AdviceToWriters WRITERLY WISDOM OF THE AGES / Collected by Jon Winokur

What makes a good story is…I don’t know what makes a good story. I guess being totally immersed in the leading character and his or her quest and rooting relentlessly for that character to conquer all the terrible things all of us have to overcome to make any kind of a good life.
MEL BROOKS

It is in the moments of emotional crisis that human beings reveal themselves most accurately.
ANAÏS NIN

"You can learn just as much about telling a story from a romance novel as you can from reading Proust…”
JENNIFER PASHLEY

The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.
ELMORE LEONARD

I’ve often used alcohol for writing. It’s very good for loosening up the inhibitions, as long as you don’t drink too much.
STEPHEN SONDHEIM

The test of literature is, I suppose, whether we ourselves live more intensely for the reading of it.
ELIZ. DREW

"Find people who care about writing as much as you do…”
JOYCE SUTPHEN

Be wary of security as a goal. It may often look like life’s best prize. Usually it’s not.
WILLIAM ZINSSER

Don’t do it unless you're willing to give your whole life to it. Red wine and garlic also helps.
JIM HARRISON

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