» Quotes

What Makes a Writer Successful?

Below are some of my favorite quotes about what makes a writer a successful one. When one is striving to create a career for themselves as a writer, reading advice from successful writers can really help motivate you.

The Importance Of First Drafts

Most authors would never publish a first draft. C.S. Lewis and Byron were both exceptions to this rule. Generally, authors write many drafts of a book before finishing one that is ready for publication. However, just because no one might ever read your first draft beside yourself, it is still important. The following eight quotes…

Famous Authors On Rejection

It is easy to forget that famous authors like Stephen King and J.K. Rowling were rejected many times. In fact it is safe to say that the large majority of books we encounter in stores and libraries were rejected at least once by one publisher or another. The following 10 quotes are all by famous…

8 Writers on The Purpose of Fiction

Fiction is how novelists make their living. They create stories, characters, and even whole worlds in order to engage readers. Some people, my grandmother is one of them, don’t take fiction very seriously. They don’t see the merit in a story that is not fact based. However, there are a lot of arguments for fiction….

Words of Wisdom from Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott is the author of the frequently recommended writing book Bird by Bird. She is a novelist and memoirist who is well known for her sense of humor, insight, and her status as a recovered alcoholic and convert to Christianity. The following quotes are some of my favorite comments by her on writing and…

George R.R. Martin’s Writing Advice

Below are ten pieces of advice on writing from George R.R. Martin, the author of the bestselling series A Song of Ice and Fire which has been adapted for television as the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. George R.R. Martin has managed to create a world that is populated by compelling characters, and driven…

13 Wonderful Quotes from Writers (Not About Writing!)

Writers are often quoted for their thoughts about writing, however their thoughts about other issues can be just as engaging and compelling. Below are some of my favorite quotes from writers about things other than writing.

Writers On Why They Write (Part II)

We recently published a popular collection of quotes, that all focused on the reasons writer’s had become writers in the first place. You can read that first collection here. After we published it we continued to find more compelling quotes about the subject, so today we are publishing a second collection that explores the diverse…

6 Terrific Joss Whedon Quotes

Joss Whedon started out as a writer, and has spent most of his career writing scripts. He is also known for his directing, but writing is what made that career possible. He has worked on many movies and T.V. shows, including the Avengers, Buffy, the first Toy Story movie, and the movie Speed. Below are…

How Do You Know That You Are A Writer?

How do you know if you are a writer? A lot of writers who have not yet been published think it comes down to whether or not you have been published, but most respected and established publishers have a different opinion on how one knows if they are a writer. The following collection of quotes…

5 Blunt & Inspiring Quotes for Writers from Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed gives great honest blunt advice, both in terms of writing and in terms of life. Here are five of my favorite quotes from her. The fourth one is my personal favorite.

10 Motivating Neil Gaiman Quotes

Neil Gaiman is a captivating writer. He also gives some of the best no nonsense writing advice out there. I often read his quotes when I am looking for additional motivation.

Writers on Publishing

Often times even established respected writers have a hard time publishing. There are a lot of quotes from writers about writing, but quotes about publishing are much more unusual, even though it is a key ingredient to being a writer for most writers. Below are my six favorite quotes by authors related to publishing.

7 Authors On Characters and Character Development

Characters are one of the most important aspect of a good story. Weak characters can diminish even the best plot. Strong characters can sometimes carry the story all on their own. Here are some of my favorite authors on their approach to characters and character development.

8 Great Quotes On Failure

Failure is a fact of life. Everyone fails, and often the most successful people fail in major ways before being successful. Some of the following quotes are motivating not just in terms of overcoming failure but in terms of motivating one to be brave in the face of possible failure. Failure can even be a…