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 85 of 1537)

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

Toni Morrison Novelist, Essayist
Writing

"...black women write differently from white women. This is the most marked difference of all those combinations of black and white, male and female. It's not so much that women write differently from men, but that black women write differently from white women. Black men don't write very differently from white men."

Read quote 10 likes
Tom Waits Singer-songwriter, Actor
Writing

"Songs are pretty easy. They are small, they are modular, they are about as big as a bagel. They are easy to build. Films are overwhelming in their magnitude and scope. By comparison, a lot of film directors wish they were writing songs because you can do it while getting your hair cut."

Read quote 10 likes
Rex Reed Film Critic, Author
Writing

"Packs a Huge Emotional Punch! Graceful Writing, Great Acting, Exquisite Direction, Suspense, Profound Subject Matter and It Rocks!"

Read quote 10 likes
Stan Lee Comic Book Writer, Editor
Writing

"When writing, I model all the heroes after myself. Of course, it's hard to make them quite as wonderful as I am, but I come as close as I can."

Read quote 10 likes
Stan Lee Comic Book Writer, Editor
Writing

"Just because you have superpowers, that doesn't mean your love life would be perfect. I don't think superpowers automatically means there won't be any personality problems, family problems or even money problems. I just tried to write characters who are human beings who also have superpowers."

Read quote 10 likes
Stan Lee Comic Book Writer, Editor
Writing

"Everybody wants to feel that you're writing to a certain demographic because that's good business, but I've never done that ... I tried to write stories that would interest me. I'd say, what would I like to read?... I don't think you can do your best work if you're writing for somebody else, because you never know what that somebody else really thinks or wants."

Read quote 10 likes
Stan Lee Comic Book Writer, Editor
Writing

"If you're writing about a character, if he's a powerful character, unless you give him vulnerability I don't think he'll be as interesting to the reader."

Read quote 10 likes
Stephen King Author
Writing

"I have always felt a little bit uncomfortable with question [why I'm write these stories]. It's not a question that you would ask a guy that writes detective stories or the guy that writes mystery stories, or westerns, or whatever. But it is asked of the writer of horror stories because it seems that there is something nasty about our love for horror stories, or boogies, ghosts and goblins, demons and devils."

Read quote 10 likes
Stephen King Author
Writing

"When asked, "How do you write?" I invariably answer, "One word at a time," and the answer is invariably dismissed. But that is all it is. It sounds too simple to be true, but consider the Great Wall of China, if you will: one stone at a time, man. That's all. One stone at a time. But I've read you can see that motherfucker from space without a telescope."

Read quote 10 likes
Rosser Reeves Advertising Executive
Writing

"No, I don't think a 68-year-old copywriter . . . can write with the kids. That he's as creative. That he's as fresh. But he may be a better surgeon. His ad may not be quite as fresh and glowing as the Madison Ave. fraternity would like to see it be, and yet he might write an ad that will produce five times the sales. And that's the name of the game, isn't it?"

Read quote 10 likes
Susan Sontag Essayist, Critic, Activist
Writing

"Writing is finally a series of permissions you give yourself to be expressive in certain ways. To leap. To fly. To fail."

Read quote 10 likes