Finding Inspiration and Guidance from the Writing Masters

The greats of writing are great for a reason. Oftentimes, they are great for several reasons.

Put another way, if I want to learn how to replace the AC compressor in my car, I will go to my next door neighbor, who is a mechanic, and ask for his help.

If I want to know how to bake a great apple pie, then Bev is my go-to person, because her pies are exquisite.

And so it follows that if I want to learn how to be a good writer, I need to go to people who have a proven track record in writing.

For this reason, I often turn to quotations by successful writers, when I need some direction and/or inspiration. I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the advice given by a few giants in the field of writing, and of course, I couldn’t help but add my two cents worth after each quote.

So kick back and get ready to learn. Get comfortable. About halfway through this piece I’ll drop by with some snacks and a nice, cold drink.

Shall we?

“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature.”

Ernest Hemingway

I believe in these words so strongly that I have, in fact, written several articles about this topic.

A writer of novels must bring the characters of those novels to life. The writer must know the characters intimately. He/she must know how the characters will react in different situations.

If you have done your job, as a writer, well, then readers will identify with your characters, and become emotionally invested in them….and if you achieve that as a writer, you are well on your way toward success.

“Easy reading is damn hard writing. But if it's right, it's easy. It's the other way round, too. If it's slovenly written, then it's hard to read. It doesn't give the reader what the careful writer can give the reader.”

Maya Angelou

One of my favorite quotes…easy reading is damn hard writing. Think about it for a second. Think about books you have completely enjoyed, how they flowed, how they called on your senses, and how they had an exquisite rhythm. That is very difficult to do. Those words, which are easy to read, are the result of months of careful word choice, careful phrase choice, and continual editing.

I have mentioned this before, but I think it is worth mentioning again. John Steinbeck once spent four weeks writing one sentence. He could not find the right combination of words, and until he found that combination, he refused to move on.

The result: The Grapes of Wrath.

“Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself.”

Truman Capote

Good writing is an art form. Bad writing is just scribbles on the paper.

This really is all about perspective. Yes, anyone can write an ebook and have it published, but does that make them a writer?

It’s not a trick question. Stop and think about the extreme of that situation. There are some young kids that live at the end of the block we live on. I’m guessing they are nine or ten years old. Now let’s say I gave them twenty bucks to write a story for me, and after they finished their stories we downloaded them into an ebook and published them.

Would those young children then be “writers?”

Good writing is an art form. Bad writing is just scribbles on the paper.

Learn the laws of perspective that Capote mentioned. Learn how to make your writing flow, and how to make it soar like a musical note. Once you have learned how to do those things, then you can rearrange those writing lessons so that they fit perfectly in your writer’s voice.

Then, and only then, will you be a writer.

“The profession of book writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business.”

Great quote, don’t you think? And so true!

The truth in this statement cannot be denied. How long did it take Steinbeck to get his first book published? Four years? How long for Harper Lee? Stephen King? How many rejections did those writers receive, and how many rewrites did they do before magic struck?

In other words, don’t quit your day job when you decide to become a writer.

I honestly don’t think people understand how hard it is to be a successful writer. If you are a freelancer you are constantly sending out queries and pitching ideas. If you are a novel writer, you spend six months to a year working on one project, and there are no guarantees that anyone will want to read it when you are finished.

What kind of insanity is that?

But oh, my goodness, what joy we experience when the perfect sentence is written….by us.

“The most important thing is to read as much as you can, like I did. It will give you an understanding of what makes good writing and it will enlarge your vocabulary.”

J. K. Rowling

This is such an important point. I am convinced that good writers are also good readers. They read often. They pay attention to the word choice in a piece they are reading. They pay attention to the way a piece flows. They learn, at least, a part of their craft, through osmosis by reading.

When I was in high school we were exposed to many of the classics of literature. There were some I despised. I would rather, at that time, have my fingernails plucked out with pliers than read “War and Peace.” Today I am grateful I was forced to read that masterpiece, and in fact I read it again in college and appreciated it so much more.

I find the same satisfaction when I read an excellent novel by an obscure writer. Good writing is good writing, whether it is written by an acknowledged master, or a millworker in Skokie, Illinois, and if it is good writing then I can learn from it.

“If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don't write, because our culture has no use for it.”

Anais Nin

This is my favorite quote about writing. Why?

Because writing should be all about emotions. Writing should grab the reader by the throat and shake them. Writing should tug at the proverbial heartstrings and force emotions from the reader. Writing should produce memories that lead to tears and laughter.

Great writers understand that we all share five senses. They understand that writing comes alive when those five senses are attacked. If my writing makes you cry then I have done my job as a writer. If my writing makes you yawn, I really should be doing something else with my spare time, and leave writing to someone who knows what they are doing.

I hope you did. I hope you found inspiration and direction in those quotations.

I’m going to give you a final quote and then send you on your way. It is a very simple quote. I don’t know if I am the original source of it or not, but for now, I’m going to take credit for it.

Are you ready?

Writing should be fun!

2014 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”