Quotes by category:Writing

If you write, good ideas must come welling up into you so that you have something to write. If good ideas do not come at once, or for a long time, do not be troubled at all. Wait for them. Put down little ideas no matter how insignificant they are. But do not feel, any more, guilty about idleness and solitude.

writing long ideas

No writing is a waste of time – no creative work where the feelings, the imagination, the intelligence must work. With every sentence you write, you have learned something. It has done you good.

creative imagination writing

the only way to become a better writer is to become a better pers... by Brenda Ueland

the only way to become a better writer is to become a better person.

better-person writing way

Even if I knew for certain that I would never have anything published again, and would never make another cent from it, I would still keep on writing.

creativity writing art

Now some people when they sit down to write and nothing special comes, no good ideas, are so frightened that they drink a lot of strong coffee to hurry them up, or smoke packages of cigarettes, or take drugs or get drunk. They do not know that ideas come slowly, and that the more clear, tranquil and unstimulated you are, the slower the ideas come, but the better they are.

coffee strong writing

If you are never satisfied with what you write, that is a good sign. It means that your vision can see so far that it's hard to come up to it. Again I say - the only unfortunate people are the glib ones, immediately satisfied with their work. To them, the ocean is only knee-deep.

ocean writing mean

Advertising companies hire the very brightest, wittiest young people to write for them. Not one single sentence of it is worth repeating. Why? Because it wasn't meant.

advertising writing people

Self-trust is so important. When you launch on a story, make your neck loose, feel free, good-natured. And be lazy. Feel that you are going to throw it away. Try writing utterly unplanned stories and see what comes out.

lazy self writing

We have come to think that duty should come first. I disagree. Duty should be a by-product. Writing, the creative effort, the use of the imagination, should come first – at least, for some part of every day of your life. It is a wonderful blessing if you use it. You will become happier, more enlightened, alive, impassioned, light-hearted and generous to everybody else. Even your health will improve. Colds will disappear and all the other ailments of discouragement and boredom.

blessing writing thinking

I found that many gifted people are so afraid of writing a poor story that they cannot summon the nerve to write a single sentence for months. The thing to say to such people is: "See how bad a story you can write. See how dull you can be. Go ahead. That would be fun and interesting. I will give you ten dollars if you can write something thoroughly dull from beginning to end!" And of course, no one can.

writing fun people

When we commit ourselves to writing for some part of each day, we are happier, more enlightened, alive, light-hearted and generous to everyone else. Even our health improves.

each-day light writing

everyone who is human has something to express. Try not expressing yourself for twenty-four hours and see what happens. You will nearly burst. You will want to write a long letter, or draw a picture, or sing, or make a dress or a garden.

communication garden writing

If you write something and they all tell you it is bad - editors, critics, everybody - think it over and you may become convinced that they are right (though you are not to be ashamed or discouraged for a minute, but keep on writing).

editors writing thinking

Write a true, careless, slovenly impulsive, honest diary every da... by Brenda Ueland

Write a true, careless, slovenly impulsive, honest diary every day of your life.

honest diaries writing

You have to hold your audience in writing to the very end-much more than in talking, when people have to be polite and listen to you.

writing talking people

We had just played a sold-out show and it had been a fun night when we heard the news. It brought everything back to reality. He was a brilliant guy. He was an aerospace engineer and an entrepreneur. We were just starting to write new songs two weeks after he died. We were still grieving. So that was naturally a big subject matter for the album.

Brendan Bayliss

writing song fun

Nothing hurts more than the friendly letter that one never got ar... by Brendan Behan

Nothing hurts more than the friendly letter that one never got around to writing.

hurt writing friendship

I am a drinker with writing problems. by Brendan Behan

I am a drinker with writing problems.

problem drinking writing

I'm a drinker with a writing problem. by Brendan Behan

I'm a drinker with a writing problem.

drinkers problem writing

Sometimes it's binge eating as a method to handle emotional pain. I'll also write very sporadically - music, lyrics - to identify the problem. There are a few cathartic processes I've alternated randomly. There's no default. Each emotional experience elicits a different, possibly new response.

Brendan Dooling

emotional pain writing