Posts tagged Writing quotes
Emily's Pen
Musings on novel writing, books and getting published.
You only fail if you stop writing.
Don’t let a single day go by without writing. Cause even garbage eventually becomes compost with a little treatment.
We often make the mistake of thinking that we “have” to be in the “right” mood to write. The truth is, any mood can be used for writing. Any mood is a good writing mood. The trick is to simply enter whatever mood like a room and sit down and write from there.
Writing is both a gift and an art. As a gift, it must be approached with humility: the writer is only the vessel through which inspiration flows. As an art, it must be approached with passion and discipline: a gift that’s never developed wasn’t worth the giving.
As artists, we wish we could always work well, but we must settle for working always. The “always” we can control. The “well” we cannot control. For this reason, we do well to simply serve, to focus more on the process of doing our work than on the product of work produced.
Don’t waste your creativity
“Everyone is creative. Creativity is hardwired into our DNA by God himself. All of us were made to be creative people. Creative juices run hot through our veins. All of have an irresistible, divinely-inspired impulse to create, organize, and fashion.
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But creativity is hard work. It takes work to create a poem or garden or car engine or piece of furniture. It requires killing our laziness and working faithfully over extended periods of time. It requires a willingness to receive criticism with humility. It requires sweat and elbow grease. It requires diligence and faithfulness. It’s easier to not make anything at all. To be a consumer. To suffocate the creative gifts that God has given us.
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You have creative gifts. You are a gifted musician or mechanic or teacher or dancer or woodworker or organizer or landscaper or quilter or preacher, and God wants you to use your gifts for his glory. He doesn’t want you to waste them or hoard them. He wants you to use them to benefit those around you and to bring him honor. He wants you to steward your gifts, not waste them.”
- Stephen Altrogge, ‘Make God Look Great: Create’
On the author’s control over their characters (or lack thereof)
“I think people— even writers themselves!— sometimes have the impression that the authors of stories are completely in control of those stories and the characters that inhabit them. That really isn’t true for me, though. I know it sounds crazy, but I create the characters and they become real to me and then they do whatever the heck they want.”
- Veronica Roth (author of the Divergent series)
Write what you need to write, not what is currently popular or what you think will sell.
The best rule for writing—as well as for speaking—is to use always the simplest words that will accurately convey your thought.
Writer’s block: when your imaginary friends won’t talk to you.
Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.
If you want to get published, writing is no longer your hobby. It has become your job, whether you get paid for it or not.
