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20 Inspirational Quotes for Writers

Authors not only entertain readers with their books, but they are also a tremendous source of inspiration for other writers. After all, the most successful authors in the world were once where you are regardless of where you are on your path.

Whether you’re a newbie writing your first WIP ever or you’re a multi-bestselling author with dozens of books in your catalog, there's one thing we all have in common. We need some encouragement now and then, especially after the terribleness that was 2020.

So, here are some quotes from a few of our favorite authors organized by the various stages of writing.

Starting a New WIP

1. “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” – Louis L’Amour
2. “The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” – Sir Terry Pratchett
3. “You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” – Jodi Picoult
4. “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” – Toni Morrison
5. “I'm writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.” – Shannon Hale

Raising Those Word Counts

6. “Tell the readers a story! Because without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences.” – Anne McCaffrey
7. “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” – Stephen King
8. “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost
9. “Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” – Barbara Kingsolver
10. “First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him!” – Ray Bradbury

Editing & Deadlines

11. “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” – Douglas Adams
12.  “So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.” – Dr. Seuss
13. “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do. ” – Thomas Jefferson
14. “Half my life is an act of revision.” – John Irving
15. “If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster.” – Isaac Asimov

Post-Launch Pep Talks

16. “If the book is true, it will find an audience that is meant to read it.” – Wally Lamb
17. “If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write.” – Somerset Maugham
18. “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” – Margaret Atwood
19. “Ignore all hatred and criticism. Live for what you create, and die protecting it.” – Lady Gaga
20. “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath

There you have it! Hopefully at least one of these quotes has given you the gentle nudge you need to stop surfing the web and get back to writing. And if you need more help, then check out Novel Publicity's PA services to see if we can provide some assistance.