While fumbling through the internet, I found a post by Brian Klems who is the online editor for Writer’s Digest. I receive the WD emails, so I read through a few articles every month. This one I have to share. Apparently they recently posted a list of the secrets of bestselling authors, but Brian pulled his favorite seven from the list of over 90 quotes. The names included in these seven are as broad as can be, but they all have at least one thing in common: they made it. In their own words, here’s what they have to say about writing, success, inspiration, and criticism.
Hope you’re enjoying your weekend! And don’t forget to check out the original post here.
1.
“Oftentimes an originator of new language forms is called ‘pretentious’ by jealous talents. But it ain’t whatcha write, it’s the way atcha write it.”
—Jack Kerouac
2.
“[The writer] has to be the kind of man who turns the world upside down and says, lookit, it looks different, doesn’t it?”
—Morris West
3.
“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.”
—Harper Lee
4.
“The only obligation any artist can have is to himself. His work means nothing, otherwise. It has no meaning.”
—Truman Capote
5.
“In truth, I never consider the audience for whom I’m writing. I just write what I want to write.”
—J.K. Rowling
6.
“Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.”
—Larry L. King
7.
“I think I succeeded as a writer because I did not come out of an English department. I used to write in the chemistry department. And I wrote some good stuff. If I had been in the English department, the prof would have looked at my short stories, congratulated me on my talent, and then showed me how Joyce or Hemingway handled the same elements of the short story. The prof would have placed me in competition with the greatest writers of all time, and that would have ended my writing career.”
—Kurt Vonnegut
If you have some free time, I recommend checking out the full list of 90 quotes. They definitely will inspire you—and they also serve as excellent Facebook status updates.
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