wisdom for writers




Don't talk about it, write about it



"Life, in itself, is the most wonderful fairytale"
Hans Christian Anderson



Think in pictures



What is written without effort
is generally read without pleasure



The unexamined life is not worth living



Create circumstances to surprise yourself



If you don't write it, you can't improve it



When in doubt, strike it out



There are two ways to live your life
One is as though nothing is a miracle
The other is as though everything is a miracle
Einstein



He who works with his hands is a labourer
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman
He who works with his hands, his head and his heart
is an artist



Consider the three objects
your character would choose to save
from their burning home



Good art is like a good wall - first it must stand up



One goes to the theatre to find life
but if there is no difference
between life outside the theatre
and life inside
then theatre makes no sense
Peter Brook



Take a walk with a line and see where it takes you



When you're ghost-writing you're dead



Chance favours the prepared mind



You can make a killing as a playwright
but you can't make a living



"Draw, Antonio, draw, Antonio
draw and do not waste time."
Michelangelo



'Up on your feet! This is no time to tire!'
my Master cried. 'The man who lies asleep
will never waken fame, and his desire

And all his life drift past him like a dream
and the traces of his memory fade from time
like smoke in air, or ripples on a stream'

Dante's 'Inferno', Canto XXIV
trans John Ciardi



Do not hurry; do not rest
Goethe



"It's easy, after all, not to be a writer. Most people aren't writers, and very little harm comes to them."
Julian Barnes

Until one is committed
There is hesitancy
The chance to draw back
Always ineffectiveness

Concerning all acts of initiative
(and creation)
There is one elementary truth
the ignorance of which
kills countless ideas
and splendid plans

That the moment one definitely
commits oneself
Then Providence moves too

All sorts of things occur
to help one
that would never otherwise
have occurred
A whole stream of events
From the decision
raising in one's favour all manner
of unforeseen incidents and meetings
and material assistance
which no man could have dreamt
would come his way

Whatever you can do
or dream you can,
Begin it
Boldness has genius,
power and magic in it
Begin it now

Goethe




Additions welcome

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