We’re supposed to take it easy this weekend, right? So instead of writing something, I decided to steal–I mean share–some of my favorite recent quotes on writing. You can find many more on the Poets and Writers blog, poetsandwriters.tumblr.com
Enjoy, and happy chilling!
From Sarah Manguso’s “Advice to Young Writers”:
Once you’ve truly begun, slow down. The difference between publishing two good books and forty mediocre books is terribly large. Don’t expend energy in writing and publishing that would be better used in your family or community. Become tempered by life. Make compromises for love. ..
From Joy Castro’s “Getting Lost”:
Writing povides a way to make sense, in language, of the puzzling, wild, beautiful moments our life keeps delivering to us. Here, whispers life, figure this one out.”
From Zadie Smith, whose new novel “NW” is just out:
It’s such a confidence trick, writing a novel. The main person you have to trick into confidence is yourself. This is hard to do alone. I gather sentences around me, quotations, the literary equivalent of a cheerleading squad.
Give me a W! Give me an R! Give me…oh never mind. Go back to that lovely hammock and take a nice nap.