6 Writing Tips from Famous Writers!

Ever wondered what some of fiction's greatest minds have to say on writing craft? They're successful for a reason, so here are some of my favourite quotes from famous writers! As an interesting running theme, a lot of these famous writing tips contradict common writing advice, so if there's anyone who can prove that there's no one way to write a book, it might be one of your favourite writers. What's your favourite famous writing quote?

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
0:35 - William Faulkner
1:57 - Zadie Smith
3:15 - Isabelle Allende
4:07 - Rose Tremain
5:34 - Anton Chekhov
6:18 - Toni Morrison

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[coolcitygames]

"Write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly and tell it as best you can. I'm not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter."
— Neil Gaiman

[wangtoriojackson]

My favorite quote about writing, but not from a writer, from a filmmaker:

“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to."

[MovieMaker Magazine #53 - Winter, January 22, 2004 ]”

― Jim Jarmusch

[terrypatterson]

My famous quote comes from Ernest Hemmingway " Writing is simple, you just sit and bleed.'

[lauraroberts]

'Write the book you want to read'. Yes! That's exactly why I started writing. And I totally agree with you about discovering the story as you go. When the characters take on their own life and do things you didn't expect, that's amazing but absolutely right. Thanks for these videos. They're very helpful.

[cjpreach]

"Write the best you can, and finish what you start." Ernest Hemingway

[justin.]

"Write what something is as opposed to what it is not....The best writing is positive even when discussing negative things."
-Ernest Hemingway

[Maidaseu]

With the "Write without knowing the end" depends on if you're a architect or gardener. I need to know the ending as the climax motivates me to write. I also need to know the end to be able to foreshadow effectively.

[sumayyahkhan]

Btw famous quote "it's none of their buisness that you have to learn to write, let them think you were born that way" - ernest Hemingway

[clintcarpentier]

"Write what you know." I never did like this one. I prefer another phrase, can't remember who said it but it makes far more sense, "Write what you wanna know."

[sumayyahkhan]

Hey! I'm 12, I finished my first ever short story. Iv been with reedsy since 9 years old. You guys have been a MASSIVE help. I cant thank you enough
Hah I remember when you had long hair😂

[lucyrihova]

" And by the way, everything in the life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt."
Sylvia Plath

[lizziebordenaudio]

Isabelle Allende as well as your own advice was perfect.

[caitlinjohnson]

"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you." -Ray Bradbury

[ElusiveTsr]

I love when a poem wants to be a short story, and a short story wants to be more. I assume an end can be reached, but I really really love finding it. A story without an end will feed every tangent.

[rachelthompson]

Write what you know is how you break into freelance nonfiction, or write a nonfiction book. But writing what you want to know allows you to share the excitement of discovery

[TomorrowWeLive]

I really relate to what you said about not wanting to write what you know because it's not interesting to you. I think it's the same reason why I don't outline--if you already know how it goes, the joy of discovery is gone. However, I can see why people write what they know because it's so easy to create a realistic and compelling if you're drawing on your own experience. Of course, if you don't, it means you have to do a *lot* of research--which is time you're not writing! And no amount of research is going to really tell you what it's like to live in a certain time, country, culture or even city, versus someone who has actually lived there. And one of my biggest fears is that someone who *has* personally experienced what I'm writing about will read it and find it doesn't ring true, or that I've got something glaringly wrong. So it's a bit of a dilemma for me. I guess that's why I lean so much toward specfic--but then you've got the issue of worldbuilding, which is a whole other timesink...

[silencedogood.]

"A novel is a work of poetry. To write it, one must have tranquility of spirit and of impression. --Fyodor Dostoevsky

[BookFurnace]

I love that in his little quote Chekhov shows how to "show not tell" as opposed to telling how to "show not tell". Recursion, hehe. The man practiced what he preached :)

[PeacefullSky]

I liked the quote about not knowing how your book will end. Sometimes I surprise myself when writing. The characters say and do things that I didn’t intend initially. You can’t fully plan for that.

[happydayssunny]

One of the best channels out here ! Great upload ⭐