I love quotes. I collect them and then use them appropriately in my writing. So I really resonated with the Writer's Digest article in 2012, when journalist Zachary Petit shared his list of favorite quotes. He called it a good resource to use at times when the writing work doesn't automatically come. I'll share a portion of Petit's list here, and perhaps update it again from time to time. I always keep this URL handy for times of need. Please send me your favorite writing quotes too - especially from new writers who have come into our lives since this list was compiled. I'll put them up here too. “The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.” —Philip Roth “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” —Stephen King “To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard.” —Allen Ginsberg, WD “Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good … [Read more...]
Ruby Sparks, a writer’s film
Zoe Kazan's script for the new film Ruby Sparks touches on subjects I as a writer think a lot about writer's block and the power of artistic creation. Although I haven't had a real bout of writer's block, I wonder when and if it will hit. And now that I'm writing my first novel, I marvel at how my characters seem to take over the page that my fingers are just vehicles for the words that come out of their mouths. Kazan's take is different. Her main character in the film, a once very successful writer, ends his writer's block by creating a character that comes to him in his dream. He falls in love with her and then wakes up one morning and finds her real, in his house, making breakfast for him. I won't spoil what's to come, but I highly recommend my writer friends especially see this film. Kazan also plays the main character, Ruby, along side, Paul Dano's portrayal of the writer, Calvin. Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, and Elliott Gould are also memorable. Here's the … [Read more...]
