Simply stated, this post is about words of wisdom for writers by successful writers. So with no more to-do, here are seven quotations that I’ve found helpful in my own writing, and I hope they’ll prove helpful to you, too. (I find that I periodically need to remind myself of the truth of these statements.)
“Stories come from people. Not from ideas, not from plots. Faulkner gave us the key to our material: ‘the human heart in conflict with itself.'” (Meg Files, Write from Life) “People are the lifeblood of any story. . . . [A]ny story is a story about people. They mat take a backseat to plot or idea, but even the most plot=-centered or philosophical tale emanates from the needs of a central character.” (Fred White, Where Do You Get Your Ideas?) “The reason so many find the study of history dull is that many teachers and historians become so involved with their facts and wars and dates that they forget the most important fact of all. History is made by people.” (Doris Ricker Marston, A Guide to Writing History) “Makers of memoir shape what they have lived and what they have seen. They honor what they love and defend what they believe. . . . They locate stories inside the contradictions of their lives–the false starts and the presumed victories. . . .” (Beth Kephart, Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir) “Inspiration is the spark that lights the fire of story–but it is craft that burns away all its imperfections and hardens the glaze to a glorious shine.” (Paula Munier, Writing with Quiet Hands) “Writers must write. . . . [I]f your aim is to publish, you won’t get there by talking or dreaming alone.” (Jordan Rosenfeld, A Writer’s Guide to Persistence) “Discover your purpose, be on-purpose, and you will have a life filled with meaning and significance. We need to be doing and living on-purpose.” (Kevin McCarthy, The On-Purpose Person)
What quotations about writing have been most helpful to you?