Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Thoughts on writing

Can you tell I'm trying to figure out what to do with my life. I went in search of inspiration. This is what I can up with.

Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.
C. S. Lewis (1898 - 1963)

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 (1898 - 1963)

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
Cyril Connolly (1903 - 1974)

I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.
Joan Didion (1934 - )

The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.
Leo Rosten (1908 - )

You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.
Ray Bradbury (1920 - )

Detail makes the difference between boring and terrific writing. It’s the difference between a pencil sketch and a lush oil painting. As a writer, words are your paint. Use all the colors.
Rhys Alexander,

4 comments:

Wes Wolfe said...

"Sportswriting leaves its practitioners surly and unattractive." -- Hack

Nicole said...

Oh goody, I have something to look forward to!

Anonymous said...

"I write because an average of 60 people a day read my blog." - Nico

BaggyPantsDevil said...

I love this one:

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
--Cyril Connolly