on-writing

The writer's only responsibility is to his art. He will be completely ruthless if he is a good one. He has a dream. It anguishes him so much he must get rid of it. He has no peace until then. Everything goes by the board: honor, pride, decency, security, happiness, all, to get the book written. If a writer has to rob his mother, he will not hesitate; the 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' is worth any number of old ladies.

All the stories I would like to write persecute me. When I am in my chamber, it seems as if they are all around me, like little devils, and while one tugs at my ear, another tweaks my nose, and each says to me, 'Sir, write me, I am beautiful.

You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up. It's all there and you just have to find it.

Only a mediocre person is always at his best.

Don't say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.

I am simply of the opinion that you cannot be taught to write. You have to spend a lifetime in love with words.

Throw up into your typewriter every morning. Clean up every noon.

A good book isn't written, it's rewritten.

A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: 1. What am I trying to say? 2. What words will express it? 3. What image or idiom will make it clearer? 4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.

Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule.

You can fix anything but a blank page.

Write what should not be forgotten.

Easy reading is damn hard writing.

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.

Either give it your all or don't even try!