It has been a summer of visitors for me and I'm enjoying showing them my adopted home town of Charlotte. On a recent visit uptown we passed the main branch of the public library and it's covered in great quotes about books and writing. I could have spent a good hour reading and reflecting on each one much to my party's dismay. (In their defense, we were on our way to dinner!) I did have the chance to snap a quick picture of the above quote by Helen Hayes. And while it's more about books than writing, reading that helped me connect to why I write in the first place.
There are times I get truly discouraged with this business. I know, who doesn't? But looking at quotes from those who have been there, done that, often feels like taking a quick sip of Red Bull for the writer soul. Something that jolts me, makes me remember why I love to write. At the risk of sounding corny...writing gives me wings. And if I’m able to help someone else take flight, get them away from their lives and troubles for a moment, entertain or make them reflect, I can’t think of a better way to spend my time.
So how about you? Any quotes inspire you as a writer?
Monday, August 22, 2011
What Quotes Inspire Your writing?
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"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never -- in nothing, great or small, large or petty -- never give in..."
ReplyDeleteWinston Churchill
Robin,
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific library display. I hope you post more pictures wtih quotes over time.
"If you want to be a writer, then write" comes to mind. Several people take credit for that one or a version of it.
Keep writing!
Linda A.
My favorite is from Elmore Leonard: "I try to leave out the parts that people skip."
ReplyDelete'Fail better' -- I like that one because it reminds me that writing is a long process and failures are a part of it. But as you learn, you turn out better and better failures -- until they're not failures anymore. I also like Thomas Mann's saying about how writers are people who find writing harder than normal people do. That sounds counter-intuitive, but it's true: easy reading means hard writing -- which is another quote I love.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, writing gives me wings too.