Writers on writing

I thought a thread to collect quotes from writers on writing might be appropriate.

I'll start us out with one from Joseph Conrad, found in the introduction to one of my copies of Nostromo.

"...a writer should voice the irreconcilable antagonsims of human experience."

"... there is a huge difference between story and plot. Story is honorable and trustworthy; plot is shifty and best kept under house arrest." (page 170) - Stephen King On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

From Robert Louis Stevenson:

"The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean."

"The writer should always reserve the right to have a better idea."

Lois McMaster Bujold

This topic has been done on another site.

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23232

"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it." - C. S. Lewis

A couple of Neil Gaiman quotes I love.

"Being a writer is a very peculiar sort of a job: it's always you versus a blank sheet of paper (or a blank screen) and quite often the blank piece of paper wins."
— Neil Gaiman

"When writing a novel, that's pretty much entirely what life turns into: 'House burned down. Car stolen. Cat exploded. Did 1500 easy words, so all in all it was a pretty good day."
— Neil Gaiman

"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing."

--Benjamin Franklin

"All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know."

--Ernest Hemingway

I think that last is from A Moveable Feast, right? One of my favorite books about writing!

"Don't get it right, just get it written." -- James Thurber

Something about 'Write for free and because you love to write and, if after three years, no-one has offered to pay you, go and become a carpenter.'

I just opened this on a thread on Hobnob with Authors, which could as easily have gone here. It's to the point, I think:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/94667

"True myth may serve for thousands of years as an inexhaustible source of intellectual speculation, religious joy, ethical inquiry, and artistic renewal. The real mystery is not destroyed by reason. The fake one is. You look at it and it vanishes. You look at the Blond Hero — really look — and he turns into a gerbil. But you look at Apollo, and he looks back at you. The poet Rilke looked at a statue of Apollo about fifty years ago, and Apollo spoke to him. "You must change your life," he said. When true myth rises into consciousness, that is always its message. You must change your life." - Ursula K. LeGuin _The Language of the Night_

(On the difference between Fantasy made of cliches and real Fantasy.)

"If something inside you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and it will probably be universal. So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work, Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write toward vulnerability. Don't worry about appearing sentimental. Worry about being unavailable; worry about being absent or fraudulent. Risk being unliked. Tell the truth as you understand it. If you're a writer, you have a moral obligation to do this. And it is a revolutionary act - truth is always subversive."

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

I pulled this book down the other day after submitting a short story to a local writer's group contest for the first time. I cast about for a few days about whether the emotions and the story seemed juvenile or trite. With a little encouragement, I submitted the story. Then, a day or two later, I pulled the book down and flipped to the marker I'd left at this paragraph. Timely and supportive advice, for me anyway.

Hi everyone - I'm hoping someone out there can help me out - or rather steer me the direction I should be headed.

About 10 or 15 years ago I came across a set of diaries by a woman who lived nearby. As the books were sold to a used book shop I frequented and by my reading, she had no children. Investigating - there is a possible nephew out there, that obviously had no interest in the books.

So the question is: Can I write a biography about her or are there legal steps I have to take in case a long distance relative should show up? I know people write about others all the time, but not sure there are legalities.

You need to talk to someone high up in the publishing industry to find out if you can dirctly use her work. Look for a copyright lawyer or try emailing a publisher or two or three. Someone might be able to answer.

However, there is no reason you can't use the books to write a fictional account of a character who has a life like hers. Change the names, some of the circumstances, and you can write whatever you like.