Writing quotes

Writing

30.7K quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.

30.7K quotes

Explore further

Browse quotes that often appear alongside writing — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.

Quote collection

Writing quotes (page 80 of 1537)

Follow a thought to its author, or read the full quote page.

Khaled Hosseini Author, Physician
Writing

"It's often a matter of sitting in front of the computer and worrying. It's what writing comes down to--worrying that things aren't going to work out."

Read quote 11 likes
Khaled Hosseini Author, Physician
Writing

"I get daily e-mails from Afghans who thank me for writing this book [The Kite Runner], as they feel a slice of their story has been told by one of their own. So, for the most part, I have been overwhelmed with the kindness of my fellow Afghans."

Read quote 11 likes
Mark Twain Writer, Humorist
Writing

"When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them--then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are far apart."

Read quote 11 likes
John Brown Abolitionist, Military Leader
Writing

"Tis mean for empty praise of wit to write, As fopplings grin to show their teeth are white."

Read quote 11 likes
Joan Didion Author, Essayist
Writing

"To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence, as definitely and inflexibly as the position of a camera alters the meaning of the object photographed."

Read quote 11 likes
Joan Frank Author
Writing

"Yes, letter writing is antiquated - though there remain a few renegades who still so treasure the luxury of contemplating their lives in letters that they would rather write than call."

Read quote 11 likes
Hermann Hesse Novelist, Poet
Writing

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

Read quote 11 likes
Marshall McLuhan Philosopher, Media Theorist
Writing

"Any expensive ad represents the toil, attention, testing, wit, art, and skill of many people. Far more thought and care go into the composition of any prominent ad in a newspaper or magazine than go into the writing of their features and editorials."

Read quote 11 likes
Martin Gore Musician
Writing

"I don't know if it's cool to say this anymore, but I grew up listening to Gary Glitter. A majority of his songs were in that shuffle-blues beat, and I think that's probably why I tend to write like that."

Read quote 11 likes
Matt Stone Animator, Producer
Writing

"We've had musical stuff in the show [South Park] forever. That's mostly because Trey's a big musical fan, and he's a great songwriter. He's been writing songs his whole life. So since the beginning, we've always put a lot of musical moments."

Read quote 11 likes
May Sarton Poet
Writing

"I write poems about relationships, love relationships, and I'm not able to do that all the time. I could go two years without writing poems, and then write a dozen. Having a novel to work on, with the intricate puzzle of character and plot to work out, is satisfying for the time there is no poetry."

Read quote 11 likes
Miles Davis Musician
Writing

"I can't write anything for myself. I can write when I hear like [John] Coltrane play something; I used to write chords and stuff for him to play in one bar. I can write for other people, but I don't never write for myself."

Read quote 11 likes
Kurt Vonnegut Novelist, Satirist
Writing

"I believe that reading and writing are the most nourishing forms of meditation anyone has so far found. By reading the writings of the most interesting minds in history, we meditate with our own minds and theirs as well. This to me is a miracle."

Read quote 11 likes
Hunter S. Thompson Journalist, Author
Writing

"When you write for a living and you can't do anything else, you know that sooner or later that the deadline is going to come screaming down on you like a goddamn banshee. There's no avoiding it...So one day you just don't appear at the El Adobe bar anymore; you shut the door, paint the windows black, rent an electric typewriter and become the monster you always were - the writer."

Read quote 11 likes
Louisa May Alcott Novelist, Poet
Writing

"Every few weeks she would shut herself up in her room, put on her scribbling suit, and fall into a vortex, as she expressed it, writing away at her novel with all her heart and soul, for till that was finished she could find no peace."

Read quote 11 likes