Category: Writing Quotes

“A writer may be inspired occasionally: That’s his good luck; but he doesn’t learn to write by inspiration: he works at it.” – Katherine Anne Porter, My First Speech

“I shall write better, but never, I think, so well as I talk; for then I feel inspired. The means are pleasant; my voice excites me, my pen never.” – Margaret Fuller, Memoirs

“It takes a lover to write a novel of love, even before it takes a writer.” – G.J. Nathan, Monks are Monks

“I can’t think of a thing to write. It could be another case of writer’s block…but most likely it’s much more widespread affliction…brain cramp.” – Perfesser

“It should be self-evident that a man who wants to write well must learn his craft from other writers. He should read, read, read. All the time he is absorbing unconsciously the art of writing.” – Roger Sherman Loomis, The Art of Writing Prose

“You can’t write. You call another writer. He can’t write either. This is terrific. You can now talk about not writing for 2 hours.” – Fran Lebowitz, Metropolitan Life

“I don’t know why I write, except from the propensity misery has to tell her griefs.” – Charles Lamb

“The brightest genius seldom puts the best of his own soul into his printed page; and some famous men have certainly put the worst of theirs.” – Fredric Harrison, The Choice of Books

“For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word.” – Catherine Drinker Bowen

“True ease in writing comes from Art, not chance. As those move easiest who have learned to dance.” – Alexander Pope