(Originally written by Sam Horn and found here.)In the 20 years I’ve had the pleasure of helping people become published authors; I have never met any who were sorry they wrote their book; they were only sorry they didn’t write it sooner.
I’ve collected 20 inspiring quotes to help you finish that book you’ve been talking about. Post these where you see them throughout the day. Keeping your intentions in sight, in mind can hold you accountable for writing every day . . . even if it’s a single page.
I promise you, when you hold your completed book in your hands and hear from people how it influenced them; it will be one of the most tangibly satisfying achievements of your life. It will be a legacy that outlives you – a contribution no one can take away.
1. “If you wait for inspiration to write; you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.” – Dan Poynter
2. When asked the secret to finishing his 500 page masterpiece The Power of One, author Bryce Courtenay growled, “Bum glue!”
3. “If my doctor told me I had only 6 months to live, I’d type a little faster.” – Isaac Asimov
4. “Inspiration usually comes during work, not before it.” – Madeleine L’Engle
5. “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at 9 am every morning.” – Peter DeVries
6. “I think I did pretty well, considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper.” – Steve Martin
7. “I made a startling discovery. Time spent writing = output of work. Amazing.” – Ann Pachett
8. “Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see to the end of your headlights; but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E. L. Doctorow
9. “Ever tried and failed? No matter. Try again and fail better.” – Samuel Beckett
10. “It’s never too late – in fiction or in life – to revise.” – Nancy Thayer
11. “The way to resume is to resume. It is the only way. To resume.” – Gertrude Stein
12. “Best advice on writing I’ve ever received. Finish.” – Peter Mayle
13. “When I am writing, I am doing the thing I was meant to do.” – Anne Sexton
14. “You can sit there, tense and worried, freezing the creative energies, or you can start writing something. It doesnt matter what. In five or ten minutes, the imagination will heat, the tightness will fade, and a certain spirit and rhythm will take over.” – Leonard Bernstein
15. “I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged. I had pieces that were re-written so many times I suspect it was just a way of avioding sending them out.” – Erica Jong
16. “Once you’ve done the mental work, there comes a point you have to throw yourself into action and put your heart on the line.” – Lakers basketball coach Phil Jackson
17. “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
18. “When you speak, your words echo across the room. When you write, your words echo across the ages.” – Chicken Soup for the Writers Soul author Bud Gardner
19. “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” – Carl Sandburg
20. “I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.” – Pearl S. Buck
Bonus Quotes
21. “If you want to write, you can. Fear stops most people from writing, not lack of talent. Who am I? What right have I to speak? Who will listen to me? You are a human being with a unique story to tell. You have every right.” – Richard Rhodes
22. “A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage.” – Sydney Smith
Make this the year you have the courage of your convictions that you have an intriguing story to tell, a worthwhile message to share.
Take responsibility for getting your ideas out of your head and into the world. I guarantee, you’ll never regret writing your book; you’ll only regret not writing it. . . sooner.
Best wishes and . . . write on.
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