1
“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.” — Harper Lee
2
“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” ― W. Somerset Maugham
3
“Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.” — George Orwell
4
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” ― Robert Frost
5
“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” ― Ray Bradbury
6
“Write while the heat is in you. … The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with.” — Henry David Thoreau
7
“The first draft of anything is shit.” ― Ernest Hemingway
8
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” ― Jack London
9
“In the planning stage of a book, don’t plan the ending. It has to be earned by all that will go before it.” ― Rose Tremain
10
“The first sentence can’t be written until the final sentence is written.” — Joyce Carol Oates
11
“Always be a poet, even in prose.” ― Charles Baudelaire
12
“Don’t go into great detail describing places and things… You don’t want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill.” ― Elmore Leonard
13
“Leave a decent space of time between writing something and editing it.” ― Zadie Smith
14
“My own experience is that once a story has been written, one has to cross out the beginning and the end. It is there that we authors do most of our lying.” ― Anton Chekhov
15
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupery
*
Which is your favorite tip?
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boy with a hat 
What is yours Vincent?
No. 15.
Editing I see…the hardest part isn’t?
Quite so!
There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.
I guess we can stop at that :>
Love them all yet the last one strikes a chord! Awesome post!
love this post. My favorite quote is “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing else to add, but when there is nothing to take away” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
No. 15 is also my favorite. It changed the way I edit my writing. 🙂
No. 15 is perfect. I had to tell a friend. It is so accurate. Love Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Great list. jk
I tip my hat. 🙂
Robert Frost and Harper Lee win hands down , in my opinion . Great collection of Quotes !
My favorite is Hemingway..”The first draft of anything is shit”.
And judging by his countenance, he really means it.
My favorite is also… “The first draft of anything is shit”.
love this post. My favorite quote is “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing else to add, but when there is nothing to take away” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
loved the last one, very true. thanks for sharing
Yes, that’s a special one.
Great post and timely reminders.
9 and 10 seem a bit contradictory, but that’s the way of writing isn’t it? 😉 Great post. I love seeing all the photos as well.
What photo did you like the most?
(I like Somerset’s. :))
Ya gotta love Hemingway. The man’s in a bathtub.
Loved this. You always amaze me with your wit and insight.
Cheers! But I only gathered some quotes and added fancy photos. 🙂
Maybe but you do it so well 🙂
The very first one was the best.
Reblogged this on Jacqui Reed and commented:
This is a wonderful list of writers and advice that I find most applicable.
The Elmore Leonard and the Hemingway. There’s nothing worse than a long description so tell yourself it’s shit and you can cut it and move on
Weather reporting in the classics bore me rigid.
Seems to be a peculiarly English disease though. The French were much snappier
Quite so!
Definitely #6, Thoreau. It happens to me a lot. All these vivid emotions are coursing through my veins and making brilliant words in my brain, but if I don’t write them down soon enough, it never makes it on the paper quite right.
I think it also helps to note/record every idea you have, as soon as you have. Otherwise it will vanish.
True… I will remember that. Thanks.
I love them all. But Antoine de Saint-Exupery, especially. And Baudelaire.
Are you acquainted with the little prince Jessica?
Most certainly! Though, I must admit, I am terrible at French.
That doesn’t seem to be a fault in Americans. 🙂
🙂 Phew!
I’m voting for 15 as well. Excellent post!
In my experience 13 is excellent advice! 15 would have to be my favorite though.
Wow, I related to most of those tips. Probably the one I’m constantly guilty of not doing is Number 13.
I’m going for #7 (because I had to choose 1)…when in fact – I think all of them are pretty darn good!) Thanks VM great post again.
These are wonderful… I especially like Robert Frost’s and Ray Bradbury’s advice. Thanks for posting all of these.
All helpful. Really like number 6 and 15 of course. That seems to be everyone’s favorite 🙂
The first draft really is shit.
Hi –
Just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the ‘Very Inspiring Blogger Award’ (http://elkemurphy.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/very-inspiring-blogger-award/)
Thank you for being an inspiration!
Elke
I tip my hat!
Tipping right back!
Reblogged this on Page Sniffer and commented:
A great list
I think it was Anaïs Nin who said “We write to taste life twice”. I like that.
Of all the blogs I follow, this is definitely in my top three. Great post!
I just tossed my hat in the air and hoorayed. 🙂
Great great post…
Since I like to smile and since nr 2 made me smile, I think that one is the best tip! Are there really any good tips when it comes to writing? I just have this feeling that perhaps all this order makes it so much less natural, less emotional, less real. Do you know what I mean…?
did you know Papa did most of his typing while standing at a dresser-bureau ?
Now I do. 🙂
Vincent, thanks for posting this, i am partial to #15
in gratitude for checking out my blog,
my you dance in full exposure with the voice of words.
Beautiful post. Thank you so much for it!
I like 2, 7, 8 & 15 – I know… not very decisive! Great post -thanks. And thanks for stopping by my blog. 🙂
That last one is the best advice!
Reblogged this on michelefisher and commented:
Love this!
Hey Vincent. I thought you might also like these writing tips from the mouth of Kurt Vonnegut. I particularly like no.7
Anastasia x
1.Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2.Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3.Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
4.Every sentence must do one of two things — reveal character or advance the action.
5.Start as close to the end as possible.
6.Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them-in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
7.Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
8.Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
I like them all. Thank your for sharing them.
Anastasia… are you perchance related to that Russian princess?
I am merely named after the princess Anastasia. Or, to be more precise, I am named after her character
played by Ingrid Bergmann in the movie! And I have no Russian blood, only Scottish and Irish.
Have you named yourself after that red planet? 🙂
🙂
I was thinking more of the Roman God of war, Mars. Also, I think Mars is French surname as well.
well either way it’s a great name. well chosen Mr Mars.
You have inspired me to write . Inspired but untrained.