What’s inside: Do you need some inspirational writing quotes from writers who know what they are talking about? Maybe your kids are growing from narration to writing and are beginning to enjoy writing. If there is a desire to learn to write, listen to these words of experience in these great writing quotes.
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Great writers have lots of thoughts on writing
For you today: a collection of some wonderfully inspirational quotes about writing that have been penned by some great writers! We’ve talked about writing in our book club, and how are kids go from narration to written narration. But some of your kids will get the bug for writing. You need the advice from these quotes by famous authors!
And I’m using exclamation points even though one famous author advises against it. (Read until the end where I show who said that!)
Today’s post contains highlights from a series of posts on great writing by podcaster, entrepreneur, coach, and writer Brian O’Leary. Brian said I could make use of all of his hard work in finding these great quotes as long as I mentioned where you can find him! Thanks, Brian! (Flagrant use of more exclamation points!)
So many great authors
And yet, my most favorite quote from these gems found by Brian is from an author I can’t stand! (That exclamation point shows emotion.)
The best quote on writing ever (by the author I cannot recommend):
“Read, read, read. Read everything—trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write.” – William Faulkner
Then again, maybe I’m right to dislike A Light in August where that barefoot pregnant girl is walking down that dirt road for what feels like 1700 chapters. After all, did you see that bad advice in the above quote? He says to read trash. And implies that even that is valuable. But come on! (That exclamation point shows more emotion along with exasperation.) Trash is another name for TWADDLE. And you know how I feel about that! (That exclamation point is just showing excitement.)
The Quotes about Writing
“Show don’t tell.” – Henry James
“The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” – Agatha Christie
“The most valuable of talents is never using two words when one will do.” – Thomas Jefferson
“There is but one art, to omit!” – Robert Louis Stevenson (on editing)
“A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” – William Strunk, Jr., from The Elements of Style.
“As to the adjective, when in doubt, strike it out.” — Mark Twain
“Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.” – Joseph Pulitzer
“If you wish to be a writer, write.” – Epictetus
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader.” – Robert Frost
“A writer’s job is to imagine everything so personally that the fiction is as vivid as memories.” – John Irving
“Whenever you write, whatever you write, never make the mistake of assuming the audience is any less intelligent than you are.” – Rod Serling
“Write about it by day, and dream about it by night.” – E. B. White
Funny
The fun thing about writers is that they play with words and juxtaposition and all sorts of things that make me smile.
“Don’t say the old lady screamed—bring her on and let her scream.” – Mark Twain
“I know writers who write only when inspiration comes. How would Isaac Stern play if he played the violin only when he felt like it? He would be lousy.” – Madeleine L’Engle
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” – Jack London
“My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: when you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip.” – Elmore Leonard
“Young writers should be encouraged to write, and discouraged from thinking they are writers.” – Wallace Stegner
“The humorous story is told gravely; the teller does his best to conceal the fact that he even dimly suspects that there is anything funny about it.” – Mark Twain
If you get stuck writing
When you are stuck with writing, you could try one of these two approaches.
“If you are in difficulties with a book, try the element of surprise: attack it an hour when it isn’t expecting it.” – H. G. Wells
“When in doubt have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand.” – Raymond Chandler
More on writing
These two quotes may be about writing, but they also explain a bit about the author!
“You must be prepared to work always without applause.”– Ernest Hemingway
“To produce a mighty work, you must choose a mighty theme.” – Herman Melville
Finally, what about the exclamation point?
F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “Cut out all those exclamation marks. An exclamation mark is like laughing at your own joke.”
I bet he wouldn’t use emojis either.
But which is funnier? …
- I bet he wouldn’t use emojis either! 🤣 Or
- I bet he wouldn’t use emojis either.
He’s probably right. But the exclamation mark calls to me. It’s right there on the keyboard trying to lure me in. Why would it be there if we weren’t supposed to use it?
Which reminds me, I have ~1 more thing to say…
Hey! What about Interjections?
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