.. ,:,. , ... ..,:, . , , ,.. , , , . , , . , :, , ,::,. ..: :..,:, . . ::, , .. .,:,. : , ::: . : : ,::, ,: : ., . , :,. , . : .. .,,. , :, . ,,, . , . ., , . : .,:,. , ,..: ...:: .:,. ., . , .,. . . :.:. , ,,, . : . .,..: . .,,,. .: ,. :, . .:, .:,. .:: , ,. . . , :.., :,.. : , :,:: , .. . : , .,:, .: :. , . . . .,, , . , ,. .. , ., , ,:: :, . : : , , . .,,. .,: , , .. . ,:,. . , . . . . ,. .::,: ::. , , , , ,, . : ,:,. .: :. .,: , , ,:. . :: . . ., .. ..,,: ::,,:. ,,,,:: ,., : ,. ..,. ..::,. .:, . ,, :, , .:: . ,.: , : ,. ,,: ,.:. ,:.,: :, , : : : .,. ,::, ..: . :. :, : . ,. ., , ,,: ,, ,,.:: :: .:: : :,,: : : . : .,:. , : ,, .. : .:, : . , ., : :, ..,.::::: , : . .,,. .: :. ,: ,. .: ,:, . . .,,:: : ., , ...:::: : :,,, :: . . : : : . : : : ,,. . :: .:. , .: .:, , . , ,,:: : ,,...:::, ,, . , . ., , :. ,,. , .,, ,::, : ., ,, .:. :: .,:, , .. : . :: : .: : : , . . . : : ,, ,,. , . .: .. :. ,, . ,, . : ..,, . , . , .. : : , , , . . : ,,. ., , ,, ,. .: .:,. .: :.: .,::. , :.: , . , , , .,,. ,: , : :. .: .,, ., : ., : . .. ,. :, . ,. : ., : ,, ,: . : ., .: .,, . ., , ,. , : . ,. ... .: ,, ., .. ,,. : .: . .:., .. . , : , .. ,: : . ,. , ,,. ,. , ,, , ,:, , ,. ,: . : .. ,: , ., . : ,. ,. , , ,,,, : : : :, , :, : , : ,: ., .,: , , ., ,: ., . ,. : .. : ,.,: : : :, : , .:: ., ,. ,, . , . . ,. :.,. ,,,,:: : , ,. , : , : .: : : , :. .,. .. ,, :.,. : ..,,:: : : , : : . : , : , : ,.,. .: ,,., .,,,:: , . , , . : ,: ., ., .: , ,,,., . ,. ..,,::, : . : . : ., ,. .. .: : : :., : : . ,.:,,: . .: : :, , :, , : ,. ., : ,, : : : :,,,., : :, .:, . , . .: ., , ., ,: ,: : .,. , . ::: ,:, , ::: : ..: ,, .. , .: ,, : . .:, ,. : :, , . :::: : :., : . : ,, : .: : :,, : : , :.:, ,. . . .. , . : : .: ,. ., . .::: :.: :, :.,, . : .::::. ,,, : ,: : ,

<~ ~~ < ~~ ~* <~ ~} }} }*<~ <~}*~ } ~~ <* * ~ ~ <* ~ } ~~~ ~ ~ ~~ << * <} <} }}*~ <~*** ~ < ~~ < ~ }< * <}*< ~ } }< ~< < ~ ~~ <~ * <* * } < **} }~ ~~<<* * ~~ *} } < * * ~ } ~ }~ ~ ~~~ < ~ * ~< <*~ ~<} }} }* } ~ <<* * }~< * } *< ~* }* } ~~ < * ~< <*< <~ < **} * ~~ ~<< ~}~ *~ } * }} } < } }* < } < }~ ~< < * << ~<< } *< } ~~ ~ ~< * ~ ~ } < } ~ * ~~ * }<} < } ~~ ~ ~ < ~ ~}< } }~ }*}}* ~ ~< * } * ~*} ** } < } * * ****~* ~<~ ~ ~ < ~*< ~}}~<} **~~~ ~ ~~ <} *~ ~ * ** }} < <*< ~~~ < <<< ~ ~*}}< ~ ~ * * ~ * < } * }~* <~ * ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ <<~ ~ ~ <~ } ~* <~ < <*} } < <*~} } * ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~ <} ~ * * } ~<~*} < * } ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~ **~~} }< }* } * < }< * * ~ <~ < <*} *}~ } ~ ~~ ~ ~~<**<~~ ~ ~ < } < } * < } ** }*< } }** }* } ~ ~ ~~ } < <<**<*<~< ~ ~ } }}* ~ < * < } } * } < < * ~ ~ ~ ~~ }} **} ~ } }}**<~* < <}~ *<~}}} ~ } < ~ ~ ~ <*< < *~ ~* <} < << } } *< < ~}* } }} ~ < ~ }*<<}* ~} ~ ~} *} }* <*~< * }} <*~ * * }*} < } < ~ * <***} ~} ~ ~}} * } *<} ~* * }*}* ~ ~ ~~ ~ * ~ ~ * }~ * ~* } *< } ~~ * ~ < ~ < ~~~ <} * < ~ } *} ~ *~ } << ~ *< ~~ } ~<* ~ ~ <} ~*< * } } ~*<} * ~ ~<} << ~ }} ~ <~ ~ } *} <** *< } } < ~~ << < < ~ } } *~< } ~}~ ~ ~ *< * * * }* ~ ~ ~< }}* ~ < < * ~ ~ *~ < } } * * } ~ }} } ~<* < } * < ~ * * * } } ~ } ~~ *} }~ ~ ~ * * ~ < < } }}}< <* ~~ } <} < ~ < } * } } ~ ~ } ~~ } < * ~ *~~ ~~ } ~ }} }~ < < } * }<* } ~ } } } * *<~ ~~~ ~ } ** }* ~< ~* < } * < ~* **< ~ < ~ < } * <* } ~ ~ < < } } }}}*} ~ <*<~~~ * ~ ~ } ~ ~} <} << ~ **~ ~* *<< *~ } ** ~<~~~~ < ~~ ~* ~ } } ~} } } ~ *< *~ ~~ ~ <*~ }*}} <~~<~ < ~~~~ < < *} < }~~ ~ < } ~ ~* < ~ ~~ ~ < <~~ }* } } }} < }}<} ~}~ * * * <<~* ~ } }~ }~ ~ ~~~~ } * * *} * ~ }<~ }*<~ * << *

oo VUVU Uj U j V U j o j o UU j oj oU Vjj jo j UU o jjV Voj jooj V oj j o U j j o V VU V Uoj joV j Vj o U VVj U Vo U jUVj U VooojjoUU V V j U U V j U U j jjV UVoj joo V jU j V j Uj o j V U j V o o jo Vo U UU j V U U U Voooo V o oj j Uo j Vj U o U VUo jVjV V VVUU U o j j oo Vo UU jj jjV Voo ojjjjV V UVojjoVj j o Vjj U j o Vo V o jjjjjjjjoVojojU o U Uj oo jjVj o oo jjoooVVVV U o j o o o V j V U jjoVVVooooo j o j jV U oo jVVj U UVVVojjj V j oV V V U jj U j o j o o jjjoj Uoj o oj joj jo V VoU jo oUjj jj j oU VVoooj UVj oVo j U V oV Ujjj j j V Voj ooj V o j jU U j U o U Vj jo U V V UVjjoj o VUV VUU o o Uoj U U V UVojoo oVUUo UUUU o o ojU j V V j V j oo ooU V U o UVVV j o UVUUU Uj j U oV o V U o jj VV j U jj o j V o U VUU Uj o o U oo V V U o UV U o o U U UU U V V V Vj V o j U V V j UV U U U jo V o VUUU UUUj Vj j U V o U Vj V o o V V U VVVUVU ojo j jo UV o o V U o Vo j j V VoVUVU U j U V j U o j V U joV o oVVVU V o V jVo U VUV V jU UoVj UV U o V U j o U U U U jj UUU V o jj j o o V VV j ojV V jj U U V oU o UUU U U jV VV Vo j U U oU oj V VUV U j o oj VU UVj oo j oo j U U o o VUVU U o j V jjV j U U j V V V j U o jU j oUVUU o V j U V oojjjj j V V V U oVoVV U o V V U UVo o jo V V jV Ujo V j jooVVV VVV jj jV U U oo j jU o Uj oU U j V V V ooVVoU Vj oj j j U j UU oo UV j V jV UV j Uo U oVUVjU j o V o

W KMK WWWWW & K& WW WWW WWW& WWW &WWWWW& &M K & & W K MW& W M& WKM M &WW WW&K WMWWW& K& K & WMWW &W KK& KWWWWWWWWWWW KK K K &M WWWWWWW M WWW WWWWMMMWWWWWM K WWWWWWWW WWWWW WWWWMM&WWWWWW K W W W WWK WWWWWWWWM WWWWW & MWWWWM WWWWWW& &W W K WWWWWWWM WWWWWW WK WWWWW KWWWWMW KW& & & WWWWWWWMM WWWWWW K &MWWW WWM&&W KWW W KWWK W WWWWWW W &WWM WKKW W &W& WK WWW& W WWWWWW MW M KWWM WKWMMM WWW WW WW MMW WWWWWW&WW W WWWK WMW&MMK WWW WWWWMMWWM MWWWWWK WW W &WWK W&W&MWM MWW WWKWW&WW KWKWWWWKWW M WWK MMM WW WWW& K WWKWWM WMWWWW M& W& KWK &MWMMMW WW& W MW & WMWWWW K W && WWK&&W&W&& WM WWWWK & W&MWWWK K K M& K MWMW&&WWW W M&MWW& W K&WWWWW MWKK K K& M WKMKMW& K W &KWWW M&M& MWWKMW&M W&M KK&M W WWWMW WWWM MMWMMW M WM& MK K KW &WM& WKWWW&WWW &K MK K &&K &M&K& W&M&W WMK WM& K & KK KKK&WMW & K KK&

..,, . :,,,,:. . : , . : ,, , : .:, . .:.,.: .: ., . : . , . : . :. , .: . , :,, .. : :: : : :: , , , ,,. . , : : . ::. , ., :,.. , , ., :. ,. ..,:. . : : .. : . . . , :, ..:. . : . .. .: .. , , , . ,, : ..: . :. . : .. ., . . , . . ., . . .: , : : , :. .. , . . : . : , . . . . .. , , , : : , : : . . :, . :: : : . :,:, : . : : , . . ::,:: . :::: : ,:,:, . :, ., . . . .,:. ,::. , . .: ,, . ,, : . .. : . . ... . :: :. . : ., :,: .: . ., , , . : . . .,. , : . , . ., . . : : . , ..... , : . , , . .,.. : . :, , . .. : . ..,. : ,. : : . , .: . :: : : : .:, .. , .::....,

~ ~ ~ ~ < * ~* ~ < *} ~ ~ ~ < ~ * } ~ < < * < * ~ < }} }}~ * < }* *~* ~ * < * } * < }} ~~}* } *} } ~~}~ < ** < }~<**~ *<* ~ }} } ~<< *~ < ~ *~} } } <~<*} ~ <}} < ~ * } * ~ }* * ~ } * ~ ~ ~~ } *}~ ~ ~ <~ < * ~ * } < } } ~ ~< *< } * * < < * } < ~* ~ ~ ~ <~~* ~ < * * } * < *<~ < < < < * < } ~<<~ * * * * ~ } < <~ < < ~ } } * ~< } } < ~*} * } < ~ * }< * * } ~ } ~} ~ * } ** ~ * } ~ } < } ~}}~* * }} ~ } ~~ *<} < < ~ < < }* } << * <* < * * } ~* *}<~ } }<* < } } * * * ~< } } } < < * ~ < < < **~ * < * < ~}<} * ~} * ~ ~ }< ~ ~

V VV j o j U joUUj j V j Uo Ujj jUVo U j oU U V oj o j j jU oV j Uo Vj j joo o Uo oUj j o U Vj j V j jU Vj jV j V o o o oo U oo Uo o o U V V V o jV j U oV V j UU oj j Vo U jV j U U o UU j j o j oV U j U U VU VU Uo U Uo jj oo jj V V U U o o o oj U jj o j U j U Vo Voo U V V V U U j oV jo j o V j j o U U jVj U o U UU o U Vj oVV j U o U jjU U UU UVo oU jUV jo j o V UV j V V jU V V j V UV o oo U UoV j o o j V o o U U j j j Uj j o j jj U U oj o VU o oj Uo jUV o V UVj VV jV j oj U oo U j oj Vo jVoU Uoj V UooUUUUV UU jjUV ooj U ooVoj oo jVVV VVVVVoUVUV