Favorite quotes about writing

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One of the Mad Ones
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by One of the Mad Ones » July 14th, 2010, 1:59 am

"You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style." (Humbert Humbert, from Nabokov's LOLITA)

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Mira
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by Mira » July 19th, 2010, 1:50 pm

This isn't exactly about writing, but I've found it applies!

"Fall seven times, stand up eight".

- Japanese Proverb

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AnimaDictio
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by AnimaDictio » July 20th, 2010, 1:08 pm

That's a scripture. Proverbs 24:16. The righteous man falls seven times and gets right back up. But the wicked fall down and stay down. That's a paraphrase, but you get the point.

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Mira
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by Mira » July 20th, 2010, 1:21 pm

Well, it's also an ancient Japanese proverb. Guess great minds think alike. :)

Down the well
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by Down the well » July 21st, 2010, 9:34 am

I saw this quote in the signature line of one of the forum's newest members, AMSchilling. I believe it's from On Writing, one of my favorite writing books, and it sums up my approach to writing a novel in a succinct, Kingsian sort of way.

"Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open." - Stephen King

Bradlee
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by Bradlee » July 22nd, 2010, 2:37 pm

"The first draft of anything is shit." Hemingway

Sometimes, that quote is the only thing keeping me from quitting.
Last edited by Bradlee on July 22nd, 2010, 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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dios4vida
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by dios4vida » July 22nd, 2010, 3:21 pm

Bradlee wrote:"The first draft of anything is shit." Hemingway

Sometimes, that quote is the only thing keeping me quitting.
Oh, how very true!!
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by rose » July 24th, 2010, 11:32 pm

E.B. White, on writing: "I wish instead I were doing what my dog is doing at this moment, rolling in something ripe he has found on the beach in order to take on its smell. His is such an easy, simple way to increase one's stature and enlarge one's personality."

I actually can't claim that is my favorite quote, because I just just found it while looking for his (or was it Strunk's) comparison of writing to swimming. One of them observed that upon entering the water, the objective should then be to move cleanly and directly from one spot to another, instead of proceeding to thrash about as so many writers do.

Oh, well, until I find his exact words, this will be my new favorite E.B. White quote.

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HillaryJ
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by HillaryJ » July 25th, 2010, 1:36 am

"The thing that tells me when one of the pictures in my head or phrases in my ear is a story, and not a mere afternoon’s distraction, is its life, its strength, its vitality. If you were picking up stones in the dark, you would know when you picked up a puppy instead. It’s warm; it wriggles; it’s alive." - Robin McKinley
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by Bradlee » July 26th, 2010, 10:45 am

HillaryJ wrote:"The thing that tells me when one of the pictures in my head or phrases in my ear is a story, and not a mere afternoon’s distraction, is its life, its strength, its vitality. If you were picking up stones in the dark, you would know when you picked up a puppy instead. It’s warm; it wriggles; it’s alive." - Robin McKinley
I like that one. Makes a lot of sense.

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AnimaDictio
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by AnimaDictio » July 27th, 2010, 7:40 am

Down the well wrote:"Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open." - Stephen King
Honestly, I don't think I understand this. Could you (or anyone else) explain it?

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cheekychook
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by cheekychook » July 27th, 2010, 9:52 am

AnimaDictio wrote:
Down the well wrote:"Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open." - Stephen King
Honestly, I don't think I understand this. Could you (or anyone else) explain it?
I think it means when you write your story close the door, lock yourself away, and just get it out....when you rewrite it, open the door and let others have some input. Writing is a solitary effort, rewriting is more of a collaborative effort, improving from corrections suggested by others. But I could be totally wrong. Wouldn't be the first time, or the last!
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Down the well
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by Down the well » July 27th, 2010, 10:05 am

AnimaDictio wrote:
Down the well wrote:"Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open." - Stephen King
Honestly, I don't think I understand this. Could you (or anyone else) explain it?
For me, writing with the door closed means I write the first draft to please myself. I'm a reader, too, and my goal is to write something I would want to buy. That isn't always going to gel with what my sister thinks or what my critique partners think, so I close the door and write the first draft alone. Also, I'm one of those people who doesn't show a first draft to anyone, mostly because it's crap. But once I've given it a rewrite I fling the door open to critique and feedback. That's when it does me the most good -- after I know my story inside and out.

Hope that helps.

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Mira
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by Mira » July 27th, 2010, 11:14 pm

E.B. White, on writing: "I wish instead I were doing what my dog is doing at this moment, rolling in something ripe he has found on the beach in order to take on its smell. His is such an easy, simple way to increase one's stature and enlarge one's personality."

rose, that's just too funny!

Re. Stephen King's quote, if you read it in context (I'm pretty sure it's from the book On Writing) he recommends never showing your first draft to anyone. He only shows his work once it is edited. So, I think that's what he means.
Last edited by Mira on August 2nd, 2010, 10:28 am, edited 1 time in total.

rose
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Re: Favorite quotes about writing

Post by rose » July 28th, 2010, 2:57 pm

I thought it was hysterical, too, Mira. Is there a prize for the most disgusting image quote, I wonder?

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