Ten writers for children. All with something to say.

3/6/11

Quotes from Stephanie

This round is about some of our favorite inspirational quotes about writing...or maybe about life in general. I want to share four. This first one applies so well to writing picture books, especially since mine are often below 500 words apiece, and I share it often when I do school programs:

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and lightning bug. Mark Twain


This one reminds me of my priorities:

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.
Henry David Thoreau

This one I strive for:

The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.
Anais Nin

And this, by my favorite writer, is always in the back of my head when I write novels:

The road to hell is paved with adverbs.

Stephen King

6 comments:

Diane Adams said...

Ha! Love Stephen King's advice. I also love your other quotes too. I am searching for a new quote to tape to my new monitor. Starting fresh, I guess.

Lauren said...

Stephanie~ wonderful quotes! I am especially moved by the Anais Nin. And Twain's is spot on... the perfect visual.

Edie Hemingway said...

Stephanie,
I can't even decide which of these I like best, much less come up with my own favorite. I think I'll just start collecting more great quotes. I had heard Steven King's, but not the others.

Mark said...

Great quotes! Another personal favorite Mark Twain quote is: "Everyone complains about the weather but nobody ever does anything about it." Something I've had occasion to think of many times during this current season!

Stephanie said...

Mark Twain has such great quotes, it was hard to choose. Although I have used the lightning bug one for years upon years...

Christy said...

The Thoreau one reminds me of why I rarely take photographs--seems like removing oneself from participation. Stephanie, I'm glad you shared a few; it's too hard to pick just one!