10 Quotes About Writing and Mastering The Craft

Quotes about writing

Here are 5 pieces of writing wisdom from some of the greatest authors and thinkers of all time. I’ll continue to update this section for more quotes:

I.

Author Anaïs Nin on what writing has to offer us:

‘We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.’

Source: Anaïs Nin

II.

Author Stephen King on the hardest part of writing:

‘The scariest moment is always just before you start.’

Source: Stephen King in On writing.

III.

Journalist and author Annie Proulx on why you should write:

‘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.’

Source: Annie Proulx

IV.

Poet Rainer Maria Rilke on the true nature of writing advice:

‘Nobody can advise you and help you,” wrote Rilke, “nobody. There is only one way. Go into yourself. Examine the reason that bids you to write […] ask yourself in your night’s quietest hour: must I write?’

Source: Rainer Maria Rilke, in Letters to a Young Poet, p. 8-9.

V.

‘Writing for yourself is work, and it shows. Writing for others is work, and it shows.’

Source: 

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Last note

Thank you for reading. It’s always a pleasure to hand-pick these inspirational quotes about writing for you. In the Tiny Bits newsletter, I share a thoughtful and inspirational quote every month, as I’ve collected many of them along the way. Sign up for this newsletter if you haven’t yet.

Further reading: My reading list on the art of writing