Need some inspiration for a new year of writing?
Last year and the year before, I put together some of the best quotes from the author features here on Writing and Wellness, and highlighted them in a single post. Those posts were among the most popular here on the site, so I’ve decided to make it a yearly tradition.
You can past quote pages here:
I think it’s so cool that these authors, though they may not be famous, have such inspirational, poignant, and meaningful things to say. We often think that quotes must come from the celebrities in our culture, but it’s amazing how much we can learn from writers who are simply putting in the time every day, and are devoted to their craft, no matter what.
This year, many authors talked about the difficulty of making a living as a writer, and offered suggestions for how to deal with that. Others addressed common struggles in the writer’s life, including self-doubt, rejection, and the challenge of finding readers in a tough market.
Underneath it all is the love an author feels for the work.
If any of the quotes grab you and you want to read more, simply click on the author’s name and you’ll be taken to his or her full feature.
Here you go—great quotes from 2017. Thank you to all the authors who contributed!
“We are not in a time where you can only be an author. I’m an author, a cover consultant, an accountant, a marketer, a social media guru, a photographer, videographer, formatter, book blurb writer…I am everything I don’t pay someone else to be. You have to be ready to commit your whole self to this or you will not succeed.”
~Stormy Smith
“The hardest part is actually doing your art day after day, no matter what. You won’t get there by being a Sunday writer or talking about how you want to write. You won’t get there by letting life’s distractions get in your way….Wanting to be an artist isn’t being one…Scribble away, make stuff up, fill the page and then the next and the next. You can do it.”
~Ginny Fite
“When you first start, almost no one even notices if you’ve published a book. Two books in, it’s the same. Around the 4th book, you start to build a little momentum. It’s work, but if it’s what you love, it’s completely worth it, every moment.”
~Caroline Slee
“Tune into your heart, your own center, and pour it into the world. We are each unique, like the proverbial snow flake. No one can substitute for anyone else. Not possible. Not in the design. Tune into yourself, trust your instincts, refine your intuition, get into your own power, and be that. Live that. Write about that.”
~Ulrike Selleck
“You will face rejection and you will fear that it’s never going to happen but you have to keep trying. Tenacity is your best friend and she eats quitters for breakfast.”
~Annie Lyons
“Don’t listen to the naysayers, critics, or the voices in your head of self-doubt. Take risks, and don’t box yourself into one style. Keep writing, reading, listening, watching…and you’ll keep getting better. Write because you love it, and can’t breathe without it.”
~Jacqueline Cioffa
“For some, the act of creation is enough no matter how large the audience. But in order to reach a larger audience with one’s work, it’s necessary to become a good business person. Like it or not.”
~Jeri Walker
“The hardest part about being a writer is discipline.”
~Michelle Cox
“If anybody told me they wanted to be a writer, I would tell them it is probably one of the most difficult things you will ever do. But, if I can do it, anybody can.”
~D. J. Steele
“Writing is a tough gig, but so rewarding when you write those final two words ‘The End.’ It’s a badge of honor, and feels wonderful and uplifting, like you’ve reached the pinnacle of super hero status.”
~Sharon Ledwith
“We all have things locked away inside us and writing, art—any creative pursuit—are all ways of digging into our subconscious and becoming who we were truly meant to be. Everyone is creative in their own way and tapping into that creativity is, I believe, the best way to experience joy.”
~Pamela Cook
“Don’t wait for a tragedy to wake you up to the importance of becoming a writer.”
~Maryanne Pope
“You need to have people around you who understand what it is that you’re trying to do because as much as your friends and family care, unless they’re writers, they won’t get it. You need people to bounce ideas off, to discuss problems, and to give support to as much as you receive it. You’ll learn so much from the people you have around you—so choose well.”
~Icy Sedgwick
“Don’t accept anyone’s criticism as truth or use it as an excuse to give up on your dream. You will never please everyone. Not everyone will love your work. No matter how accomplished a writer or artist you may become, there will always be people who find fault with what you create. Remember that your creative soul answers only to you and no one else.”
~Marin Thomas
“Few joys could possibly compare to opening a book and seeing your words on the printed page.”
~Melissa Rea
“If you are going to be a writer, most people won’t truly understand what drives you to do it. You have to be okay with yourself even when other people think you are simply pursuing a hobby….You can’t wait for affirmations and kudos from other people, because other people won’t get it. You just have to write anyway.”
~Tina Ann Forkner
“I’ve asked myself many times why I’ve continued putting the time into something that rarely pays off financially. Writing stories and letting the characters out of my head and heart is emotionally fulfilling. Seeing a story develop that I didn’t even know was there is rewarding.”
~Jill Hannah Anderson
“The most important part of this journey is learning from it and not fearing the ride.”
~Olivia Wildenstein
“Creations of any kind touch our souls in ways nothing else can. You only have to look at the glorious world we live in to know that. You were born with an innate need to create. If you’re lucky, you may make a little money while you’re at it. But if you don’t, you will have enriched lives and inspired others nonetheless. And that, by itself, will make it worth the effort.”
~Karen Tuft
“[T]he hardest part for any artist is recognizing the worth of his or her own creativity….I’d tell them to create what makes them happy, let others decide the value. In the meantime, have some income so that you aren’t forced to sell out to a world demanding cookie cutter designs in literature, visual art, or music. Be authentic. Be you.”
~Renee Carter Johnson
“I don’t ever want to discourage anyone who really wants to write, but the truth is, there are a lot easier ways to make money. So if you don’t really care about the writing itself, I’d probably find something else to do.”
~J. C. Andrijeski
“The great thing about writing is that you create a make-believe world, a place where you can forget your problems and relax.”
~Ilene Birkwood
“Believe in yourself despite the negativity and the rejection. Believe you have something great to share and share it with the world. Surround yourself with people you trust to not only tell you the things you want to hear, but more importantly, to tell you the honest, hard truth and hold you accountable.”
~Cari Lynn Webb
“I mean, to become a writer, you have to be more than a little on the crazy side of persistent.”
~Jennifer Froelich
“In the worlds I create, I get to pull the strings.”
~Jadie Jones
“[M]ake sure you have something inside that urges you to do it, that will keep you going when the rest of you wants to give up, and stick to your dream. Nothing worth doing is easy. No matter how talented or successful you are, there will be setbacks and pitfalls and days where everything is just too hard. But if you truly want this, keep at it. There is nothing better than knowing you followed your heart and created something.”
~Jennifer Wilck
“But then I realized something—the only way to become a better writer was to keep writing, and the only way I would fail would be to quit. I decided to keep going. Keep writing. Keep getting better.”
~Chris Patchell
“Think beyond books. Think bigger. Because when I did, I found out that the mechanics behind publishing a book are almost identical to bringing any other product to market.”
~Benjamin Sobieck
“It’s a lot easier to write a book if you aren’t worrying about how you’re going to market it or who is going to read it. Please yourself first—worry about pleasing others later.”
~Megan Cutler
