Suzanne shares: A FEW OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES

Like many writers, I collect quotes about — what else — writing! I usually have at least one favorite quote posted above my computer at any given time. At the moment it's that pithy and yet unequivocal truth: "Writing begets writing."

I'd love to share with you some of my other favorites, giving credit, of course, where credit is due.

"I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork." — Peter De Vrie

"This will never be a civilized country until we expend more money for books than we do for chewing gum." — Elbert Hubbard

"For an author nothing is as dead as a book once it is written." — Rumer Godden

"I try to leave out the parts that people skip." — Elmore Leonard

"My purpose is to entertain myself first and other people second." — John D. MacDonald

"The difference between the right word and the nearly right word is the same as that between lightning and the lightning bug." — Mark Twain

"Writing is easy; all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead." — Gene Fowler

"I can't write five words but that I change seven." — Dorothy Parker

"I don't like to write, but I love to have written." — Michael Kanin

"It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I was too famous." — Robert Benchley

"It's much easier to write a solemn book than a funny book. It's harder to make people laugh than it is to make them cry. People are always on the verge of tears." — Fran Lebowitz

"The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in shockproof sh*t-detector." — Ernest Hemingway

"I think I did pretty well, considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper." — Steve Martin

"There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately no one knows what they are." — Somerset Maugham

"You know how it is in the kids' book world: It's just bunny eat bunny."
— Anonymous

"The profession of book writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business." — John Steinbeck

"To write is to write is to write is to write is to write is to write is to write is to write." — Gertrude Stein

"Leave a log in the water as long as you like: it will never be a crocodile." — Proverb (Guinea.)

I know, I know, that last quote isn't technically about writing, but for some reason it's always been one of my favorites, anyway. (I also have a long list of quotes I love that have nothing to do with writing . . . but that's for another post.)

Are you a fellow "quote collector?" If so, do you have a favorite quote you'd like to share with the rest of us? It doesn't have to be about writing.

Here's to Spring!
Suzanne