- 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
Another great list. Love that last one especially.
ReplyDeleteOn 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 :)
ReplyDelete"Destroy most of it" *giggles* That's all I ever seem to get done anymore. ;-)
ReplyDelete~JD
Really love these quotes!
ReplyDeleteLove these~ the last one really rang true. Present, but invisible~ I like that.
ReplyDeleteLove that last one!
ReplyDeleteThat first one is painful, but true. Love the last one.
ReplyDeleteYou continue to be wise and wonderful! Take care
ReplyDeletex
Keep 'em coming.
ReplyDeleteDamn, that first one's good. I have to remember that one.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I LOVE that first one!
ReplyDeleteThat last one is awesome! Keep 'em coming, Matt. Just stay away from the deus ex machina.
ReplyDeleteI particularly agree with Collette...
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Minneapolis! :-)
Pearl
Vive la France!
ReplyDeleteI expect a German contingent for tomorrow. Auf wiedersehn.
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."
ReplyDeleteAfter letting that process, I was relieved it was a rejection.
I like Godard's version better.
Love these quotes.
ReplyDeleteSo far I'm a writer, but I'm working on the author part.
And no saggy middles!
ReplyDeleteMore great quotes! You're so good at picking them out.
ReplyDeleteI definitely have the ability to trash my own work. Which might be why I have such a hard time finishing everything!
ReplyDeleteerica
On everything-
ReplyDeleteJust awesome.
Thanks for these quotes, Matthew. I need them today.
Shelley
Love the third one; keep them coming!
ReplyDeleteOooh, fabulous quotes. I happen to enjoy quotes a lot. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that last one--"visible nowhere." So true!
ReplyDeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving these quotes!
ReplyDeleteThe Colette quote is very encouraging for some strange reason.
ReplyDelete