Words of Wisdom from Writers

When you're in need of soothing words to inspire or a little kicking of the posterior, check out this compendium of writers on writing, compiled by Maria Popova of Brain Pickings. Reading through the collected advice from such writers as Joyce Carol Oates, E.B. White, Kurt Vonnegut, John Steinbeck, Susan Sontag and many others is like picking through a box of chocolates and eating all of the tasty ones.

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• From Elmore Leonard: "If it sounds like writing . . . . rewrite it."
•  Joy Williams: “A writer loves the dark, loves it, but is always fumbling around in the light.”
  
• Zadie Smith: "Tell the truth through whichever veil comes to hand--but tell it. Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that comes from never ­being satisfied."

Of course, reading about writing is not the same thing as actually writing, so once you've gotten your inspiration fix, get back to work. As F. Scott Fitzgerald said:  “Nothing any good isn’t hard.”