351 Quotes About Creative-process

You have enough to create what you want.

A child s a special possession from God.

[N]othing about a book is so unmistakable and so irreplaceable as the stamp of the cultured mind. I don't care what the story is about or what may be the momentary craze for books that appear to have been hammered out by the village blacksmith in a state of intoxication; the minute you get the easy touch of the real craftsman with centuries of civilisation behind him, you get literature.

On jealousy: You may also need to deal with jealousy. When someone is jealous, they may try to “take it, break it, or denigrate it.” Criticism can originate from jealousy’s ‘denigrate’ motivation. Criticism can also start from someone trying to take your voice, or spirit, and break it. [p. 96]

The best poetry comes from nowhere.

I can hear my muse whispering tenderly in my ear. There is a story that wants to be told, and I'm merely its chosen vessel.

Embracing the possible immediacy of dying shocks a writer’s lethargic and disdainful mind to attention, and this enlivened mental state assists them explore the possibilities of living purposefully. Invigorated mental activity examines how a person can enjoy a more enchanting existence by devotedly working on self-improvement.

I remember when it was all done in first draft telling Gene Wolfe, who is the wisest writer I know and has written more excellent novels than any man I've met, that I thought I had now learned how to write a novel. Gene looked at me, and smiled kindly. "You never learn how to write a novel," he told me. "You only learn to write the novel you're on.

Be a good reader first if you wish to become a good writer.