Novel Writing Quotes - Page 3

Politeness is the first thing people lose once they get the power.

You could use a moth like that as a symbol in a novel, but it was trite, wasn’t it? The old moth-to-the-flame image had been used and used again. It was the stuff of amateur poetry. And she, having so little experience crafting a story, would be the most in danger of falling into trite approaches. If she wrote a novel, it probably would be about her father. And the male Luna moth would haunt its pages. Everyone would recognize the work as that of a first novelist. “She wrote about herself through the lens of her father.”The really good novelists, Laura thought, put their fathers, and maybe their mothers too, deeper into the stories. Which, she suddenly thought, might redeem Melville just the littlest bit.

Anger gets you into trouble, ego keeps you in trouble.

Arrogant men with knowledge make more noise from their mouth than making a sense from their mind.

When you were making excuses someone else was making enterprise.

Maybe you didn’t need to know anything special to write a work of fiction. Maybe you didn’t need to delve into some kind of life question you knew you’d lived. Perhaps your subconscious would do the job for you, if only you dared to dream.

Most of the people readily accept the principle but resist its practice.

Novel-writing has in one respect an affinity to the drama—that time and distance are required to soften for use the harsher features that may be exhibited from real life; that it was almost impossible to bring forward events without touching on their causes; and that any tendency to political discussion, however liberal or applicable, was not to be tolerated in a sort of work which people took up with no other design than to be amused at the least possible expence of thought.

We love our mother because she cares and also because she cooks.

Good becomes better by playing against better, but better doesn't become the best by playing against good.

Fashion doesn't make you perfect, but it makes you pretty.

To a farmer dirt is not a waste, it is wealth.

Prudence is precaution, prudence is protection.

Seed becomes tree, son becomes stranger.

Dresses don't look beautiful on hangers.

No tricks, no tools, but talent makes a task truly top class.

Principles in a poor is admirable as politeness in a prince.

A good swordsman is more important than a good sword.

Who is better off? The one who writes to revel in the voluptuousness of the life that surrounds them? Or the one who writes to escape the tediousness of that which awaits them outside? Whose flame will last longer?

A true professional not only follows but loves the processes, policies and principles set by his profession.