15 Quotes by Ralph Keyes

Fear is felt by writers at every level. Anxiety accompanies the first word they put on paper and the last.

Those who generate fog are Wizards of Oz hoping desperately that nobody pulls the curtain to reveal a trembling little writer behind it. This seldom happens. Readers who dare to point out that incomprehensible writing can't be comprehended risk being told that the problem is theirs.

Authors always feel in danger of being abandoned by loved ones. This is a potent fear. Yet it's as inevitable as writer's cramp when we presume to write words for others to read.

Serious writers write, inspired or not. Over time they discover that routine is a better friend than inspiration.

Anxiety is not only an inevitable part of the writing process but a necessary part. If you’re not scared, you’re not writing.

Henrik Ibsen hung a picture of August Strindberg over his desk. “He is my mortal enemy and shall hang there and watch while I write!” explained Ibsen.

Writing can be wonderful therapy, and cheap at the price. At the very least, you eventually get bored by thinking about anxious topics and move on.

I think that simply nudging yourself into unfamiliar settings – physical or emotional – can produce surprising results on the writing front.

One thing that separates would-be writers from working writers is that the latter know their work will never match their dreams.