Explore inspirational quotes.
In our time political... | In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible. Copy Copy In our time political speech⦠copied to clipboard | ||
In senior year at... | In senior year at college, Paula Vogel was my playwriting teacher; she is the first person to introduce me to the notion that a woman could actually forge a career in the theatre. Up until then, the possibility seemed remote and inaccessible, as I had very few role models who directly touched my life. Copy Copy In senior year at college,⦠copied to clipboard | ||
It is a sad... | It is a sad fact about our culture that a poet can earn much more money writing or talking about his art than he can by practicing it. Copy Copy It is a sad fact⦠copied to clipboard | ||
It sounds funny, but... | It sounds funny, but I always try to keep an open mind about what I'm writing about. Sometimes I squeak my opinions in there, but generally I don't. I try to be objective about things that I'm writing about. Copy Copy It sounds funny, but I⦠copied to clipboard | ||
It's a sad fact... | It's a sad fact about our culture that a poet can earn much more money writing or talking about his art than he can by practicing it. Copy Copy It's a sad fact about⦠copied to clipboard | ||
It's so tedious writing... | It's so tedious writing cookbooks or writing the recipes because I've never been much of a measurer. But to write a book, you have to measure everything. Copy Copy It's so tedious writing cookbooks⦠copied to clipboard | ||
I've always liked the... | I've always liked the idea that writing is a form of travel. And I started my writing career as a mystery novelist for adults. Copy Copy I've always liked the idea⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Life is better lived... | Life is better lived than conceptualized. This writing can be less demanding should I allow myself to indulge in the usual manipulating game of role creation. Fortunately for me, my self-knowledge has transcended that and Iâve come to understand that life is best to be lived â not to be conceptualized. If you have to think, you still do not understand. Copy Copy Life is better lived than⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Mastery of reading and... | Mastery of reading and writing requires a master. Still, more so life. Copy Copy Mastery of reading and writing⦠copied to clipboard | ||
My advice is really... | My advice is really this: what we hear the philosophers saying and what we find in their writings should be applied in our pursuit of the happy life. We should hunt out the helpful pieces of teaching, and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are capable of immediate practical application â not far-fetched or archaic expressions or extravagant metaphors and figures of speech â and learn them so well that words become works. Copy Copy My advice is really this:⦠copied to clipboard | ||
My teacher Tom Spanbauer,... | My teacher Tom Spanbauer, the man who got me started writing in his workshop, used to say: 'Writers write because they weren't invited to a party.' That always struck so true, and people always nod their heads when they hear that. Especially writers. Copy Copy My teacher Tom Spanbauer, the⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Never lose an opportunity... | Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting. Copy Copy Never lose an opportunity of⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Novels set in distant... | Novels set in distant places give us expectations not unlike those we have of travel writing, and often the distinctions are blurred, as in, say, the way the low life of Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward is depicted in John David Morley's recent 'Pictures from the Water Trade.' Copy Copy Novels set in distant places⦠copied to clipboard | ||
One must be an... | One must be an inventor to read well. There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. Copy Copy One must be an inventor⦠copied to clipboard | ||
People forget how outcast... | People forget how outcast 'They Might Be Giants' can be. They have a reputation for writing really deft, funny, clever melodies, and they also make a lot of music for kids, which is terrific, but when you see them in concert, they can rock the house. Copy Copy People forget how outcast 'They⦠copied to clipboard | ||
School is something that... | School is something that you learn - reading and writing. Education is what you learn from the family, from the environment, from the community. Copy Copy School is something that you⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Seven years into writing... | Seven years into writing a novel, I started to lose my mind. My thirty-seventh birthday had just come and gone, the end of 2008 was approaching, and I was constantly aware of how little I had managed to accomplish. Copy Copy Seven years into writing a⦠copied to clipboard | ||
So perhaps the best... | So perhaps the best thing to do is to stop writing Introductions and get on with the book. Copy Copy So perhaps the best thing⦠copied to clipboard | ||
That's sort of the... | That's sort of the amazing thing about writing something down and then having it printed and published - it's frozen. It's there. It's set. It's in ink. It's done. Nothing changes it. Copy Copy That's sort of the amazing⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The church wasn't an... | The church wasn't an organization in the first century. They weren't writing checks or buying property. The church has matured and developed over the years. But for some reason, the last thing to change is the structure of leadership. Copy Copy The church wasn't an organization⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The first story I... | The first story I can remember writing, that I truly set down on paper, was a Christmas story that I wrote when I was ten years old. Copy Copy The first story I can⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The main problem with... | The main problem with writing in verse is, if your fourth line doesn't come out right, you've got to throw four lines away and figure out a whole new way to attack the problem. So the mortality rate is terrific. Copy Copy The main problem with writing⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The next thing I... | The next thing I wrote was in a writing class at night school. It was about a poor woman who worked at a dime store and who was all alone for Christmas in Laurel, Mississippi. Copy Copy The next thing I wrote⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The only time I... | The only time I get sick of making people laugh is when I'm in a non-writing-joke mode, and I just can't seem to come up with anything new that's funny. That's a tough place to be as a comedian. Copy Copy The only time I get⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The problem with writing... | The problem with writing a book in verse is, to be successful, it has to sound like you knocked it off on a rainy Friday afternoon. It has to sound easy. When you can do it, it helps tremendously because it's a thing that forces kids to read on. You have this unconsummated feeling if you stop. Copy Copy The problem with writing a⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The truth is I'm... | The truth is I'm not really interested in travel writing as it's generally conceived, and even less so in female travel writing. Copy Copy The truth is I'm not⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The typewriting machine, when... | The typewriting machine, when played with expression, is no more annoying than the piano when played by a sister or near relation. Copy Copy The typewriting machine, when played⦠copied to clipboard | ||
The world does not... | The world does not need more Christian literature. What it needs is more Christians writing good literature. Copy Copy The world does not need⦠copied to clipboard | ||
There is creative reading... | There is creative reading as well as creative writing. Copy Copy There is creative reading as⦠copied to clipboard | ||
There's a rule of... | There's a rule of writing: if everything is funny, nothing is funny; if everything is sad, nothing is sad. You want that contrast.J. Copy Copy There's a rule of writing:⦠copied to clipboard | ||
To me, the greatest... | To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what itâs about, but the music the words make. Copy Copy To me, the greatest pleasure⦠copied to clipboard | ||
We do not need... | We do not need to proselytise either by our speech or by our writing. We can only do so really with our lives. Let our lives be open books for all to study. Copy Copy We do not need to⦠copied to clipboard | ||
When I started writing... | When I started writing full time I had not long stopped being a teacher and when at last I had a full day to write, I would put music on and wonder to myself - am I allowed to do this? Then I thought: 'I am control of this and no one is telling me what I can do. Copy Copy When I started writing full⦠copied to clipboard | ||
When I turned 35,... | When I turned 35, I thought, 'Mozart was dead at 36, so I set the bar: I'm going to start writing a book on my next birthday.' I thought historical fiction would be easiest because I was a university professor and know my way around a library, and it seemed easier to look things up than make them up. Copy Copy When I turned 35, I⦠copied to clipboard | ||
When I was in... | When I was in high school, I remember writing a research paper, and the teacher said I should write about Langston Hughes. I felt as if I was the only black dude who didn't like Langston Hughes. He didn't seem as dark and layered as someone like Flannery O'Connor. Copy Copy When I was in high⦠copied to clipboard | ||
When I was in... | When I was in improv workshops or doing stand-up or writing comedy with others, or just doing comedy, I just laughed. Funny was funny; I loved to laugh. I always liked people I found generally funny. Copy Copy When I was in improv⦠copied to clipboard | ||
When I was writing... | When I was writing 'Kitchen Confidential,' I was in my 40s, I had never paid rent on time, I was 10 years behind on my taxes, I had never owned my own furniture or a car. Copy Copy When I was writing 'Kitchen⦠copied to clipboard | ||
When I'm depressed is... | When I'm depressed is when I'm not interested in writing anything, whereas some people, I think, are spurred to creativity through their personal experiences and through depression. And for me, it's a very low place, and it's not fruitful. Copy Copy When I'm depressed is when⦠copied to clipboard | ||
When it comes to... | When it comes to business, diets, working out, writing, or any other dream, success isn't about how high you fly. Success is about how high you bounce. Copy Copy When it comes to business,⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Why is a raven... | Why is a raven like a writing desk? Copy Copy Why is a raven like⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Writing a book is... | Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand. Copy Copy Writing a book is a⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Writing a book is... | Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a toy then an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then it becomes a tyrant and, in the last stage, just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public. Copy Copy Writing a book is an⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Writing about music is... | Writing about music is like dancing about architecture. Copy Copy Writing about music is like⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Writing and cookery are... | Writing and cookery are just two different means of communication. Copy Copy Writing and cookery are just⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Writing and travel broaden... | Writing and travel broaden your ass if not your mind and I like to write standing up. Copy Copy Writing and travel broaden your⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Writing became an obsessive... | Writing became an obsessive compulsive habit but I had almost no money so I thought about being an urban firefighter and having lots of free time in which to write or becoming an English teacher and thinking about books and writers on a daily basis. That swayed me. Copy Copy Writing became an obsessive compulsive⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Writing is like a... | Writing is like a 'lust,' or like 'scratching when you itch.' Writing comes as a result of a very strong impulse, and when it does come, I, for one, must get it out. Copy Copy Writing is like a 'lust,'⦠copied to clipboard | ||
Writing is like the... | Writing is like the life of a glacier; one eternal grind. Copy Copy Writing is like the life⦠copied to clipboard | ||
You can make anything... | You can make anything by writing. Copy Copy You can make anything by⦠copied to clipboard |
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