Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Quotes Week, Part Three

To consider when revising:
  • Sit down, and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it. ~Colette, Casual Chance, 1964

On plotting:
  • A story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end... but not necessarily in that order. ~Jean Luc Godard

On everything:
  • An author in his book must be like God in the universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere. ~Gustave Flaubert

26 comments:

Donna K. Weaver said...

Another great list. Love that last one especially.

Li said...

On the Collette quote: I destroy nothing at this point because so often I write something which I don't particularly like and the readers love...and I write something I think is great and the crickets come out in force :)

JE said...

"Destroy most of it" *giggles* That's all I ever seem to get done anymore. ;-)

~JD

Creepy Query Girl said...

Really love these quotes!

Jess said...

Love these~ the last one really rang true. Present, but invisible~ I like that.

Jessica Bell said...

Love that last one!

Gina Ciocca said...

That first one is painful, but true. Love the last one.

Old Kitty said...

You continue to be wise and wonderful! Take care
x

Steve MC said...

Keep 'em coming.

Bryan Russell said...

Damn, that first one's good. I have to remember that one.

Emily White said...

Ooh, I LOVE that first one!

Anonymous said...

That last one is awesome! Keep 'em coming, Matt. Just stay away from the deus ex machina.

Pearl said...

I particularly agree with Collette...

Greetings from Minneapolis! :-)

Pearl

Michael G-G said...

Vive la France!

I expect a German contingent for tomorrow. Auf wiedersehn.

Kristen Wixted said...

I got a rejection letter after a partial request that said, "Love the cute voice but a story should have a beginning, and middle, and an end, I think."

After letting that process, I was relieved it was a rejection.

I like Godard's version better.

Unknown said...

Love these quotes.

So far I'm a writer, but I'm working on the author part.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

And no saggy middles!

Bethany Elizabeth said...

More great quotes! You're so good at picking them out.

erica and christy said...

I definitely have the ability to trash my own work. Which might be why I have such a hard time finishing everything!
erica

storyqueen said...

On everything-

Just awesome.

Thanks for these quotes, Matthew. I need them today.

Shelley

Paul Joseph said...

Love the third one; keep them coming!

Elana Johnson said...

Oooh, fabulous quotes. I happen to enjoy quotes a lot. :)

Lydia Kang said...

I love that last one--"visible nowhere." So true!

Anita said...

I love the God one. I read a lot of friends' stories and can hear them in the book...not just their writer voices (which of course you must hear), but snippets of themselves they throw in, which really don't work with the story. I was guilty of that a lot more in my earlier work, but am hoping I'm over it.

Unknown said...

I'm loving these quotes!

Missed Periods said...

The Colette quote is very encouraging for some strange reason.