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25 Quotes to Inspire Your Creative Writing

Looking for a little advice or motivation to inspire your creativity? Below, we have put together a list of 25 quotes from famous authors, mentors, and other wise individuals to help you on your writing journey. #write #creativewriting #writers #writerslife #writer #writerscommunity #writing #aspiringauthor #writers #quotes #quote #inspirationalquotes #Inspirationalquote #writingquotes

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Looking for a little advice or motivation to inspire your creativity? Below, we have put together a list of 25 quotes from famous authors, mentors, and other wise individuals to help you on your writing journey.

1) “There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people’s books and write your own.” – Albert Einstein

2) “Good fiction’s job is to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” – David Foster Wallace

3) “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” – Richard Bach

4) “The good ideas come first. The skill to communicate them brilliantly in a way that appeals to readers or to an audience takes years of practice.” – Robin Mizell

“The good ideas come first. The skill to communicate them brilliantly in a way that appeals to readers or to an audience takes years of practice.” – Robin Mizell

5) “The key to all story endings is to give the audience what it wants, but not in the way it expects.” – William Goldman

6) “Description begins in the writer’s imagination but should finish in the readers’s.” – Stephen King

7) “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t.” – Mark Twain

8) “Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else.” – C.S. Lewis

9) “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” – Anne Lamont

10) “Don’t ‘be a writer.’ Be writing.” – William Faulkner

11) “A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it. If you don’t have the drive, the discipline, and the desire, then you can have all the talent in the world, and you aren’t going to finish a book.” – Nora Roberts

“A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it. If you don’t have the drive, the discipline, and the desire, then you can have all the talent in the world, and you aren’t going to finish a book.” – Nora Roberts

12) “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” – E.B. White

13) “When all else fails, write what your heart tells you. You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain

14) “You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, ‘This is me, this what I stand for, this is what you get when you read me. I’m doing the best I can – buy me or not – but this is who I am as a writer.” – David Morrell

“You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, ‘This is me, this what I stand for, this is what you get when you read me. I’m doing the best I can – buy me or not – but this is who I am as a writer.” – David Morrell

15) “Ideas come from curiosity.” – Walt Disney

16) “To write something, you have to risk making a fool of yourself.” – Anne Rice

17) “Sometimes the ideas just come to me. Other times I have to sweat and almost bleed to make ideas come. It’s a mysterious process, but I hope I never find out exactly how it works. I like a mystery, as you may have noticed.” – J.K. Rowling

“Sometimes the ideas just come to me. Other times I have to sweat and almost bleed to make ideas come. It’s a mysterious process, but I hope I never find out exactly how it works. I like a mystery, as you may have noticed.” – J.K. Rowling

18) “Voice is not just the result of a single sentence or paragraph or page. It’s not even the sum total of a whole story. It’s all your work laid out across the table like the bones and fossils of an unidentified carcass.” – Chuck Wendig

“Voice is not just the result of a single sentence or paragraph or page. It’s not even the sum total of a whole story. It’s all your work laid out across the table like the bones and fossils of an unidentified carcass.” – Chuck Wendig

19) “Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself.” – Mark Twain

20) “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” – Louis L’Amour

21) “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.” – William Faulkner

22) Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil – but there is no way around them.” – Isaac Asimov

Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil – but there is no way around them.” – Isaac Asimov

23) “Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” – Virginia Woolf

24) “Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” – Orson Scott

“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” – Orson Scott

25) “You can only write by putting words on a paper one at a time.” – Sandra Brown

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50 Inspiring Quotes On Writing to Boost Your Creativity

Writing has never been easier than it is today but in a way, it has also become harder. The humdrum of life sometimes real, sometimes imaginary, leaves us with very little time for writing. Distractions suck out our imagination, inspiration and energy. We find ourselves in front of our laptops with an empty screen and nothing worth writing about.

Here are some inspiring quotes on writing from famous writers that will help get going on your writing journey.

Writing quotes: inspirational, quotes about the importance of writing, quotes by famous authors and poets, funny creative writing quotes.

A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit. — Richard Bach

If you wait for inspiration to write you're not a writer, you're a waiter. — Dan Poynter.

Imagination is like a muscle. I found out that the more I wrote, the bigger it got. — Philip José Farmer

A well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way. — Caroline Gordon

People will give you all sorts of advice about writing, but if you are not writing something you like, no one else will like it either. — Meg Cabot

Make up a story... For our sake and yours forget your name in the street; tell us what the world has been to you in the dark places and in the light. Don't tell us what to believe, what to fear. Show us belief's wide skirt and the stitch that unravels fear's caul. — The Nobel Lecture In Literature, 1993, Toni Morrison

Which of us has not felt that the character we are reading in the printed page is more real than the person standing beside us? — Cornelia Funke

Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it. — Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott

One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple. — The Dharma Bums, Jack Kerouac

There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you. — Beatrix Potter

Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it. — Lloyd Alexander

Always be a poet, even in prose. — Charles Baudelaire

I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't, I would die. — Isaac Asimov

All I need is a sheet of paper and something to write with, and then I can turn the world upside down. — Friedrich Nietzsche

Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way. — Ray Bradbury

Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers. — Ray Bradbury

Good writing is remembering detail. Most people want to forget. Don't forget things that were painful or embarrassing or silly. Turn them into a story that tells the truth. — Paula Danziger

I try to write a certain amount each day, five days a week. A rule sometimes broken is better than no rule. — Herman Wouk

You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, 'This is me, this is what I stand for, this is what you get when you read me. I'm doing the best I can—buy me or not—but this is who I am as a writer. — David Morrell

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. — The New Statesman, February 25, 1933, Cyril Connolly

The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become visible — Vladimir Nabokov

One should use common words to say uncommon things — Arthur Schopenhauer

Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose, or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic, and fear which is inherent in a human situation. — Ways of Escape, Graham Greene

Talent is helpful in writing, but guts are absolutely essential. — Jessamyn West

How do I know what I think until I see what I say? — E.M. Forster

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. — Maya Angelou

If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. — Toni Morrison

The role of a writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say. — Anais Nin

A non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity. — Letter to Max Brod, July 5, 1922, Franz Kafka

He asked, "What makes a man a writer?" "Well," I said, "it's simple. You either get it down on paper or jump off a bridge. — Charles Bukowski

I remember June of 2015. I came back from University, sat down to write in my daily journal, and picked up my pen. I stared at the blank page with a sense of impending doom. Writer's block. It was here. For so long, I had evaded its dark clutches, but it had caught up to me. I knew one day it would...

If you want to change the world, pick up your pen, and write. — Martin Luther

Writing is utter solitude, the descent into the cold abyss of oneself. — Franz Kafka

With writing, the way you feel changes everything. — Stephenie Meyer

Sometimes the ideas just come to me. Other times I have to sweat and almost bleed to make ideas come. It's a mysterious process, but I hope I never find out exactly how it works. I like a mystery, as you may have noticed. — J.K. Rowling

The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. 'tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. — The Wit, and Wisdom of Mark Twain, Mark Twain

If you want to really hurt your parents, and you don't have the nerve to be gay, the least you can do is go into the arts. I'm not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possible can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something. — A Man Without a Country, Kurt Vonnegut

I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn. — Anne Frank

Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly. — Franz Kafka

Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly. by Franz Kafka

There are books of which the backs and covers are by far the best parts. — Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. — Pablo Picasso

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. by Pablo Picasso

I have claimed that Escape is one of the main functions of fairy-stories, and since I do not disapprove of them, it is plain that I do not accept the tone of scorn or pity with which 'Escape' is now so often used. Why should a man be scorned if, finding himself in prison, he tries to get out and go home? Or if he cannot do so, he thinks and talks about other topics than jailers and prison walls? — J.R.R. Tolkien

There is no real ending. It's just the place where you stop the story. — Frank Herbert

So long as you write what you wish to write, that is all that matters; and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say. — A Room of One's Own, Virginia Woolf

So what? All writers are lunatics! — Inkspell, Cornelia Funke

I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader, and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. Every time I read Pride and Prejudice I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone. — Mark Twain

Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen. — John Steinbeck

A good novel tells us the truth about its hero, but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author. — Heretics, G.K. Chesterton

You can fix anything but a blank page. — Nora Roberts

The person who writes for fools is always sure of a large audience. — Religion: A Dialogue and Other Essays, Arthur Schopenhauer

Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say? — Kurt Vonnegut

Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say? — Kurt Vonnegut

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99 Quotes About Creativity To Inspire Your Writing

As a writer , you know the importance of creativity . It’s what keeps your brain alive and opens it to new possibilities.

It leads you into the world beyond your limited experience.

But it doesn’t get far without curiosity.

When you’re curious about something, you take action to learn more about it. You test limits and take risks.

That’s the point of these 99 creativity quotes for inspiratio n with your writing project. Find your favorites and see how much further your creativity can take you.

Albert Einstein Creativity Quotes

Dr. seuss creativity quotes, steve jobs creativity quotes, short creativity quotes, more famous creativity quotes.

Enjoy these quotes from one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, who valued imagination and curiosity over logical precision.

“True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist.”

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

“Small is the number of people who see with their eyes and think with their minds.”

“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

“The only way to escape the corruptible effect of praise is to go on working.”

“The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”

“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.”

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”

“Nothing happens until something moves.”

“Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.”

“A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.”

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

“Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.”

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”

“Invention is not the product of logical thought, even though the final product is tied to a logical structure.”

“Once you stop learning, you start dying.”

“I believe in intuitions and inspirations. I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am.”

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”

“I never made one of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking”

Who knows more about the power of creative imagination than Dr. Seuss? Generations of children unleashed their own imaginations with his whimsical stories and characters.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

“You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.”

“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”

“Think and wonder, wonder and think.”

“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.”

“If you never did you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.”

“It is better to know how to learn than to know.”

“I’m telling you this ‘cause you’re one of my friends. My alphabet starts where your alphabet ends!”

“You have to be odd to be number one”

“Nothing is going to change, unless someone does something soon”

“So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!”

“Oh the things you can find, if you don’t stay behind!”

“He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man”

The visionary co-founder of Apple Computers had plenty to say about creativity and its role in both human evolution and happiness.

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something.”

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.”

“None of us are as creative as all of us.”

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.”

“We do not say anything about future products. We work on them in secret, then we announce them.”

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.”

“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

“You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.”

“Older people sit down and ask, ‘What is it?’ but the boy asks, ‘What can I do with it?’”

“The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

Powerful quotes on creativity don’t have to be long; something short and sweet is easier to use as a mantra when you’re feeling tapped out.

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent van Gogh

“Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.”– Salvador Dali

“Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.”– Dorothy Parker

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

“If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.”– John Cleese

“If you’re not doing some things that are crazy, then you’re doing the wrong things.”- Larry Page

“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”- Criss Jami

“Originality is the best form of rebellion.”- Mike Sasso

“If it doesn’t sell; it isn’t creative.”- David Ogilvy

“When we build, let us think that we build forever.”- John Ruskin

“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” — Dorothy Parker

“Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics.”– Victor Pinchuk

75 Inspiring Writing Quotes From The World’s Best & Greatest Writers

March 7, 2022

Whether you are a beginner writer or have been working on your craft for years already, reading some words of inspiration and wisdom is always helpful. Writing can be both incredibly satisfying and, at the same time, frustrating when you experience writer’s block. However, if you love to write, you know that creative blocks are simply a part of the process. If you are a professional writer, you know how heavy the process can be, but the satisfaction of getting your thoughts and ideas on the page with clarity and impact is such a joy.

In this article, we have included some inspiring, motivating, thoughtful, and creative ideas to overcome that writers block and get your creative juices flowing, from some of the world’s most renowned novelists such as Stephen King and Haruki Murakami to classic writers such as Mark Twain and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Below we have included writing quotes for inspiration and motivation, quotes for students and beginner writers, quotes about bad writing, and quotes about nonfiction writing. So, no matter your niche, you will find something below to get your mind working and your heart ready for the page.

Quotes About Writing

“You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Being a writer is a very peculiar sort of 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

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” – Somerset Maugham

“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. So medicine, law, business, engineering… these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love… these are what we stay alive for.” – Walt Whitman

Writing and Reading Quotes

“Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.” – Annie Proulx

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time to write. Simple as that.” – Stephen King

“For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.” – Eudora Welty

“The Six Golden Rules of Writing: Read, read, read, and write, write, write.” – Ernest Gaines

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” – Stephen King

Writing Quotes for Students

“How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.” – Henry David Thoreau

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost

“It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop our own style.” – P.D. James

“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can’t allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative .” – Elmore Leonard

“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.” – Harper Lee

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” – Terry Pratchett

“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” – Frank Herbert

“I just give myself permission to suck. I delete about 90 percent of my first drafts, so it doesn’t really matter much if on a particular day I write beautiful and brilliant prose that will stick in the minds of my readers forever because there’s a 90 percent chance I’m just going to delete whatever I write anyway. I find this hugely liberating.” – John Green

“I would advise any beginning writer to write the first drafts as if no one else will ever read them — without a thought about publication — and only in the last draft to consider how the work will look from the outside.” – Anne Tyler

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” – Mark Twain

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually, you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” – Octavia E. Butler

“ Start writing, no matter what . The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” – Louis L’Amour

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” – Franz Kafka

“Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” – Ray Bradbury

“ Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.” – Jane Yolen

Writing Motivation Quotes

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” – Toni Morrison

“Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about. It is this genuine caring, not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive element in your style.” – Stephen King

“Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use.” – Mark Twain

“When I start to write, I don’t have any plan at all. I just wait for the story to come. I don’t choose what kind of story it is or what’s going to happen.” – Haruki Murakami

“I believe myself that a good writer doesn’t really need to be told anything except to keep at it.” – Chinua Achebe

“When I sit down to write a book , I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” – George Orwell

“Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.” – Natalie Goldberg

“The story must strike a nerve in me. My heart should start pounding when I hear the first line in my head. I start trembling at the risk.” – Susan Sontag

“If you wait for inspiration to write, you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.” – Dan Poynter

“Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but most of all, endurance.” – James Baldwin

“You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page.” – Annie Proulx

“All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. . . . For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. . . . But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you.” – Ira Glass

“[Be] willing to write really badly.” – Jennifer Egan

“Go inside where silence is. Stay there. Let words bubble up.” – Maxime Lagacé

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” – Jack Kerouac

“My short stories are like soft shadows I have set out in the world, faint footprints I have left. I remember exactly where I set down each and every one of them and how I felt when I did. Short stories are like guideposts to my heart.” – Haruki Murakami

“Find your best time of the day for writing. Don’t let anything else interfere. Afterward, it won’t matter to you that the kitchen is a mess.” – Esther Freud

“Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E. L. Doctorow

“Write while the heat is in you… The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with.” – Henry David Thoreau

“A writer has the duty to be good, not lousy; true, not false; lively, not dull; accurate, not full of error. He should tend to lift people up, not lower them down. Writers do not merely reflect and interpret life, they inform and shape life.” – E.B. White

“A short story I have written long ago would barge into my house in the middle of the night, shake me awake and shout, ‘Hey, this is no time for sleeping! You can’t forget me, and there’s still more to write!’ Impelled by that voice, I would find myself writing a novel. In this sense, too, my short stories and novels connect inside me in a very natural, organic way.” – Haruki Murakami

“You have to dream intentionally. Most people dream a dream when they are asleep. But to be a writer, you have to dream while you are awake, intentionally.” – Haruki Murakami

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” – Maya Angelou

“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” – Orson Scott Card

“I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within.” – Gustave Flaubert

“I hate writing, I love having written.” – Dorothy Parker

“You can only write regularly if you’re willing to write badly… Accept bad writing as a way of priming the pump, a warm-up exercise that allows you to write well.” – Jennifer Egan

“I’ve always said, ‘I have nothing to say, only to add.’ And it’s with each addition that the writing gets done. The first draft of anything is really just a track.” – Gore Vidal

“I know how fiction matters to me because if I want to express myself, I have to make up a story. Some people call it imagination. To me, it’s not imagination. It’s just a way of watching.” – Haruki Murakami

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” – Stephen King

“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and the only thing you have to offer.” – Barbara Kingsolver

“Nonfiction speaks to the head. Fiction speaks to the heart. Poetry speaks to the soul. It’s the essence of beauty. The essence of pain. It pleases the eye and the ear.” – Ellen Hopkins

“Every writer I know has trouble writing.” – Joseph Heller

“Write at a pace that doesn’t surpass your creative flow. Don’t be hasty; don’t be sloppy. Don’t forfeit impressive writing for an impressive word count. Because eventually it will all have to be edited, and you’ll find that it is harder to make bad writing good than to make good writing better.” – Richelle E. Goodrich

“Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you’ve been to college.” – Kurt Vonnegut

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” – Anais Nin

Quotes About Bad Writing

“Bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do― to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help old ladies cross the street.” – Stephen King

“True mysticism should not be confused with incompetence in writing which seeks to mystify where there is no mystery but is really only the necessity to fake to cover lack of knowledge or the inability to state clearly. Mysticism implies a mystery, and there are many mysteries, but incompetence is not one of them, nor is overwritten journalism made literature by the injection of a false epic quality. Remember this too: all bad writers are in love with the epic.” – Ernest Hemingway

“A person who wrote badly did better than a person who does not write at all. A bad writing can be corrected. An empty page remains an empty page.” – Israelmore Ayivor

“If you open a book and find that the writer is trying to impress you with his knowledge of long, unusual words or by his use of foreign phrases, close the book quickly with no sense of loss or of deficiency or of having missed anything; for the author has not learned how to write and perhaps never will, and there is no need for you to offer yourself as a sounding board for his incompetence.” – Burton Rascoe

Quotes About Nonfiction Writing

“Nonfiction means that our stories are as true and accurate as possible. Readers expect – demand – diligence.” – Lee Gutkind

“I think the goal with any writing, but especially narrative nonfiction is to put the blockade of putting your thoughts in this unnatural medium of print and then to try to reach through that and actually convey what’s going on, what you think, and make people laugh and recognize themselves while doing it. Definitely the laughing thing.” – Sloane Crosley

“The challenge for a nonfiction writer is to achieve a poetic precision using the documents of truth but somehow to make people and places spring to life as if the reader was in their presence.” – Simon Schama

“Truth is stranger than nonfiction. And life is too interesting to be left to journalists. People have stories, but journalists have ‘takes,’ and it’s their takes that usually win out when the stories are too complicated or, as happens, not complicated enough.” – Walter Kirn

“I wanted to write about looking at the world, so it’s more about helping people, or persuading people, to see what is around us; both the marvelous and the terrible.” – John Berger

Quotes About Writer’s Block

“Writer’s block is a misnomer and can be compared with turning off a faucet. Like the ability to write, faucets can develop problems when they’re seldom used. You get all this rust in the pipes. When you turn on the faucet, a lot of rust comes out.” – Susan Neville

“Don’t stop because you’ve hit a block. Finish the page, even if you write nothing but your own name. The block will break if you don’t give in to it. Remember, writing is a physical habit as well as whatever you want to think it is—calling, avocation, talent, genius, art.” – Isabelle Holland

“Writer’s block is the biggest myth out there. The idea that you’re just lost for any possible words isn’t some vague illness that strikes people when they’re trying to be creative. You’re not missing the words; you’re missing the research. All ideas are a combination of preexisting ideas. So if you’re “out” of new ideas it’s probably because you don’t have enough old ideas to combine. Go back and read more. Or spend more time mapping out the book. Don’t show up to the keyboard without a plan, and then tell the world you have writer’s block. You’re lying to us, and to yourself.” – David Burkus

“When I have writer’s block, it is because I have not done enough research or I have not thought hard enough about the subject about which I’m writing. That’s a signal for me to go back to the archives or to go back into my thoughts and think through what it is I am supposed to be doing.” – Annette Gordon-Reed

“Do you ever go into the bathroom and sit on the toilet when you don’t need to take a shit? Do you ever just sit there completely empty and sit there and push? No, you don’t. You go eat something, and then you live your life and what happens, happens. It’s the same thing with writing. If I don’t have an idea that I’m not absolutely terrified of losing, then I don’t bother to write.” – Chuck Palahniuk

“You can’t think yourself out of a writing block; you have to write yourself out of a thinking block.” – John Rogers

Hopefully, the long list of writing quotes above will help you take a step back and approach the page with a fresh perspective. Feel free to revisit the page and find a new quote to inspire you if you are ever stuck. On a final note, keep writing. Some days you will flow like a waterfall, and some days, you will not. Still, do not let the ebb and flow of creativity discourage you from pursuing your craft.

120 Motivational Quotes About Writing To Inspire A New Writer Like You

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Writing Quotes: 120+ Inspirational Writing Quotes For You

POSTED ON Sep 11, 2019

Written by Scott Allan

Writing quotes are good bits of inspiration to keep around when you're feeling defeated in your writing endeavors.

Every author has a bad day; it doesn’t matter how experienced you are.

There will be days when you sit at your desk to write, and the only action that ends up happening is a flashing cursor on a blank page. It could be writer's block or, you could just be drained.

There will be good days, too. Days when you love writing, and you stare at your work-in-progress with pride.

For both the good and bad times, we can energize our creative writing flow and motivation by perusing our favorite inspirational writing quotes by famous writers .

The daily habit of sitting for hours and typing out a manuscript is challenging for the best of authors most days. This is why we all need to have writing tools and writing prompts for motivation when your writing isn’t flowing.

To help you with your writing speed and keep your fingers moving through the flow of your manuscript, here are 120 inspirational writing quotes by famous authors.

This list of inspirational writing quotes contains:

How to use these inspirational writing quotes

Keep a journal of writing quotes
Share these quotes with authors
Post the quotes around your writing space

List of inspirational writing quotes

There is a plethora of great quotes here by authors who need inspiration just like we do. Whether you’re learning how to become an author or whether you’ve self-published 30 books already, having your favorite writing quotes around will only help your practice.

These are 3 tips for how to best use these quotes so you feel inspired and creative during your writing sessions.

1 – Keep a journal of writing quotes

Buy a journal or a simple notebook for writing quotes. Each day, write down several quotes from this list. Start your writing sessions by repeating several of your favorite quotes. You can choose several a day. Make this a daily practice. Get into the habit of carrying the journal with you. In addition to the best writing quotes, you can use the journal for making notes on your book.

2 – Share these quotes with authors

If you find a great quote, share it with other authors. Post it in your author mastermind community. Share it on your Facebook page.

You can create a community of inspired authors by sharing the wisdom and advice of a good writing quote.

3 – Post the quotes around your writing space

Do you have a personal writing space? If yes, write down your favorite quotes on post-it-notes and tack them around your space.

Choose a quote per day from this list and recite it several times while you are writing.

If you care about aesthetics and want to get fancy, have your favorite quote printed in a nice font, and frame it for your writing space.

We have included the best from authors such as Stephen King, JK Rowling, Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, William Zinsser, Roald Dahl, Margaret Atwood, Carl Sagan, Carrie Fisher, Mark Twain, and Ernest Hemingway…and a lot more!

Print this of writing quotes list or bookmark the page, read through it daily, and keep on writing that bestseller!

1. “A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called “leaves”) imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time–proof that humans can work magic.”

― Carl Sagan

2. “Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of 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.”

— George Orwell

3. “It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous.”

— Robert Benchley

4. “I was set free because my greatest fear had been realized, and I still had a daughter who I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”

— J.K. Rowling

5. “If you're holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time.”

— J.K. Rowling

6. “Why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me.”

7. “One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I’m going to do my five or 10 pages no matter what, and that I can always tear them up the following morning if I want. I’ll have lost nothing—writing and tearing up five pages would leave me no further behind than if I took the day off.”

— Lawrence Block

8. “I've always believed in writing without a collaborator, because where two people are writing the same book, each believes he gets all the worry and only half the royalties.”

— Agatha Christie

9. “Some days I'm lucky to squeeze out a page of copy that pleases me, but I get as many as six or seven pages on a very good day; the average is probably three pages.”

— Dean Koontz

10. “When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.”

—Stephen King

11. “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

— Stephen King

12. “I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose.”

13. “Making people believe the unbelievable is no trick; it’s work . … Belief and reader absorption come in the details: An overturned tricycle in the gutter of an abandoned neighborhood can stand for everything.”

—Stephen King , WD [this quote is from an interview with King in Writer’s Digest ]

14. “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.”

— Isaac Asimov

15. “In my later years, I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back. Occasionally I wonder why I can be so happy. The answer is that every day of my life I've worked only for myself and for the joy that comes from writing and creating. The image in my mirror is not optimistic, but the result of optimal behavior.”

— Ray Bradbury

16. “Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.”

17. “Remember: Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.”

18. “You fail only if you stop writing.”

19. “I always wrote. I wrote from when I was 12. That was therapeutic for me in those days. I wrote things to get them out of feeling them, and onto paper. So writing in a way saved me, kept me company. I did the traditional thing with falling in love with words, reading books and underlining lines I liked and words I didn't know.”

— Carrie Fisher

20. “Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with.”

— Henry David Thoreau

21. “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.”

22. “It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.”

— Ernest Hemingway

23. “As a writer, you should not judge, you should understand.”

― Ernest Hemingway

24. “Write something that’s worth fighting over. Because that’s how you change things. That’s how you create art.”

— Jeff Goins, author of Real Artists Don’t Starve

25. “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

— Toni Morrison

26. “This is how you do it: You sit down at the keyboard and and you put one word after another until it's done. It's that easy, and that hard.”

— Neil Gaiman

27. “I can shake off everything as I write. My sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”

— Anne Frank

28. “I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent, he would be wise to develop a thick hyde.”

— Harper Lee

29. “There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.”

— Desiderius Eramus

30. “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.”

— C.S. Lewis

31. “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader.”

— Robert Frost

32. “You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.”

— Saul Bellow

33. “Read, read, read. Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.”

— William Faulkner

34. “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good.”

35. “Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly – they'll go through anything. You read and you're pierced.”

— Aldous Huxley , Brave New World

36. “Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.”

— Franz Kafka

37. “I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.”

— Robert Louis Stevenson

38. “A word after a word after a word is power.”

— Margaret Atwood

39. “You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page. Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.”

— Annie Proulx

40. “You reach deep down and bring up what feels absolutely authentic to you as you move along with the book, but you don't know everything about it. You can't.”

— Anne Rice , Interview With the Vampire

41. “If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster.”

42. “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.”

— Albert Camus

43. “I write to discover what I know.”

— Flannery O'Connor

44. “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”

— John Steinbeck

45. “Words do not express thoughts very well. They always become a little different immediately after they are expressed, a little distorted, a little foolish.”

― Hermann Hesse

46. “Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depth of your heart; confess to yourself you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.”

― Rainer Maria Rilke

47. “I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don’t know what I did before that. Just loafed, I suppose.”

— P.G. Wodehouse

48. “If you want to be a writer, you have to write everyday. You don’t go to a well just once in awhile but daily.”

— Walter Mosley

49. “To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.”

— Herman Melville

50. “Words are a lens to focus one's mind.”

51. “I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within.”

— Gustave Flaubert

52. “A blank piece of paper is God's way of telling us how hard it is to be God.”

— Sidney Sheldon

53. “I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged.”

— Erica Jong

54. “Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. … It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus.”

— Enid Bagnold

55. “To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard.”

— Allen Ginsberg, WD

56. “All readers come to fiction as willing accomplices to your lies. Such is the basic goodwill contract made the moment we pick up a work of fiction.”

— Steve Almond, WD

57. “Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of 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.”

58. “When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.”

—George Orwell

59. “I’m not sure a bad person can write a good book. If art doesn’t make us better, then what on earth is it for.”

— Alice Walker

60. “I don’t care if a reader hates one of my stories, just as long as he finishes the book.”

—Roald Dahl

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61. Writing is sweat and drudgery most of the time. And you have to love it in order to endure the solitude and the discipline.

— Peter Benchley, author of Jaws

62. “I read very widely, both non-fiction and fiction, so I don't think there's a single writer who influences me.”

— Peter Benchley

63. “Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.”

— Virginia Woolf

64. “Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players. … I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.”

— Gore Vidal

65. “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”

— W. Somerset Maugham

66. “The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a writer will turn over half a library to make one book.”

— Samuel Johnson

67. “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can’t allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative.”

— Elmore Leonard

68. “Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.”

— Larry L. King

69. “I do not over-intellectualise the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.”

— Tom Clancy

70. “The writing of a novel is taking life as it already exists, not to report it but to make an object, toward the end that the finished work might contain this life inside it and offer it to the reader. The essence will not be, of course, the same thing as the raw material; it is not even of the same family of things. The novel is something that never was before and will not be again.”

— Eudora Welty

71. “One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I’m going to do my five or 10 pages no matter what, and that I can always tear them up the following morning if I want. I’ll have lost nothing—writing and tearing up five pages would leave me no further behind than if I took the day off.”

72. “Don’t expect the puppets of your mind to become the people of your story. If they are not realities in your own mind, there is no mysterious alchemy in ink and paper that will turn wooden figures into flesh and blood.”

— Leslie Gordon Barnard

73. “Plot is people. Human emotions and desires founded on the realities of life, working at cross purposes, getting hotter and fiercer as they strike against each other until finally there’s an explosion—that’s Plot.”

— Leigh Brackett

74. “Genius gives birth, talent delivers. What Rembrandt or Van Gogh saw in the night can never be seen again. Born writers of the future are amazed already at what they’re seeing now, what we’ll all see in time for the first time, and then see imitated many times by made writers.”

— Jack Kerouac

75. “Long patience and application saturated with your heart’s blood—you will either write or you will not—and the only way to find out whether you will or not is to try.”

— Jim Tully

76. “People say, ‘What advice do you have for people who want to be writers?’ I say, they don’t really need advice, they know they want to be writers, and they’re gonna do it. Those people who know that they really want to do this and are cut out for it, they know it.”

—R.L. Stine

77. “Anyone who is going to be a writer knows enough at 15 to write several novels.”

— May Sarton

78. “The most beautiful things are those that madness prompts and reason writes.”

—Andre Gide

79. “You do not have to explain every single drop of water contained in a rain barrel. You have to explain one drop—H 2 O. The reader will get it.”

—George Singleton

80. “When I say work I only mean writing. Everything else is just odd jobs.”

— Margaret Laurence

81. “Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.”

— Annie Dillard

82. “A book is simply the container of an idea—like a bottle; what is inside the book is what matters.”

—Angela Carter

83. “You don’t actually have to write anything until you’ve thought it out. This is an enormous relief, and you can sit there searching for the point at which the story becomes a toboggan and starts to slide.”

—Marie de Nervaud

84. “Whether a character in your novel is full of choler, bile, phlegm, blood or plain old buffalo chips, the fire of life is in there, too, as long as that character lives.”

—James Alexander Thom

85. “It is perfectly okay to write garbage—as long as you edit brilliantly.”

— C. J. Cherryh

86. “Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer.”

87. “I have been successful probably because I have always realized that I knew nothing about writing and have merely tried to tell an interesting story entertainingly.”

— Edgar Rice Burroughs

88. “Most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen.”

— Willa Cather

89. “The only thing I was fit for was to be a writer, and this notion rested solely on my suspicion that I would never be fit for real work, and that writing didn’t require any.”

— Russell Baker

90. “People on the outside think there’s something magical about writing, that you go up in the attic at midnight and cast the bones and come down in the morning with a story, but it isn’t like that. You sit in back of the typewriter and you work, and that’s all there is to it.”

— Harlan Ellison

91. “People do not deserve to have good writing, they are so pleased with bad.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

92. “Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.”

— Barbara Kingsolver

93. “Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”

— E. L. Doctorow

94. “The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story.”

— Ursula K. Le Guin

95. “Only in a person’s imagination does every truth find an effective and undeniable existence. Imagination, not invention, is the supreme master of art as of life.”

— Joseph Conrad

96. “You learn by writing short stories. Keep writing short stories. The money’s in novels, but writing short stories keeps your writing lean and pointed.”

— Larry Niven

97. “Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.”

— Robert A. Heinlein

98. “The more closely the author thinks of why he wrote, the more he comes to regard his imagination as a kind of self-generating cement which glued his facts together, and his emotions as a kind of dark and obscure designer of those facts. Reluctantly, he comes to the conclusion that to account for his book is to account for his life.”

— Richard Wright

99. “Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil—but there is no way around them.”

100. “In general…there’s no point in writing hopeless novels. We all know we’re going to die; what’s important is the kind of men and women we are in the face of this.”

— Anne Lamott

101. “All the words I use in my stories can be found in the dictionary—it’s just a matter of arranging them into the right sentences.”

— Somerset Maugham

102. “Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.”

— Jane Yolen

103. “If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor.”

104. “…And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

— Anaïs Nin

105. “Know that the Creator lives and moves and breathes within you. So those dreams? Risk them. Those words? Write them. Those hopes? Believe them.”

— Elora Nicole Ramirez

106. “Art is not about thinking something up. It is the opposite — getting something down.

— Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way

107. The writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land.

108. “The great work must inevitably be obscure, except to the very few, to those who like the author himself are initiated into the mysteries. Communication then is secondary: it is perpetuation which is important. For this only one good reader is necessary.”

— Henry Miller

109. “I am like a little pencil in God’s hand. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it.”

— Mother Teresa

110. “Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.”

— Orson Scott

111. “Writing a book is like telling a joke and having to wait 2 years to know whether or not it was funny.”

— Alain de Botton

112. “No person 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.”

113. “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”

— Les Brown

114. “If something isn’t working, if you have a story that you’ve built and it’s blocked and you can’t figure it out, take your favorite scene, or your very best idea or set-piece, and cut it. It’s brutal, but sometimes inevitable.”

— Joss Whedon

115. “You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

116. “There’s no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.”

— Maya Angelou

117. “We’re past the age of heroes and hero kings. … Most of our lives are basically mundane and dull, and it’s up to the writer to find ways to make them interesting.”

— John Updike

118. “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”

— Thomas Mann , Essays of Three Decades

119. “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do…Try to be better than yourself.”

120. “You may not always write well, but you can edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page .”

— Jodi Picoult

Now you have a comprehensive list of inspirational writing quotes to keep you pushing forward.

And by reading through those quotes, hopefully you don't feel so alone knowing that famous authors experience the same love/hate relationship with writing.

The most important thing is that you take action each day to move closer towards publishing your book . Then, you'll be creating your own writing quotes for other aspiring authors to get inspired by!

What are your favorite inspirational writing quotes?

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20 Inspiring Quotes for Writers to Fuel Creativity

Boost your writing inspiration with the best collection of inspiring quotes for writers. Read on to find the most thought-provoking and motivating words to spark your creativity and keep you motivated. Writing can be a challenging task, even for the most experienced writers. There are times you might feel stuck, uninspired, or unmotivated. But don’t worry; you’re not alone.

Whether you’re struggling to start your first draft or searching for the perfect ending to your story, inspiring quotes for writers can provide you with the guidance and inspiration you need . Most writers have been in your shoes, and many have found ways to overcome these uncreative downturns. One of the best ways to rekindle your inspiration and motivation is by reading inspiring quotes for writers. These quotes can help you find the right words, inspire new ideas, and keep you motivated to keep writing. Below is a list of the most inspiring quotes for writers to help you find the inspiration you need to push through writer’s block.

Inspiring Quotes for Writers

From famous authors to modern-day poets, the world is full of inspiring quotes for writers to help them overcome self-doubt and procrastination. Check out The Reliable Narrator’s picks below.

1. The scariest moment is always just before you start. – Stephen King

It can be scary to take the first put words down on paper, especially when you’re not sure if they will be good enough. However, King’s quote serves as a reminder that this fear is normal but temporary. Once you start writing, that fear dissipates, and the words begin to flow. The anticipation of starting can be the scariest part. Incorporating inspiring quotes for writers into a writing routine can help writers stay focused and inspired throughout the creative process. These motivational words can help push through the fear and roadblocks.

2. I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I’m afraid of. – Joss Whedon

For Whedon, writing is a way to overcome personal fears and limitations. Through his writing, he can become the characters he wishes he could be and explore the things that scare him the most. There is a lot to learn from his words – that’s the power of inspiring quotes for writers.

Writing can be a way to express feelings, work through emotions, and connect with others. It’s a way to explore the many different facets of the human experience and to connect with readers on a deeper level. Ultimately, we create worlds and characters that reflect some part of ourselves.

3. A word after a word after a word is power. – Margaret Atwood

Every word writers choose has the potential to make a difference, inspire, educate, and connect with others. Atwood’s quote highlights the importance of persistence and dedication when it comes to writing.

It can be a slow and challenging process, but every word we put on paper has the power to shape our ideas, our stories, and our world. The beauty of these inspiring quotes for writers is their ability to remind. Atwood’s quote is a reminder that even if we can only write a few words a day, those words are still significant and can accumulate to create something truly powerful.

4. you fail only if you stop writing. – ray bradbury.

Writing is a journey that requires persistence, determination, and a willingness to keep going even when things get tough . Failure is not the end of the road. Sometimes all it takes is a few words from a favorite author to reignite the passion for writing. That’s the power of inspiring quotes for writers.

Many writers face rejection, criticism, and self-doubt throughout their careers. Failure is not the opposite of success but rather a necessary part of the creative process. Every mistake, every rejection, and every struggle is an opportunity to learn and grow. By continuing to write, writers are moving forward and growing.

5. There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. – Maya Angelou

As human beings, we all have stories to tell, whether they are personal anecdotes, historical accounts, or works of fiction. As writers, we know how keeping these stories inside us can weigh us down. Sharing our stories with others can help us find healing, connection, and meaning. Writing can be a solitary and challenging pursuit, but the right words of inspiration can help you stay the course. Seek out and embrace inspiring quotes for writers along the way. Your words may inspire the next generation of writers.

6. If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it. – Toni Morrison

When we write stories featuring diverse characters and perspectives, we can help create a more inclusive and understanding world. Ultimately, Morrison’s quote reminds us that writing is about more than entertainment or self-expression. It’s about creating something that resonates with readers and has the potential to change the world. Reading inspiring quotes for writers can ignite the spark of creativity and motivate you to pick up your pen and paper.

7. The first draft is just you telling yourself the story. – Terry Pratchett

Writing can be a daunting process, and the pressure to create something polished and perfect can sometimes stifle a writer’s creativity. To overcome this hurdle, it is important for writers to remember the role of a first draft.

The first draft is an opportunity for writers to get their ideas on paper and explore different elements of their writing. It’s a time to experiment with characters, plot twists, and themes without worrying too much about getting everything right.

Of course, the first draft is only the beginning of the process. Editing and revision are crucially important. But by viewing the first draft as a starting point rather than a finished product, writers can free themselves to take risks and create something unique and impactful.

8. The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. – Robert Cormier

Unlike brain surgery, writing offers the luxury of being able to revise and edit one’s work until it’s right. Writing is not an exact science- there is no one “right” way to do it. This means that writers have the freedom to experiment, take risks, and make mistakes along the way.

Cormier’s inspirational quotes for writers remind us that writing is a craft that takes time, effort, and a willingness to learn and grow. But with patience, persistence, and a willingness to take risks and make mistakes, writers can produce work that is truly beautiful and meaningful.

9. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. – Sylvia Plath

Self-doubt can be a paralyzing force , preventing writers from trying new things and fully expressing themselves on the page. It can make even the most talented writers feel inadequate and unworthy of success.

Self-doubt is not a necessary part of the creative process. In fact, it can be the thing that holds writers back from achieving their full potential. By learning to recognize and confront self-doubt, writers can push past their fears and create work that is truly inspiring and meaningful.

Incorporating inspiring quotes for writers into your writing routine can help you stay focused and inspired throughout the creative process.

10. You can make anything by writing. – C.S. Lewis

Whether it’s a story, a poem, an essay, or a memoir, writing has the ability to create something new. Through the written word, writers can explore their own experiences and emotions, share their perspectives on the world, and connect with readers in profound and meaningful ways. Writing can also be a powerful tool for advocacy, education, and social change, as it allows writers to share their ideas and inspire others to take action.

Ultimately, C.S. Lewis’ inspiring quotes for writers speak to the limitless potential of writing as a form of expression and creation. With the power of words, writers have the ability to shape the world in their own unique way.

11. Write what should not be forgotten. – Isabel Allende

Writers have the ability to preserve memories, traditions, and experiences that might otherwise fade away with time. This is the essence of inspiring quotes for writers – to inspire us to tell the stories that need to be told. It’s an invitation to explore the world and shine a light on the things that matter most.

12. Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. – Anton Chekhov

It’s not enough to simply tell the reader what’s happening; writers must also paint a vivid picture of the scene with words . Chekhov’s quote is a reminder to pay attention to the details and to use them to create a sensory experience for the reader. This is the beauty of inspiring quotes for writers – they offer insights and guidance that can help us improve our craft.

13. There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” – Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway’s quote suggests writing is a deeply personal and often painful experience, but it’s also an essential one. His quote is a reminder that writing can be difficult and challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Inspiring quotes for writers like this one can help us embrace the struggle and find meaning in the process.

14. You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. – Octavia Butler

Writing is a skill that takes time to develop, and it’s important to give allow for mistakes along the way. Butler’s quote is an encouragement to keep going , even when writers feel like their writing isn’t up to par. Inspiring quotes for writers like this one can help us maintain a growth mindset and stay focused on our goals.

15. The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of because words diminish them — words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. – Stephen King

As writers, sensitive or uncomfortable subjects can be difficult to discuss, and it’s important to approach these topics with care and respect. King’s quote is a reminder that the most important stories are often the most difficult to tell and are also the ones that can have the greatest impact. Inspiring quotes for writers like this one can help us find the courage to tackle tough subjects and use our writing to effect change.

Many successful authors credit inspiring quotes for writers as the fuel that helped them achieve their writing goals.

16. There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. – W. Somerset Maugham

17. 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, 18. the role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say. – anaïs nin, 19. the pen is mightier than the sword. – edward bulwer-lytton, 20. good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader—not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon. – e.l. doctorow.

In conclusion, inspiring quotes for writers can help fuel creativity and provide motivation to keep writing. Writing can be a challenging process, and it’s important to remember that even the best writers face self-doubt and struggle with their craft. But these inspiring quotes for writers serve as a reminder that the act of writing itself is powerful and can lead to incredible things. Whether it’s Isabel Allende’s reminder to write what should not be forgotten, or Ernest Hemingway’s famous inspiring quote for writers about bleeding onto the page, they capture the essence of what it means to be a writer. They encourage us to embrace our unique voices, persevere through tough times, and always strive for improvement. So the next time you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed in your writing journey, take a moment to reflect on these inspiring quotes for writers. Allow them to fuel your creativity, spark new ideas, and remind you of the incredible power that words can hold. And most importantly, remember that as a writer, you have the ability to make a difference in the world through your words.

Writing Quotes: 101 Quotes for Writers to Inspire You

Need a little motivation to write? These 101 Quotes for Writers from best selling authors are sure to inspire you!

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Today I wanted to share a great round-up of my favorite writing quotes for writers, because sometimes it can be just that little bit of motivational inspiration you need to keep going.

An encouraging word from a published author is always reassurance that the madness of sitting at your laptop typing words for hours is worth the sacrifice!

We can also learn a lot about how to write from these famous author quotes included in this list of quotes about writing! Many of these quotes come from well known authors who share their best tips, advice, and secrets to learn all about writing.

While these quotes are no substitute for taking an online writing class, you’ll definitely find some inspiration here!

From tips for staying motivated to inspiring ideas for how to develop great characters in your writing, you are sure to find a lot of great writing advice to be found in these words of wisdom from successful authors!

Here are 101 Writing Quotes for Writers

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” – Anne Lamott

“Words are a lens to focus one’s mind.” – Ayn Rand

“Some writers confuse authenticity, which they ought always to aim at, with originality, which they should never bother about.” – W.H. Auden

“There are reasons people seek escape in books, and one of those reasons is that the boundary of what can happen is beyond what we do – or would want to see in real life.” – James Patterson

“All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“The true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words.” – William H. Gass

“Everywhere I go I’m asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them. There’s many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.” – Flannery O’Connor

Writing Advice Quotes: Tips to Write Better from Writers

“Always be a poet, even in prose.” – Charles Baudelaire

“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” – Frank Herbert

“I almost always urge people to write in the first person. … Writing is an act of ego and you might as well admit it.” – William Zinsser

“First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him!” – Ray Bradbury

“There is only one plot — things are not what they seem.” – Jim Thompson

“Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.” – Stephen King

“You don’t write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid’s burnt socks lying in the road.” – Richard Price

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost

“You always get more respect when you don’t have a happy ending.” – Julia Quinn

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” – Anton Chekhov

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” – Thomas Jefferson

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” – Maya Angelou

“The secret of good writing is telling the truth.” – Gordon Lish

“Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.” – Jane Yolen

“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.” – Dr. Seuss

Quotes About Creativity and Finding Inspiration as a Writer

“There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.” – Willa Cather

“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.” – Ray Bradbury

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath

“I start with a question. Then try to answer it.” – Mary Lee Settle

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” – Toni Morrison

“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” – George Orwell

Hobbes: Do you have an idea for your story yet? Calvin: No, I’m waiting for inspiration. You can’t just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood. Hobbes: What mood is that? Calvin: Last-minute panic. – Bill Watterson

“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” – William Wadsworth

“Love is the only energy I’ve ever used as a writer. I’ve never written out of anger, although anger has informed love.” – Athol Fugard

“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” – Ernest Hemingway

“Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players. … I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.” – Gore Vidal

“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” – Oscar Wilde

“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” – Orson Scott Card

“If you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling. You must write every single day of your life. You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next. You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads.” – Ray Bradbury

“Most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen.” – Willa Cather

Quotes On Writing for Children

“Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won’t have as much censorship because we won’t have as much fear.” – Judy Blume

“I don’t believe that there’s a demarcation. ‘Oh, you mustn’t tell them that. You mustn’t tell them that.’ You tell them anything you want. Just tell them if it’s true. If it’s true, you tell them.” – Maurice Sendak

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” – Madeleine L’Engle

“It is the writer who might catch the imagination of young people, and plant a seed that will flower and come to fruition.” – Isaac Asimov

“Many adults feel that every children’s book has to teach them something…. My theory is a children’s book… can be just for fun.” – R.L. Stine

“In this modern world where activity is stressed almost to the point of mania, quietness as a childhood need is too often overlooked. Yet a child’s need for quietness is the same today as it has always been—it may even be greater—for quietness is an essential part of all awareness. In quiet times and sleepy times a child can dwell in thoughts of his own, and in songs and stories of his own.” – Margaret Wise Brown

“I know what I liked as a child, and I don’t do any book that I, as a child, wouldn’t have liked.” – H. A. Rey

“I’m very lucky to write for children, because I don’t have to deal with popular culture. I can just deal with core fundamental issues: jealousy, love, hatred, sadness, joy, wanting to drive a bus.” – Mo Willems

“I’ve always been into ‘fast-paced, don’t bore ’em, keep it moving along, stick with the story.’ You know: tell a story the way I want to hear a story. I find it more rewarding to write for kids, but I also find it a little easier, because you can just let loose a little bit more in terms of fantasy and stuff.” – James Patterson

Quotes from Writers About Reading and Books

You’ll probably notice a common theme about all of these next quotes from writers – if you wish to write a book, you better get reading! Here are some of our favorite quotes about reading and books from a variety of authors.

“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.” – William Faulkner

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” – Stephen King

“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn’t happen much, though.” – J.D. Salinger

“You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page. Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.” – Annie Proulx

“I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

“One sure window into a person’s soul is his reading list.” – Mary B. W. Tabor

“The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.” – Samuel Johnson

Motivational Quotes for Writers

“The most important thing in life is to stop saying ‘I wish’ and start saying ‘I will.’ Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities.” – Charles Dickens

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” – Louis L’Amour

“This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until its done. It’s that easy, and that hard.” – Neil Gaiman

“That’s what fiction is for. It’s for getting at the truth when the truth isn’t sufficient for the truth.” – Tim O’Brien

“You can make anything by writing.” – C.S. Lewis

“You can fix anything but a blank page.” – Nora Roberts

“Keep a small can of WD-40 on your desk—away from any open flames—to remind yourself that if you don’t write daily, you will get rusty.” – George Singleton

“If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor.” – Edgar Rice Burroughs

“The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you’re allowed to do whatever you like. (That may be a rule for life as well as for writing. But it’s definitely true for writing.) So write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. I’m not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.” – Neil Gaiman

Writing Quotes About Not Giving Up

These writing quotes about not giving up are a good thing to remember when you start submitting your manuscript to publishers ! It’s easy to want to give up, but it is worth the trials and tribulations to keep working at becoming a successful published author.

“Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself.” – Mark Twain

“If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster.” – Isaac Asimov

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” – Richard Bach

“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” – Oscar Wilde

“The hard part about writing a novel is finishing it.” – Ernest Hemingway

“Serious writers write, inspired or not. Over time they discover that routine is a better friend than inspiration.” – Ralph Keyes

Writing Quotes About Editing and Revising

“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” – Mark Twain

“Cut out all these exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

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

“Half my life is an act of revision.” – John Irving

“Not a wasted word. This has been a main point to my literary thinking all my life.” – Hunter S. Thompson

“Good writing is rewriting.” – Truman Capote

“Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil—but there is no way around them.” – Isaac Asimov

“It is perfectly okay to write garbage—as long as you edit brilliantly.” – C. J. Cherryh

“Most editors are failed writers – but so are most writers.” – T.S. Eliot

“My own experience is that once a story has been written, one has to cross out the beginning and the end. It is there that we authors do most of our lying.” – Anton Chekhov

More Great Quotes for Writers

“Writing is something you do alone. Its a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it.” – John Green

“I write for the same reason I breathe – because if I didn’t, I would die.” – Isaac Asimov

“A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.” – Roald Dahl

“Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time ― proof that humans can work magic.” – Carl Sagan

“A short story is a love affair, a novel is a marriage. A short story is a photograph; a novel is a film.” – Lorrie Moore

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” – Anaïs Nin

“The reason that fiction is more interesting than any other form of literature, to those who really like to study people, is that in fiction the author can really tell the truth without humiliating himself.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“A person who can write a long letter with ease, cannot write ill.” – Jane Austen

“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.” – Stephen King

“Some things are hard to write about. After something happens to you, you go to write it down, and either you over dramatize it, or underplay it, exaggerate the wrong parts or ignore the important ones. At any rate, you never write it quite the way you want to.” – Sylvia Plath

“Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there’s no chance for a pardon. Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, and you’ve got just one last thing to say, like you’re a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and please, for God’s sake, tell us something that will save us from ourselves.” – Alan W. Watts

“I don’t think of literature as an end in itself. It’s just a way of communicating something.” – Isabel Allende

“I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter.” – Blaise Pascal

“A writer can do nothing for men more necessary, satisfying, than just simply to reveal to them the infinite possibilities of their own souls.” – Walt Whitman

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” – Benjamin Franklin

“All that I hope to say in books, all that I ever hope to say, is that I love the world.” – E.B. White

“It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous.” – Robert Benchley

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” – Ernest Hemingway

“There is no such thing as fantasy unrelated to reality.” – Maurice Sendak

“A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it to be God.” – Sidney Sheldon

“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly — they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.” – Aldous Huxley

“I’m very lucky in that I don’t understand the world yet. If I understood the world, it would be harder for me to write these books.” — Mo Willems

“I don’t care if a reader hates one of my stories, just as long as he finishes the book.” – Roald Dahl

What are your favorite writing quotes?

After reading these writing quotes, do you have a favorite? Which ones inspire you to start writing? Are there any quotes that offer writing tips you find useful? Are there any writing quotes you like that we may not have included on this list?

Your thoughts, comments, suggestions and ideas are always welcome in the comments section below!

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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How to Overcome Loneliness as a Writer

My favorite is probably “Writing is something you do alone. Its a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it” because it’s so true. I love writing. I’ve wanted to be a writer for, like, ten years, since I was five, but it’s taken me this long to really be serious about it. I’m very introverted. I will read, write, play with my cats, listen to music, and text my friends while sitting at a table or lying in bed all day, but ask me to go out to eat, or go shopping … No, thanks. I actually took an online test to see if I was introverted or extravereted (I obviously already knew the answer, but I LOVE online tests) and I got 97% introverted, 3% percent extraverted so if that tells you anything … Anyway. I also liked the quote about exclamation points. I can’t STAND exclamation points. Ask my mom or any of my friends … Well, I really don’t know why I wrote all this when I could’ve been working on my book and nobody’s probably going to read this anyway and if you do, you probably won’t care, or get this far. Imma go now. Bye…

My mother said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing badly until you can do it well.” That works with writing and so much more.

Great advice Diana, thank you!

“If you write, you’re a writer.” I encourage myself with that concept. I’m retired from the real world, and when people ask me what I do now, I say, “I’m a writer and look forward to the day I’m an author.” Thank you for these quotes on writing.

138 Quotes About Writing by the Most Inspiring Authors of All Time

Writing is a craft that has captivated, inspired, and frustrated people throughout history, and some of the greatest minds of all time have left behind words of wisdom on the subject. From novelists to poets, playwrights to essayists, the world’s most inspiring authors have shared their insights in the form of writing quotes, providing guidance and inspiration to aspiring writers everywhere.

In the following you will discover a stunning collection with the best quotes about the art of writing. Whether you’re looking for tips on how to improve your craft, or seeking motivation to keep going in the face of obstacles, these quotes are sure to inspire and guide you on your writing journey.

Writing Process

The writing process can be both exhilarating and challenging, and every writer has their own unique approach to it. The following quotes offer a few ideas on how some great minds in literature approach the craft of writing and may provide guidance to those seeking to improve the process for themselves.

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

― Ernest Hemingway (about)

“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”

― E.L. Doctorow (about)

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.”

― Kurt Vonnegut (about)

“It may be observed of good writing, as of good blood, that it is much easier to say what it is composed of than to compose it.”

― Charles Caleb Colton (about)

“Writing is a manual labor of the mind: a job, like laying pipe.”

― John Gregory Dunne (about)

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”

― Stephen King (about)

“Write drunk, edit sober.”

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.”

― Anne Lamott (about)

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.”

― Franz Kafka (about)

“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.”

― George Orwell (about)

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.”

― Margaret Atwood (about)

“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?”

“What is the essence of the art of writing? Part One: Have something to say. Part Two: Say it well.”

― Edward Abbey (about)

― Anne Tyler (about)

“Good fiction’s job is to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”

― David Foster Wallace (about)

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Inspiration & Creativity

Inspiration and creativity are the lifeblood of writing, and without them, the written word would lack the power to move, inspire, and connect with readers. The quotes in this section express the insights of some great authors and may provide inspiration to writers seeking to tap into their own creative potential.

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

― Sylvia Plath (about)

“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.”

― Saul Bellow (about)

“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.”

― Orson Scott Card (about)

“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”

― John Steinbeck (about)

“Sometimes the ideas just come to me. Other times I have to sweat and almost bleed to make ideas come. It’s a mysterious process, but I hope I never find out exactly how it works. I like a mystery, as you may have noticed.”

― J.K. Rowling (about)

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

― Louis L’Amour (about)

“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.”

“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”

― William Faulkner (about)

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”

― Jack London (about)

“Imagination is like a muscle. I found out that the more I wrote, the bigger it got.”

― Philip José Farmer (about)

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”

“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.”

― Ray Bradbury (about)

“All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.”

― Jorge Luis Borges (about)

“Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with dry, uninspiring books on algebra, history, etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the ‘creative bug’ is just a wee voice telling you, ‘I’d like my crayons back, please.”

― Hugh MacLeod (about)

“Write what should not be forgotten.”

― Isabel Allende (about)

Storytelling

At the heart of every great piece of writing lies a compelling story. Whether it’s a novel, a play, or a poem, the power of storytelling is what captures readers’ imaginations and keeps them engaged from start to finish. The following insights provide a glimpse into how some of the greatest storytellers in history approach their craft, and may motivate you to create your own captivating narratives.

“A good story is a dream shared by the author and the reader. Anything that wakes the reader from the dream is a mortal sin.”

― Victor J. Banis (about)

“Stories may well be lies, but they are good lies that say true things, and which can sometimes pay the rent.”

― Neil Gaiman (about)

“I do not over-intellectualise the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.”

― Tom Clancy (about)

“There are some books that refuse to be written. They stand their ground year after year and will not be persuaded. It isn’t because the book is not there and worth being written — it is only because the right form of the story does not present itself. There is only one right form for a story and, if you fail to find that form, the story will not tell itself.”

― Mark Twain (about)

“In many cases when a reader puts a story aside because it ‘got boring,’ the boredom arose because the writer grew enchanted with his powers of description and lost sight of his priority, which is to keep the ball rolling.”

“A well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way.”

― Caroline Gordon (about)

“If you want to write a fantasy story with Norse gods, sentient robots, and telepathic dinosaurs, you can do just that. Want to throw in a vampire and a lesbian unicorn while you’re at it? Go ahead. But the endless possibility of the genre is a trap. It’s easy to get distracted by the glittering props available to you and forget what you’re supposed to be doing: telling a good story.”

― Patrick Rothfuss (about)

“All stories are about wolves. There’s escaping from the wolves, fighting the wolves, capturing the wolves, taming the wolves. Being thrown to the wolves, or throwing others to the wolves so the wolves will eat them instead of you. Running with the wolf pack. Turning into a wolf. Best of all, turning into the head wolf. No other decent stories exist.”

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”

― Philip Pullman (about)

“The story must strike a nerve in me. My heart should start pounding when I hear the first line in my head. I start trembling at the risk.”

― Susan Sontag (about)

“The secret of being a bore is to tell everything.”

― Voltaire (about)

“All stories have to at least try to explain some small portion of the meaning of life.”

― Gene Weingarten (about)

“Writing controlled fiction is called “plotting.” Buckling your seatbelt and letting the story take over, however… that is called “storytelling.” Storytelling is as natural as breathing; plotting is the literary version of artificial respiration.”

“What monster sleeps in the deep of your story? You need a monster. Without a monster there is no story.”

― Billy Marshall (about)

Revision & Editing

Writing is a process of constant refinement, and every writer knows that revision and editing are crucial steps in the journey from the messy first draft to the brilliant final product. Have a look at these quotes from some accomplished authors on the art of, and need for, revising and editing.

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”

“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”

“Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. […] All they do is show you’ve been to college.”

“Cut out all these exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.”

― F. Scott Fitzgerald (about)

“The first draft of anything is shit.”

“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”

― Jodi Picoult (about)

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shovelling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”

― Shannon Hale (about)

“On first drafts: It is completely raw, the sort of thing I feel free to do with the door shut — it’s the story undressed, standing up in nothing but its socks and undershorts.”

“You do an awful lot of bad writing in order to do any good writing. Incredibly bad. I think it would be very interesting to make a collection of some of the worst writing by good writers.”

― William S. Burroughs (about)

“I just give myself permission to suck. I delete about 90 percent of my first drafts, so it doesn’t really matter much if on a particular day I write beautiful and brilliant prose that will stick in the minds of my readers forever, because there’s a 90 percent chance I’m just going to delete whatever I write anyway. I find this hugely liberating.”

― John Green (about)

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”

― Terry Pratchett (about)

“In writing, you must kill all your darlings.”

“I’ve found the best way to revise your own work is to pretend that somebody else wrote it and then to rip the living shit out of it.”

― Don Roff (about)

“When your story is ready for a rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.”

“If you show someone something you’ve written, you give them a sharpened stake, lie down in your coffin, and say, ‘When you’re ready’.”

― David Mitchell (about)

“A successful book is not made of what is in it, but what is left out of it.”

“It was like removing layers of crumpled brown paper from an awkwardly shaped parcel, and revealing the attractive present which it contained.”

― Diana Athill (about)

“Editing might be a bloody trade, but knives aren’t the exclusive property of butchers. Surgeons use them too.”

― Blake Morrison (about)

“Making love to me is amazing. Wait, I meant: making love, to me, is amazing. The absence of two little commas nearly transformed me into a sex god.”

― Dark Jar Tin Zoo (about)

“No author dislikes to be edited as much as he dislikes not to be published.”

― Russell Lynes (about)

The Power of Language

Language has the power to move, inspire, and transform us. The quotes in this section reveal how great writers have harnessed the power of language to create works that resonate deeply with readers, and may inspire you to tap into the full potential of your own words.

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

― Anton Chekhov (about)

“Reading your words, what you wrote, how you were lonely sometimes and afraid, but always brave; the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds, I felt–I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamt.”

― Cassandra Clare (about)

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly – they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.”

― Aldous Huxley (about)

“I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.”

― James Michener (about)

“Ideas are cheap. It’s the execution that is all important.”

― George R.R. Martin (about)

“Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader – not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.”

― E. L. Doctorow (about)

“You don’t write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid’s burnt socks lying in the road.”

― Richard Price (about)

“My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel–it is, before all, to make you see.”

― Joseph Conrad (about)

“In writing. Don’t use adjectives which merely tell us how you want us to feel about the thing you are describing. I mean, instead of telling us a thing was “terrible,” describe it so that we’ll be terrified. Don’t say it was “delightful”; make us say “delightful” when we’ve read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are only like saying to your readers, “Please will you do my job for me.”

― C.S. Lewis (about)

Characters & Dialogue

Compelling characters and engaging dialogue are essential elements of any great work of fiction. In this section, you will find quotes from some talented writers on the art of creating memorable characters and crafting realistic dialogue, which may inspire you to breathe life into your own fictional world.

“I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not.”

― Joss Whedon (about)

“Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them — in order that the reader may see what they are made of.”

“First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him.”

“The characters in my novels are my own unrealised possibilities. That is why I am equally fond of them all and equally horrified by them. Each one has crossed a border that I myself have circumvented.”

― Milan Kundera (about)

“Don’t resist the urge to burn down the stronghold, kill off the main love interest or otherwise foul up the lives of your characters.”

― Patricia Hamill (about)

“First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him.” ― Ray Bradbury

“You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they really are.”

“Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players. I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.”

― Gore Vidal (about)

“Which of us has not felt that the character we are reading in the printed page is more real than the person standing beside us?”

― Cornelia Funke (about)

“My only conclusion about structure is that nothing works if you don’t have interesting characters and a good story to tell. ”

― Harold Ramis (about)

“Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.”

“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature.”

“Let’s face it, characters are the bedrock of your fiction. Plot is just a series of actions that happen in a sequence, and without someone to either perpetrate or suffer the consequences of those actions, you have no one for your reader to root for, or wish bad things on.”

― Icy Sedgwick (about)

“Fictional characters are made of words, not flesh; they do not have free will, they do not exercise volition. They are easily born, and as easily killed off.”

― John Banville (about)

“I don’t have ugly ducklings turning into swans in my stories. I have ugly ducklings turning into confident ducks.”

― Maeve Binchy (about)

Writer’s Block

Writer’s block is a common and frustrating obstacle that many writers face at some point in their careers. These quotes express the thoughts of successful writers and may provide inspiration and guidance if you are struggling with your own bouts of creative paralysis.

“A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it is to be God.”

― Sidney Sheldon (about)

“You just have to go on when it is worst and most helpless — there is only one thing to do with a novel and that is go straight on through to the end of the damn thing.”

“Writer’s block is a fancy term made up by whiners so they can have an excuse to drink alcohol.”

― Steve Martin (about)

“If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster.”

― Isaac Asimov (about)

“Writer’s block is just a symptom of feeling like you have nothing to say, combined with the rather weird idea that you should feel the need to say something.”

“You fail only if you stop writing.”

“The cure for writer’s block is to write.”

“The writer’s block is just a failure of the ego.”

― Norman Mailer (about)

The Writer’s Life

The life of a writer is often romanticized, but it can also be challenging, isolating, and unpredictable. The following quotes on the joys and struggles of writing life may provide comfort and inspiration while you navigate your own creative journey.

“I write for the same reason I breathe – because if I didn’t, I would die.”

“Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depth of your heart; confess to yourself you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.”

― Rainer Maria Rilke (about)

“Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil — but there is no way around them.”

“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent, he would be wise to develop a thick hide.”

― Harper Lee (about)

“Writing is something you do alone. It’s a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it.”

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”

― Richard Bach (about)

“Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.”

― Margaret Chittenden (about)

“Closed in a room, my imagination becomes the universe, and the rest of the world is missing out.”

― Criss Jami (about)

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.”

“It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power which bubbles so pleasantly in beginning a new book quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily. Doubts creep in. Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of an impending shape keep one at it more than anything.”

― Virginia Woolf (about)

“Put down everything that comes into your head and then you’re a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff’s worth, without pity, and destroy most of it.”

― Colette (about)

“There is nothing harder to estimate than a writer’s time, nothing harder to keep track of. There are moments—moments of sustained creation—when his time is fairly valuable; and there are hours and hours when a writer’s time isn’t worth the paper he is not writing anything on.”

― E.B. White (about)

“I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within.”

― Gustave Flaubert (about)

“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.”

“Literature is strewn with the wreckage of those who have minded beyond reason the opinion of others.”

“A writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.”

― Eugène Ionesco (about)

“Work like hell! I had 122 rejection slips before I sold a story.”

“A writer who is a pro can take on almost any assignment, but if he or she doesn’t much care about the subject, I try to dissuade the writer, as in that case the book can be just plain hard labor.”

― Sterling Lord (about)

“A good writer refuses to be socialized. He insists on his own version of things, his own consciousness. And by doing so he draws the reader’s eye from its usual groove into a new way of seeing things.”

― Bill Barich (about)

“You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you’re working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success – but only if you persist.”

Writing & Reading

Writing and reading are two sides of the same coin, with each shaping and influencing the other. The quotes in this section provide some thoughts on the interplay between these two essential elements of literature, and may provide inspiration to writers and readers alike.

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

― Toni Morrison (about)

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it.”

“Indeed, learning to write may be part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.”

― Eudora Welty (about)

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”

― Robert Frost (about)

“Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.”

― Lisa See (about)

― Annie Proulx (about)

Discipline & Routine

Discipline and routine are key components of a successful writing practice, helping authors to stay focused, motivated, and productive. These quotes offer some insights on the ability to stay on track and may guide and inspire you to establish your own writing habits.

“A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.”

― Anthony Trollope (about)

“First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.”

― Octavia Butler (about)

“Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but most of all, endurance.”

― James Baldwin (about)

“Do you think miners stand around all day talking about how hard it is to mine coal? They do not. They simply dig.”

― Cheryl Strayed (about)

“One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I’m going to do my five or 10 pages no matter what, and that I can always tear them up the following morning if I want. I’ll have lost nothing — writing and tearing up five pages would leave me no further behind than if I took the day off.”

― Lawrence Block (about)

“It is by sitting down to write every morning that one becomes a writer.”

― Gerald Brenan (about)

“Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised.”

“The secret to being a writer is that you have to write. It’s not enough to think about writing or to study literature or plan a future life as an author. You really have to lock yourself away, alone, and get to work.”

― Augusten Burroughs (about)

“I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.”

― Pearl S. Buck (about)

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.”

― Octavia E. Butler (about)

“Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.”

― Jane Yolen (about)

Funny & Cheerful

While writing can be a serious and challenging pursuit, it can also be infused with humor and joy. These lighthearted and witty quotes can provide a chuckle or two to writers in need of a little levity.

“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”

― Douglas Adams (about)

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”

― W. Somerset Maugham (about)

“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.”

“Everywhere I go, I’m asked if the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them.”

― Flannery O’Connor (about)

Craft of Writing Quiz (Hard)

Yves Lummer

As the founder of BookBird, Yves Lummer has pioneered a thriving community for authors, leading more than 100,000 of them towards their dreams of self-publishing. His expertise in book marketing has become a catalyst for multiple best-sellers, establishing his reputation as an influential figure in the publishing world.

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50 Inspirational Quotes on Writing

By barnes & noble press /, january 4, 2021 at 3:00 pm.

It’s a new year and, therefore, we want to help kick it off right with a collection of our favorite inspirational quotes on writing! We always start a new year with resolutions, but often it’s hard to stick with our goals. Certainly, that’s where we can come in 🙂

Above all, we hope these 50 Inspirational Quotes on Writing will keep you motivated and energized throughout 2021.

Inspirational Quotes on Writing: Imagination

2. “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” – William Wordsworth

3. “The writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

4. “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

5. “They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream by night.” – Edgar Allan Poe

6. “The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.” – Gustav Flaubert

7. “I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and look at it, until it shines.” – Emily Dickinson

8. “That’s what you’re looking for as a writer when you’re working. You’re looking for your own freedom.” – Philip Roth

9. “Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” – George Bernard Shaw

10. “Creativity is a combination of discipline and childlike spirit.” – Robert Greene

11. “Writing is the painting of the voice.” – Voltaire

12. “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” – Paulo Coelho

13. “I have fallen in love with the imagination. And if you fall in love with the imagination, you understand that it is a free spirit. It will go anywhere and it can do anything.” – Alice Walker

Inspirational Quotes on Writing: Motivation

14. “Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself… it’s a self-exploratory operation that is endless.” – Harper Lee

15. “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” – Henry David Thoreau

16. “There are significant moments in everyone’s day that can make literature. That’s what you ought to write about.” – Raymond Carver

17. “Keep asking questions because people will always want to know the answer. Open with a question and don’t answer it until the end.” – Lee Child

18. “But when people say, did you always want to be a writer? I have to say no! I always was a write.” – Ursula K. Le Guin

19. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou

20. “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” – Margaret Atwood

21. “You should write stories because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page.” – Annie Proulx

23. “If you do not hear music in your words, you have put too much thought into your writing and not enough heart.” – Terry Brooks

24. “If you are in difficulties with a book, try the element of surprise: attack it at an hour when it isn’t expecting it.” – H.G. Wells

25. “Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.” – Tom Stoppard

26. “The secret of it all is to write… without waiting for a fit time or place.” – Walt Whitman

27. “No one else sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories that you have to tell.” – Charles de Lint

28. “Successful writing is one part inspiration and two parts sheer stubbornness.” – Gillian Flynn

30. “As a writer, you should not judge. You should understand.” – Ernest Hemingway

31. “If you don’t see the book you want on the shelf, write it.” – Beverly Cleary

32. “When all else fails, write what your heart tells you. You can’t depend on your eyes, when your imagination is out of focus.” Mark Twain

33. “Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Make some light.” – Kate DiCamillo

Inspirational Quotes on Writing: Process

34. “A writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.” – Junot Diaz

35. “The first draft is you just telling yourself the story.” – Terry Pratchett

36. “Write a page a day. Only 300 words and in a year you have written a novel.” – Stephen King

37. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Agatha Christie

38. “The job of the novelist is to invent: to embroider, to color, to embellish, to make things up.” – Donna Tart

39. “Writing is an act of faith, not a grammar trick.” – E.B. White

40. “Good stories are not written. They are rewritten.” – Phyllis Whitney

41. “The first draft is a skeleton. Just bare bones. The rest of the story comes later with revising.” – Judy Bloom

42. “When you are describing a shape, or sound, or tint, don’t state the matter plainly, but put it in a hint. And learn to look at all things with a sort of mental squint.” – Lewis Carroll

43. “You may not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” – Jodi Picoult

44. “Perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

45. “The secret to editing your work is simple: You need to become its reader instead of its writer.” – Zadie Smith

46. “I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.” – Shannon Hale

47. “Don’t labor over a little cameo work in which every word is to be perfect. Technique holds a reader from sentence to sentence, but only content will stay in his mind.” – Joyce Carol Oates

48. “If you fall in love with the vision and not your words, the rewriting will become easier.” – Nora DeLoach

49. “Be willing and unafraid to write badly, because often the bad stuff clears the way for good, or forms a base on which to build something better.” – Jennifer Egan

50. “Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” – Ray Bradbury

To sum up, write it all down this year. After that, visit BNPress.com to become a published author! Importantly, we have plenty of tools to help new authors. From trusted partners to assist with editing, formatting, or design, to marketing and promotions. Each step of the way, we will be there to help.

And check out more from the B&N Press Blog:

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Creative Writing Quotes

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The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.

If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.

The muscles of writing are not so visible, but they are just as powerful: determination, attention, curiosity, a passionate heart.

Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer.

Nathaniel Hawthorne quote: Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a...

Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.

Becoming a writer means being creative enough to find the time and the place in your life for writing.

The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.

Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say.

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.

The scariest moment is always just before you start.

What I like in a good author is not what he says but what he whispers.

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

One should be able to return to the first sentence of a novel and find the resonances of the entire work.

I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter.

A piece of creative writing, like a day-dream, is a continuation of, and a substitute for, what was once the play of childhood.

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

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow, I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.

Literature is an occupation in which you have to keep proving your talent to people who have none

To be the kind of writer you want to be, you must first be the kind of thinker you want to be.

One must be drenched in words, literally soaked in them, to have the right ones form themselves into the proper pattern at the right moment.

The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite.

A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.

Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits. That's it in a nutshell ... In order to be creative you have to know how to prepare to be creative.

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Quotes and Descriptions to Inspire Creative Writing Discover, Share, Connect

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19,890 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,964 themes

My giant dreams recline upon those tree tops; for in my cerebral conjurings I rest up there as if it were my bed. I lay there in titan size, head raised on upward palms, one ankle supported by the other. A canopy, a hammock, a poets' heavenly loft.

As they laughed at the idea of evil spirits, they were easy pickings to influence into foul deeds; happy halloween indeed.

walking in the rain

I won't say I love the cold rain. I won't say I love being soaked to the skin. I won't say I'm alright with how long it takes for my boots to dry. But I will say it enlivens me and awakens a part of me that slumbers in the warm and sunny weather. I will say that jumping in puddles is fun and that I'm far too old to be enjoying such things. I will say that a part of me finds a beauty in wondering how many raindrops there are and listening for them in the meditative pitter patter.

"When we make daily choices that are emotionally indifferent, the sort that the money-nexus makes faux-virtues of, we build our capacity for emotional indifference at the direct expense of our capacity for empathy, and thus the conflict between money and love is laid bare."

The holly tree had to be a good foot and half taller since her planting, spreading her roots wide in the earth. It was the early autumn and so her green berries had their first blush of red. After the poor start she had, the way she arrived in the garden bare rooted and parched, that she lived at all was miracle enough.

In war let us keep a warm heart and a cool head, remembering always the humanity of the 'othered' or else lose our own.

marvellous school of neurology

"It turns out, as obviousness would have it, that our brains (especially those of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in this case) have been teaching us neurology through comic books and the movies that have come from them." Full article linked to from my profile, click "abraham" below, awesome!!

essential career advice for writers

"For writers in the next half century and beyond, a comprehension of how creative writing, neurology, biology and our environment interact will be essential for a successful career." - a link to the full article is in my bio and on the Descriptionari "About" page. Much love!!! Angela Abraham (Daisy)

Joys born of vice should never be held in equivalency with joys born of true virtue or else we create a cerebral short-circuit and confusion reigns; thus the word 'happiness' should belong only to that uplift born of loving goodness.

"Adjective and noun associations are worthy of our consideration because by careful linkage of words such as 'black' with strong emotionally positive words (such as in 'black heavens' and 'noble black night') we can start to program subconscious bias from the brain by creating a background neurochemistry that is more positive. This keeps the prefrontal cortex more fully operational and encourages more empathy in both thoughts and behaviours. Thus society develops better through their own choices and evolves. This is part of social evolution and this kind of awareness in writers is essential."

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WEEKLY WRITING PROMPTS

Join (probably?) the world's largest writing contest. Flex those creative muscles with weekly writing prompts.

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Re-imagining our world through speculative fiction with alice mcilroy, write a story where time functions differently to our world..

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Start or end your story with a character who gets trapped inside a museum overnight.

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Write about a backstabbing (literal or metaphorical) gone wrong.

Start your story with an unexpected betrayal., set your story at a tense event where everyone is unsure whose side they’re on., write about someone who is stuck between two opposing sides and can’t decide which one to choose., write about someone who is convinced they’re going to be betrayed., set your story in a lighthouse surrounded by powerful gale-force winds., craft a story where a character finds themselves swept away by the wind, either physically or metaphorically., set your story on a sailboat, large or small, and entirely at the mercy of the winds., a crumpled piece of paper holding an unexpected message is carried by the wind. where did it come from, and where is it going, begin your story with the sensation of a breeze brushing against a character's skin., win $250 in our short story competition 🏆.

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

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Creative Writing Prompts

When the idea to start a weekly newsletter with writing inspiration first came to us, we decided that we wanted to do more than provide people with topics to write about. We wanted to try and help authors form a regular writing habit and also give them a place to proudly display their work. So we started the weekly Creative Writing Prompts newsletter. Since then, Prompts has grown to a community of more than 450,000 authors, complete with its own literary magazine, Prompted .

Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted on our Reedsy Prompts page.

Interested in participating in our short story contest? Sign up here for more information! Or you can check out our full Terms of Use and our FAQ page .

Why we love creative writing prompts

If you've ever sat in front of a computer or notebook and felt the urge to start creating worlds, characters, and storylines — all the while finding yourself unable to do so — then you've met the author's age-old foe: writer's block. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the time but not the words to be creative. Enter our directory! If you're ready to kick writer's block to the curb and finally get started on your short story or novel, these unique story ideas might just be your ticket.

This list of 1800+ creative writing prompts has been created by the Reedsy team to help you develop a rock-solid writing routine. As all aspiring authors know, this is the #1 challenge — and solution! — for reaching your literary goals. Feel free to filter through different genres, which include...

Dramatic — If you want to make people laugh and cry within the same story, this might be your genre.

Funny — Whether satire or slapstick, this is an opportunity to write with your funny bone.

Romance — One of the most popular commercial genres out there. Check out these story ideas out if you love writing about love.

Fantasy — The beauty of this genre is that the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Dystopian – Explore the shadowy side of human nature and contemporary technology in dark speculative fiction.

Mystery — From whodunnits to cozy mysteries, it's time to bring out your inner detective.

Thriller and Suspense — There's nothing like a page-turner that elicits a gasp of surprise at the end.

High School — Encourage teens to let their imaginations run free.

Want to submit your own story ideas to help inspire fellow writers? Send them to us here.

After you find the perfect story idea

Finding inspiration is just one piece of the puzzle. Next, you need to refine your craft skills — and then display them to the world. We've worked hard to create resources that help you do just that! Check them out:

How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
Best Literary Magazines of 2023 — a directory of 100+ reputable magazines that accept unsolicited submissions.
Writing Contests in 2023 — the finest contests of 2021 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays, and more.

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

While writing prompts are a great tactic to spark your creative sessions, a writer generally needs a couple more tools in their toolbelt when it comes to developing a rock-solid writing routine . To that end, here are a few more additional tips for incorporating your craft into your everyday life.

NNWT. Or, as book coach Kevin Johns calls it , “Non-Negotiable Writing Time.” This time should be scheduled into your routine, whether that’s once a day or once a week. Treat it as a serious commitment, and don’t schedule anything else during your NNWT unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Set word count goals. And make them realistic! Don’t start out with lofty goals you’re unlikely to achieve. Give some thought to how many words you think you can write a week, and start there. If you find you’re hitting your weekly or daily goals easily, keep upping the stakes as your craft time becomes more ingrained in your routine.
Talk to friends and family about the project you’re working on. Doing so means that those close to you are likely to check in about the status of your piece — which in turn keeps you more accountable.

Arm yourself against writer’s block. Writer’s block will inevitably come, no matter how much story ideas initially inspire you. So it’s best to be prepared with tips and tricks you can use to keep yourself on track before the block hits. You can find 20 solid tips here — including how to establish a relationship with your inner critic and apps that can help you defeat procrastination or lack of motivation.

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Craft the perfect creative writing prompt from Microsoft Designer's AI images

march 22, 2024

by Monica Jayasinghe

Hello, fellow educators! I recently discovered an exciting way to create engaging writing prompts for my students using AI and Microsoft Designer . The results were amazing, and I can't wait to share this fun and innovative approach with you!

Describing the Vision:

To get started, head over to Microsoft Designer . We'll use the power of AI to generate an image that will serve as the foundation for our writing prompt.

We'll use Image Creator , where you can describe the image you want to create. The goal is to generate an image that will capture your students' imagination and inspire them to write.

For this example, I entered the prompt, A spacecraft landing near a house, futuristic, mysterious.

The results of the prompt "A spacecraft landing near a house, futuristic, mysterious."

Choose the image you want to work with

Once you select Generate , Microsoft Designer will provide you with a variety of AI-generated images. Since we're creating a writing prompt, look for an image that has space for adding instructions and is easy to read.

You'll be amazed by the number of options available! When you find an image you like, click on it and select Edit image .

Customize the image

After selecting your preferred image, it's time to customize it.

Click on Resize in the top panel and adjust the dimensions to match a PowerPoint slide. This will ensure that the image fits perfectly when you're ready to present it to your students. You can also align the image anywhere on the page to create the perfect composition.
In the box labeled AI tools , you'll see additional customization options. Consider playing with the filters to update the mood and color scheme of your image.

Add instructions and text

To make the writing prompt clear and easy to read, click on the existing text and customize it. To add a heading, click on Text in the left panel. The right panel will populate with even more ideas you can use.

Designer's text suggestions for the image

In this example, I changed the color to white and added a story starter.

The spaceship image with the words "A visitor arrives"

Engage your students

The possibilities for using AI-generated images as writing prompts are endless! Here are a few options:

Get inspired by the artwork

The most obvious way to use these images is as direct inspiration for student writing. Generate a bold, fantastical, emotional, or silly image and have students write a story about what's happening in the image.

Try this prompt: A whimsical classroom under the sea. The teacher is a wise old octopus. The classroom is decorated with shell desks and seaweed streamers .

The results of the prompt " https://designer.microsoft.com/image-creator?p=A+whimsical+classroom+%5Bin%2Funder%5D+%5Bthe+sea%5D.+The+teacher+is+a+wise+old+%5Boctopus%5D.+The+classroom+is+decorated+with+%5Bshell%5D+desks+and+%5Bseaweed+streamers%5D.+&referrer=PromptTemplate Edit Edit Remove Remove A whimsical classroom under the sea. The teacher is a wise old octopus. The classroom is decorated with shell desks and seaweed streamers."

Bring stories to life

Another great idea is to take an excerpt from a story you're reading in class and use the AI to generate an image that matches that specific part of the story. This will spark engaging discussions among your students and bring the story to life in a whole new way.

Bring units to life

Why stop at a story? You can also generate images that fit the theme of a unit you're working on, whether you're exploring weather patterns or reliving life on the Oregon Trail.

Consider setting aside some time each day or week for students to free write or journal. Kick off the writing session with an AI-generated image, then throw on some light classical music and let them write. Mix up the kind of images you show them, from lush landscapes to abstract pop art, and see what it inspires.

Try this prompt: An abstract painting in vivid colors

The results of the prompt "An abstract painting in vivid colors"

You can even include animated options. After you generate your image in Microsoft Designer, select the image and Create Design . In the right-hand panel that appears, you'll see several design options. Usually, one or more of these options will be animated. Select the animated option and add it to your PowerPoint!

Accessing your AI-generated images

One of the best features of Microsoft Designer is that all the images you create using AI are saved in the My Media section. This means you'll never lose your creations and can easily access them whenever you need them.

This feature enables educators to curate a collection of visuals for various writing themes, be it aliens, dragons, or any other imaginative scenario.

Wrapping up

Microsoft Designer is a game-changer for educators looking to inspire their students' creativity. The AI-generated images, customization options, and easy access to your creations make this a powerful tool for any classroom.

Head over to designer.microsoft.com today and start creating unforgettable writing prompts!

creative writing quotes inspired

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25 Quotes to Inspire Your Creative Writing

1) “There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people’s books and write your own.” – Albert Einstein

2) “Good fiction’s job is to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” – David Foster Wallace

3) “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” – Richard Bach

4) “The good ideas come first. The skill to communicate them brilliantly in a way that appeals to readers or to an audience takes years of practice.” – Robin Mizell

5) “The key to all story endings is to give the audience what it wants, but not in the way it expects.” – William Goldman

6) “Description begins in the writer’s imagination but should finish in the readers’s.” – Stephen King

7) “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t.” – Mark Twain

8) “Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else.” – C.S. Lewis

9) “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” – Anne Lamont

10) “Don’t ‘be a writer.’ Be writing.” – William Faulkner

11) “A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it. If you don’t have the drive, the discipline, and the desire, then you can have all the talent in the world, and you aren’t going to finish a book.” – Nora Roberts

12) “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” – E.B. White

13) “When all else fails, write what your heart tells you. You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain

14) “You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, ‘This is me, this what I stand for, this is what you get when you read me. I’m doing the best I can – buy me or not – but this is who I am as a writer.” – David Morrell

15) “Ideas come from curiosity.” – Walt Disney

16) “To write something, you have to risk making a fool of yourself.” – Anne Rice

17) “Sometimes the ideas just come to me. Other times I have to sweat and almost bleed to make ideas come. It’s a mysterious process, but I hope I never find out exactly how it works. I like a mystery, as you may have noticed.” – J.K. Rowling

18) “Voice is not just the result of a single sentence or paragraph or page. It’s not even the sum total of a whole story. It’s all your work laid out across the table like the bones and fossils of an unidentified carcass.” – Chuck Wendig

19) “Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself.” – Mark Twain

20) “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” – Louis L’Amour

21) “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.” – William Faulkner

22) Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil – but there is no way around them.” – Isaac Asimov

23) “Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” – Virginia Woolf

24) “Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” – Orson Scott

25) “You can only write by putting words on a paper one at a time.” – Sandra Brown

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50 Inspiring Quotes On Writing to Boost Your Creativity

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75 Inspiring Writing Quotes From The World’s Best & Greatest Writers

Quotes About Writing

Writing and Reading Quotes

Writing Quotes for Students

Writing Motivation Quotes

Quotes About Bad Writing

Quotes About Nonfiction Writing

Quotes About Writer’s Block

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Writing Quotes: 120+ Inspirational Writing Quotes For You

How to use these inspirational writing quotes

List of inspirational writing quotes

1 – Keep a journal of writing quotes

2 – Share these quotes with authors

3 – Post the quotes around your writing space

What are your favorite inspirational writing quotes?