The Beauty of Words

The following quotes from writers were found at the “lens” site of Angela Harms at Squidoo.com. My thanks to Angela for recognizing the beauty in these words. I have asked her permission to include them here (truth be told, I couldn’t wait and hope she lets me keep them here).


“Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.”

—Henry David Thoreau
(Dr. Joe Vitale says the universe likes speed. This would seem to verify that claim.)


“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


“The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.”

--Raymond Chandler
(I believe in this principle totally. The faster you write, the more the vision comes to the front. Edit later. Let the separate hemispheres of the brain work alone as much as possible. This clears the mind for the processes to to work optimally.)

“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


See Angela's personal site and read her sage advice at: http://www.angelaharms.com/

This quote, another good one (and unfortunately accurate, all too often) was posted at BCwriters.com, a federation of writers from British Columbia.

"The writer is odd from day one and in the course of pursuing this maddening profession becomes distinctly odder... It is not unusual for a successful writer -- your favourite, the one you think of as full of sunshine, wisdom and laughter -- to spend great portions of his or her life in a state of fury, hideously disappointed, or even raving mad." -- Paul Theroux

Listen Up! Great advice for free!

Okay, let me take a moment to clarify. This advice is great. It is also free—but only if you follow it. It could cost you quite dearly, if you don’t. Read on.

While surfing the Internet, I found this wonderful article by Constance (Connie) Briscoe, a published author of over 10 years and five fiction books, some of which have hit the most prominent best sellers lists. Here, she not only discusses the ten basic steps she used to get published, but also discusses the pros and cons of seeking representation -- the age old question of “literary agent vs. publisher” (you may presently have the wrong idea which is best).

All in all, Connie is experienced, smart and willing to help you. You would do well to listen and learn, as I have. Enjoy.

How To Get Published