Thomas Hardy Quotes: “While many things are too strange to be believed, nothing is too strange to have happened.” “Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.” “A resolution to avoid an evil is seldom framed till the evil is so far advanced as to make avoidance impossible.” Thomas Hardy […]
Ray Bradbury Quotes
Ray Bradbury has said: “I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows, or gorillas. When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room.” “Creativity is a continual surprise.” “I’m not in control of my muse. My muse does all the work.” “Write a short story every […]
Quotes About Reader Emotions in Writing
Jerry Cleaver in his book, Immediate Fiction, said, “It’s not just about giving the reader an experience. It’s about having it yourself, as you create. Character, reader, author—they’re all having the experience, the emotion. Without emotion, nobody’s having anything.” Cleaver also said, “The first thing to realize is that the world is emotionally determined. Passion, […]
Six Mark Twain Quotes
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. What a good thing Adam had. When he said a good thing he knew nobody had said it before. The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly […]
Five Author Quotes For Inspiration
Lisa See says, “Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.” How many of you have read her Snow Flower and the Secret Fan or my favorite, Peony in Love? I met her at the San Francisco Writers Conference a few years ago. She’s friendly and talked about how she frequently […]
Charles Dickens Quote
Charles Dickens said, “An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself.” I find that my characters need to be spoken to a little before they reveal themselves. Do you talk to your characters?
Author Quotes about Writing a Novel
How do authors write their novels? I’ve included some examples. Who are plotters and who are pantsers? Katherine Anne Porter said, “If I didn’t know the ending of a story, I wouldn’t begin…I always write my last line, my last paragraphs, my last page first.” “I start at the beginning, go on to the […]