writing quotes that inspire me

Here are some of my favorite writing quotes (some of which I was fortunate to have heard in person). I hope they will inspire you too!

Trust yourself as a writer:

“Dare to find a voice that works for you.” – Wendelin Van Draanen

“Your internal critic exists to keep you from telling the truth. Writing is about taking risks, taking chances, feeling it down to your toes, conflict, loss, growth, believable characters.” – Libba Bray

“Any kind of writing is writing, and you don’t know what it will lead to.” – Christopher Paul Curtis

“There is a difference between literary and commercial styles. Know your style and write for it.” – Jodi Reamer

“Don’t worry about being funny for others, be funny for yourself.” – Gennifer Choldenko

“It’s what you do with the junk (ideas) that matters. Add light to junk in a cylinder and it becomes a rose window (kaleidoscope). Add light to ideas and they become a story.” – Rosemary Wells

(There are) “no guarantees that you will be good. If you don’t dare failure or mediocrity, you will never be a writer!” – Katherine Patterson

“You write out of your subconscious hauntings.” – Susan Cooper

Rules about writing:
“Writing a novel is not like fixing the toilet. It’s more like falling in love, and nobody knows what they are doing.” – Ann Brashares

“A story should contain at least: 1 belly laugh, 1 honest tear, and 1 gasp.” – Bruce Coville

“Great dialog works forever.” – Beverly Horowitz

“Girls are interested in more than just fashion and boys.” – Wendelin Van Draanen

“Don’t believe anyone’s rules. The only one that really counts is ‘write the damn book.’” – Jane Yolen

“What matters is turning the page.” – Brian Selznick (on FORTUNATELY by Remy Charlip)

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” – Somerset Maugham

“Give yourself time for your subconscious to work … Even if you don’t come up with a solution on your list, it’s a warm up for your head, and you might think of it later (while in the shower or on a walk, etc.).” – Gennifer Choldenko

“The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” ~Agatha Christie

“One of your jobs is to persevere.” – Mac McCool

“The difference between a good movie and a B movie is that the characters in good movies are believable. The ones in B movies are more likely to go to their attic in their nightgown in the middle of the night to investigate a noise, which nobody would really do.” – Kathleen Duey

On being a writer:
“I wrote, because I could not dance.” – Karen Cushman

“A clean house is the sign of a wasted life.” – Donna Jo Napoli

“Books allow us to eavesdrop on another person’s soul.” – Katherine Patterson

“Writers are very private people who run around naked in public.” – Katherine Patterson

“It doesn’t have to be pompous to be great, it just has to have a core.” – Mark Siegel (FirstSecond)

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” – Ernestine Ulmer

“Write EVERY day, like it’s your JOB.” – Christopher Paul Curtis and Gennifer Choldenko both said this about how they work