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Writing Quotes

The craft and habit of writing.

This set covers a filmmaker tracing an early comedic style back to college years, and advice that writing something and deciding to publish it are two separate decisions entirely. For more on the finished product, see Book.

When I was writing the first few books, what I would do is write a bunch of sentences and then go back and expand and explode those sentences, pack as much into them as I could, so they'd kind of...

Quotes by William T. Vollmann

Acting is easier - writing is more creative. The lazy man vies with the industrious.

Quotes by William Shatner

Writing or talking about famine and the world's response to it is not very easy.

Quotes by William Shawcross

I like to think I'm writing in the tradition of Raymond Chandler, although I don't ape his style.

Quotes by William Lashner

A sense of place is very important in writing.

Quotes by William Lashner

Writing about identity can be like maneuvering through a minefield, even when considering contemporary figures who have discussed the subject themselves.

Quotes by William J. Mann

I gave up lots of things I love doing: writing, and business, and playing the piano and so on.

Quotes by William Hague

Getting even is one reason for writing.

Quotes by William H. Gass

I'm really proud of the writing on Door to Door, and I think that's the Emmy that meant the most - the writing.

Quotes by William H. Macy

As I travelled around Australia, strangers in pubs, on airplanes, in beach parking lots would bring up Gina Rinehart, not knowing I was writing about her. Everybody had something to say, some of it thoughtful, some of it poorly informed,...

Quotes by William Finnegan

Writing checks for charities is necessary and important. But it can't compare with corporal works of mercy, which are infinitely greater.

Quotes by William E. Simon

David was the kind of guy who was totally supportive of the actors and instructed the writing staff to trust the actor's instincts, since after all, it's the actors playing the character.

Quotes by William Devane

When I came out of service, the first couple of releases didn't really hit so I just took a little hiatus and sat down to see what was happening. I just glued my ears to the radio and then I...

Quotes by William Bell

The problem with merely writing so that you can be understood is that the wrong people, in advancing their agendas, are only too ready to misunderstand you. Writing so that you cannot be misunderstood anticipates and preempts those who would...

Quotes by William A. Dembski

I mean there are tons of reasons. Well first of all. I write my own record. I don't take other people's materials. And I have a job which is being Willa Ford on top of getting back in the studio...

Quotes by Willa Ford

As for critical writing about modernism, its moments of lucidity are but fulgurations illuminating the dark and incomprehensible landscape of its subject's unabashed difficulty.

Quotes by Will Self

The writing life is essentially one of solitary confinement - if you can't deal with this, you needn't apply.

Quotes by Will Self

Writing songs is a profession; so it's not an attempt to take things from my interactions with other people and for some reason give them to a total stranger to listen to. I find it offensive to hear other people...

Quotes by Will Oldham

Definitely, I did not, after 'SNL,' say, 'OK, first I'll go be in Alexander Payne's movie.' I thought I might go back to writing, to be honest.

Quotes by Will Forte

Especially in the last 10 years, the writing on animated shows has jumped by leaps and bounds.

Quotes by Will Friedle

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a quote about the kind of comedy someone used to write?
Yes. One quote reflects on what material might have looked like if the speaker had started earlier, guessing it would have resembled 'Damsels in Distress' kinds of films, since that's the kind of comedy being written at the time.
Is there advice here about writing versus publishing?
Yes. One quote advises students that writing a poem and publishing it are two quite separate things, encouraging them to write what they have to write rather than holding back out of fear it might upset someone. It's solid, honest advice for anyone starting out. For more encouraging quotes, see Good quotes.
Is there a quote about avoiding repetitive songwriting?
Yes - one quote says: "I hate it when bands keep making the same record over and over, so we're pushing ourselves to try new things and experiment in our writing approach." It's a statement about wanting to keep creative work fresh. Browse Like quotes for more on personal taste.
Is there a quote about balancing songwriting with other band responsibilities?
Yes. One quote recalls that in the early years of Static-X, a pattern emerged where the speaker spent all free time writing songs for the band, while the other guys spent their free time working on other things. It's a glimpse into how creative labor can be divided unevenly within a group. For more quotes on consistent habits, see Always quotes.
What different sides of "writing" does this page cover?
Early comedic influences, honest advice about writing versus publishing, the drive to avoid repetitive songwriting, and the reality of who does the writing work within a band. For more on the reading side of writing, see Book quotes.

A band's account of pushing past repetition into new territory sits alongside a memory of writing songs alone while bandmates focused elsewhere. Continue with Good or Always.