Much of the wisdom available from established authors can be surprising in its honesty and straightforward nature.
One reason: Most of the authors in question have had enough success that there is no need to candy-coat the truths they discovered.
It is hard and serious business.
This is the final email in this series. (If you didn't get Part 1 or Part 2, simply respond to this email and we'll forward them to you.)
"You must be prepared to work always without applause."
On Learning the Art of Writing
"I learned to write by listening to people talk. I still feel that the best of my writing comes from having heard rather than having read." – Gayl Jones
"You have to protect your writing time. You have to protect it to the death." – William Goldman
"By writing much, one learns to write well." – Robert Southey
"To produce a mighty work, you must choose a mighty theme." – Herman Melville
"No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader." – Robert Frost
"A writer’s job is to imagine everything so personally that the fiction is as vivid as memories." – John Irving
"Plot springs from character…. I’ve always sort of believed that these people inside me—these characters—know who they are and what they’re about and what happens, and they need me to help get it down on paper because they don’t type." – Anne Lamott
"In your writing, be strong, defiant, forbearing. Have a point to make and write to it. Dare to say what you want most to say, and say it as plainly as you can. Whether or not you write well, write bravely." – Bill Stout
"Whenever you write, whatever you write, never make the mistake of assuming the audience is any less intelligent than you are." – Rod Serling
"If the stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed." – Barry Lopez
"Write about it by day, and dream about it by night." – E. B. White
"Any writer overwhelmingly honest about pleasing himself is almost sure to please others." – Marianne Moore
On Humor
"When in doubt have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand." – Raymond Chandler
"The humorous story is told gravely; the teller does his best to conceal the fact that he even dimly suspects that there is anything funny about it." – Mark Twain
On Naming Your Work
"A good title should be like a good metaphor. It should intrigue without being too baffling or too obvious." – Walker Percy
"The title to a work of writing is like a house’s front porch. It should invite you to come on in." – Angela Giles Klocke
Do you now sense that successful authors are those who draw from the real stuff of life by keeping things simple and well-told?
If you look closely, most of these authors also keep a sense of humor about them while remaining personable—admirable lessons to consider in your writing journey.
Though some will always be inveterate jerks…
As always,
Brian
P.S. – If you are a writer and looking to hone your craft, we may be able to help. Book a FREE "Warp-speed consult" with us and see if we a proper match. If you qualify for our services, we will be happy to work together with you.
