WoW Saturday

Both "writers on writing" and "words of wisdom" can be shortened with the same word. Thus, welcome to WoW Saturdays, June to September 2011. Enjoy this collection of writers quotes throughout the summer.

"Every writer creates his own precursors. His work modifies our conception of the past, as it will modify the future." - Jorge Luis Borges

 

"No one is asking, let alone demanding, that you write. The world is not waiting with bated breath for your article or book. Whether or not you get a single word on paper, the sun will rise, the earth will spin, the universe will expand. Writing is forever and always a choice — your choice."

- Beth Mende Conny

 

"People say to me, 'so is the Stone Gods science fiction?' Well, it is fiction, and it has science in it, and it is set (mostly) in the future, but the labels are meaningless. I can't see the point of labelling a book like a pre-packed supermarket meal. There are books worth reading and books not worth reading. That's all."

- Jeanette Winterson

 

"Write as if everyone you ever loved was dead." It's great advice for writers. Right up there with "Murder your Darlings" (Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, apparently) and "Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water" (Kurt Vonnegut). But who said it? (I must have the phrasing off, since Googling yielded nothing, but I'm sure that was the essential meaning of the advice.)

- Scott McCloud

 

My goal isn't to save the world. My goal isn't to take down the Big 6. My goal is to make a good living doing what I love.

But if I can also help a bunch of writers, and help destroy a greedy, bloated, ignorant industry, it's an epic win for writers and for readers.

- J.A.Konrath