How to Make a Living As a Writer Quotes

“Don't give up. I don't think any other advice works. Writing is one of those things where you just have to do it. There will be far more people to discourage you than to encourage you. The time never comes to you, the inspiration doesn't come to you. You just sit down and do it." – James Lee Burke”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“If you're still stuck, re-watch Misery and imagine that your number one fan insists that you finish by the end of the month.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“When the last dime is gone, I'll sit on the curb with a pencil and a ten-cent notebook, and start the whole thing all over again." – Preston Sturges”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Seek the fellowship of other writers. A writers conference is a great way to meet other scribes. Email makes it easy to keep in touch. Consider forming a circle of such friends.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“When I was just starting out on my writing life I saw a photograph of Stephen King, early in his career, with his feet up on his desk and his dog underneath. He was dressed casually and going over a manuscript. I knew that was the kind of working life I wanted. I put that picture up in my office. I'd look at that picture each day and let the feeling sink in.  Then I would act on the feeling. I would write. That's the important part. When you feel the desire, turn it into energy at the keyboard.  Repeat this over and over, daily, weekly, yearly…and you will begin to get the feeling of being unstoppable.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Good writers are good readers.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Inside you there are universes. You contain multitudes.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Epictetus (55 − 135 A.D.) said, "There is only one way to happiness and that is to stop worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“To be a writer, you have to write. Not like it's your job, and not like it's your love. You have to write like it's your holy chore, you have to write like you are compelled from above and within and without and with everything that you are. You have to write bad stories, you have to write cowboy stories, you have to write period pieces and opinion essays and speeches, and plays, and stuff you wouldn't show your mother and don't wanna see yourself, but you can't stop. If you can stop, ever, if you can stop writing, or thinking about writing, or planning what you'll be writing as soon as you get in the hot seat, if you can stop that for even ten minutes, you're not a writer. You're a person who can type pretty." – Harlan Ellison”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it." – Alan Kay”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Get a PHD No, not a doctoral degree. I mean a PHD attitude: Poor, Hungry and Driven.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“To make it as a writer you need to be two things: systematic and relentless.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Drive thy business or it will drive thee." – Benjamin Franklin”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people." – Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“You must want it enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist you must learn your craft—then you can add all the genius you like." – Phyllis Whitney”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Someone with less talent who works hard often outperforms the gifted.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“If you up your skill and take more chances, your odds of success increase.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“at least ten writing sessions.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Coffitivity.com.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“The best way to predict the future is to create it. You do that by study.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Luck is where hard work meets opportunity.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“People who read want one of two things: knowledge or entertainment. When you can give them both, so much the better.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“The ACX program at Amazon has one of the most user-friendly programs in publishing. ACX was created by Audible, the world's leading producer of downloadable media. Audible was subsequently bought by Amazon. Works that are produced via ACX are available on Audible's site, Amazon and the iTunes store. Set up an account at ACX.com (you will be using the same user name and password that you use for your Kindle account).”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“There is one story question per novella, usually in the form: Will X get Y?”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Is there an alternative to blogging? There is. Build relationships with four or five highly-trafficked blogs.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“There is a fine line between knowing the stats your self-publishing generates and living your life around them. Some authors check their Amazon rank several times a day. That can only lead to madness and walking the streets talking to yourself.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“Self-publishing is a volume business. The more quality (key word!) work you put out there, the better your chances of an increasing income stream. How good are the chances? Better than if you put all your hopes on one or two books. Don't fall into that trap.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer

“And since this is a business, let me say I encourage self-publishing writers to set up their own publishing company as a corporation. It's not hard to do. Consider LegalZoom.com as a starting point.”
― James Scott Bell, How to Make a Living As a Writer