Quotes by writers about writing can teach, inspire and motivate us
Last month we asked the question, Who’s your favorite author? This month we’ll look at what writers say about writing. What are your favorite writing quotes?
My absolute favorite writing quote is the concise, exemplary advice to “Omit needless words.” It comes from the classic book The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White.
(For the record, I think I follow this wise advice in my own writing but not as much when working for a client. Sometimes I need to hit a word count goal and having a few needless words helps me get there faster. By the way, the best clients don’t insist on word count targets. They just tell me to cover the topic.)
Of course, there are many other quotes that likewise guide my writing and my work. In a few weeks, I’ll share some of my other favorite writing quotes. But until then, please share some of yours.
If you don’t know the source, that’s okay. And if you need to paraphrase, no worries. The main thing is to share what helps you, because I’m sure it will help others, too.
Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.
Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.
2 replies on “UR Turn: Favorite Writing Quotes”
How about – Write drunk, edit sober! Hemingway. Not that I do this, I just like the saying. To me it means write that first draft with abandon, not worrying about dotting i or crossing t. That’s what editing is for. That’s why I love writing the first draft so much. I never know where a story will take me till I write it.
Patricia, that’s a great one. (Not that I’ve ever done it, either.)