Why seven best quotes on writing? My publicist Brian Feinblum posted some advice on blog posts for selling books today. He says you have to have a catchy title like seven best, 6 ways to, 9 benefits of, etc. I thought I’d try following his advice, so here goes.
I’ve been browsing the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, and wondered what the good and great had to say about writing. I found these for you.
True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, as those move easiest who have learned to dance. – Alexander Pope.
It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous. – Robert Benchley
The only end of writing is to enable the readers better to enjoy life, or better to endure it. – Samuel Johnson.
Writing is not a profession but a vocation of unhappiness. – Georges Simenon
Writing, when properly managed (as you may be sure I think mine is) is but a different name for conversation. – Lawrence Stern
A true critic ought to dwell rather upon excellencies than imperfections, to discover the concealed beauties of a writer, and communicate to the world such things as are worth their observation. – Joseph Addison.
Whilst I was searching for these gems, I came across this.
Freud’s theory was that when a joke opens a window and all those bats and bogeymen fly out, you get a marvellous feeling of relief and elation. The trouble with Freud is that he never had to play the old Glasgow Empire on a Saturday night after Rangers and Celtic had both lost. – Ken Dodd.
If you have your own favourite quotes on writing, why not share them? Send them (it) to me via my Contact page. Alternatively if you’d just like to buy my books, go to my books page.