“A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”
―
Thomas Mann,
Essays of Three Decades
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
―
Ernest Hemingway
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”
―
Anaïs Nin
“A writer never has a vacation. For a writer, life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.”
― Eugène Ionesco
“Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don’t have to make speeches. Just believing is
usually enough.”
―
Stephen King,
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
“A great writer reveals the truth even when he or she does not wish to.”
―
Tom Bissell
“The purpose of a writer is to keep civilisation from destroying itself.”
―
Albert Camus
“As a writer, you should not judge, you should understand.”
―
Ernest Hemingway
“A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.”
―
Friedrich Nietzsche
“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.”
―
E. L. Doctorow
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
―
Toni Morrison
“For a man who no longer has a homeland, writing becomes a place to live.”
— Theodor Adorno
“The act of writing is an integral part of my mental life; ideas
emerge, are shaped, in the act of writing… a special, indispensable form
of talking to myself.”
― Oliver Sacks
“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t
edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most
intense obsessions mercilessly.”
―
Franz Kafka
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”
―
Robert Frost
“It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.”
“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re
writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate
and the governor is out of the country and there’s no chance for a
pardon. Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white
knuckles, on your last breath, and you’ve got just one last thing to
say, like you’re a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and
please, for God’s sake, tell us something that will save us from
ourselves. Take a deep breath and tell us your deepest, darkest secret,
so we can wipe our brow and know that we’re not alone. Write like you
have a message from the king. Or don’t. Who knows, maybe you’re one of
the lucky ones who doesn’t have to.”
―
Alan W. Watts
“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.”
―
Saul Bellow
“If you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most
sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling. You must write
every single day of your life. You must read dreadful dumb books and
glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your
head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next. You must lurk in libraries
and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear
books like hats upon your crazy heads. I wish you a wrestling match with
your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. I wish craziness and
foolishness and madness upon you. May you live with hysteria, and out of
it make fine stories — science fiction or otherwise. Which finally
means, may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of
that love, remake a world.”
―
Ray Bradbury
“Talent is extremely common. What is rare is the willingness to endure the life of the writer.”
―
Kurt Vonnegut
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
―
Maya Angelou
“There
are, first of all, two kinds of authors: those who write for the
subject’s sake, and those who write for writing’s sake. [...] The truth
is that when an author begins to write for the sake of covering paper,
he is cheating the reader; because he writes under the pretext that he
has something to say.”
“I write for the same reason I breathe... because if I didn’t, I would die.”
― Isaac Asimov
“Writing is the painting of the voice.”
― Voltaire
“What an astonishing thing a book is. It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.”
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos
“Therefore, dear Sir, love your solitude and try to sing out with the
pain it causes you. For those who are near you are far away... and this
shows that the space around you is beginning to grow vast.... be happy
about your growth, in which of course you can’t take anyone with you,
and be gentle with those who stay behind; be confident and calm in front
of them and don’t torment them with your doubts and don’t frighten them
with your faith or joy, which they wouldn’t be able to comprehend. Seek
out some simple and true feeling of what you have in common with them,
which doesn’t necessarily have to alter when you yourself change again
and again; when you see them, love life in a form that is not your own
and be indulgent toward those who are growing old, who are afraid of the
aloneness that you trust.... and don’t expect any understanding; but
believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance,
and have faith that in this love there is a strength and a blessing so
large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step
outside it.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
“A writer out of loneliness is trying to communicate like a distant star sending signals. He isn’t telling or teaching or ordering. Rather he seeks to establish a relationship of meaning, of feeling, of observing. We are lonesome animals. We spend all life trying to be less lonesome. One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say — and to feel — ‘Yes, that’s the way it is, or at least that’s the way I feel it. You’re not as alone as you thought.’”
— John Steinbeck
“A writer seems to have a certain responsibility towards the reader.
I myself write to explore my wandering thoughts and fleeting emotions. Therefore be able to cognise, ponder, and reflect, in hope to comprehend my mind and inner being a little bit better. I write to know myself. I write to keep my (in)sanity. Put more bluntly, I write because I must.
When it comes to sharing the writings, I don’t do it to convince anyone with anything nor to prove any views. There is nothing to sell. I do it to offer the readers and the world a chance to enjoy my point of views — along with my sense of wonder, curiosity and confusion. I share so they may think for themselves; for them to question everything; for them to find their own Truth. I equally share so that those who think alike know they are not alone. For I am you and what I see is me. Not just as a reflection of humanity, as a writer or thinker, but also as a provocateur of a sort.”
So You Want To Be A Writer
“If it doesn’t come bursting out of you
in spite of everything, don’t do it.
Unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut, don’t do it.
If you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your typewriter searching for words,
If you’re doing it for money or fame,
If you’re doing it because you want women in your bed,
If you have to sit there and rewrite it again and again,
If it’s hard work just thinking about doing it,
If you’re trying to write like somebody else,
If you have to wait for it to roar out of you,
If it never does roar out of you,
If you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
Don’t be like so many writers,
don’t be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don’t be dull and boring and
pretentious, don’t be consumed with self-love.
The libraries of the world have yawned themselves to sleep
suicide or murder, don’t do it.
Unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut, don’t do it.
When it is truly time, and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
― Charles Bukowski
“Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.
This most of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple “I must,” then build your life in accordance with this necessity; your whole life, even into its humblest and most indifferent hour, must become a sign and witness to this impulse. Then come close to Nature. Then, as if no one had ever tried before, try to say what you see and feel and love and lose...
...Describe your sorrows and desires, the thoughts that pass through your mind and your belief in some kind of beauty - describe all these with heartfelt, silent, humble sincerity and, when you express yourself, use the Things around you, the images from your dreams, and the objects that you remember. If your everyday life seems poor, don’t blame it; blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its riches; because for the creator there is not poverty and no poor, indifferent place. And even if you found yourself in some prison, whose walls let in none of the world’s sounds – wouldn’t you still have your childhood, that jewel beyond all price, that treasure house of memories? Turn your attentions to it. Try to raise up the sunken feelings of this enormous past; your personality will grow stronger, your solitude will expand and become a place where you can live in the twilight, where the noise of other people passes by, far in the distance. - And if out of this turning-within, out of this immersion in your own world, poems come, then you will not think of asking anyone whether they are good or not. Nor will you try to interest magazines in these works: for you will see them as your dear natural possession, a piece of your life, a voice from it. A work of art is good if it has arisen out of necessity. That is the only way one can judge it.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke
More can be found on
Some Soulful Travel Quotes,
Some Soulful Artists Quotes, and the earliest
OLS Favourite Quotes.
So You Want To Be A Writer
if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.
don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.
- See more at: http://allpoetry.com/So-You-Want-To-Be-A-Writer#sthash.l4Ud9l62.dpuf
So You Want To Be A Writer
if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.
don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.
- See more at: http://allpoetry.com/So-You-Want-To-Be-A-Writer#sthash.l4Ud9l62.dpuf
So You Want To Be A Writer
if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.
don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.
- See more at: http://allpoetry.com/So-You-Want-To-Be-A-Writer#sthash.l4Ud9l62.dpuf
So You Want To Be A Writer
if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.
don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.
- See more at: http://allpoetry.com/So-You-Want-To-Be-A-Writer#sthash.l4Ud9l62.dpuf
So You Want To Be A Writer
if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.
don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.
- See more at: http://allpoetry.com/So-You-Want-To-Be-A-Writer#sthash.l4Ud9l62.dpuf
