creative writing quotes

creative writing quotes

The Power of Creative Writing Quotes

1. Introduction

Since the time of the ancient Egyptians, the written word has proven to be a powerful thing. It has caused wars, ended wars, inspired individuals to bring about change, and led to some of the greatest works of literature and art that the world has ever known. From ancient tablets to modern tattoos, people have always wanted a permanent record; something that says I was here, I lived, and I mattered. Humanities first writing was on the walls of caves in the form of ideographic pictures similar to many of the symbols and illustrations we see in modern advertising and company logos. Fast forward to the first century and we find writing taking the form of scriptio continua and becoming relegated to manuscripts with no break between words; writing was still relatively uncreative. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that widespread education on writing began and writing began to show creativity and flair; substandard phonetic spellings caused by mass printing only a few centuries ago immortalized the differentiation between British and American English. Today writing has gone in many directions, and the power of creative writing is seen in all walks of life. Whether it is a graphic designer creating catchy copy or a novelist developing the next bestseller, creativity has become a force to be reckoned with in the writing world.

2. Inspiring Quotes for Creative Writing

A good inspiring quote about writing can be very powerful. If you are at a time when you feel that you just can’t write, a quote can change your mind. If you are writing something and you feel that it is not very good, a quote can give you a new insight into your work. A quote is like a tip; it can be a word of advice that pushes you in the right direction. So how do quotes work? Well, a quote on its own may not be very powerful. Reading a two-sentence quote and then forgetting it immediately is quite an easy thing to do! The secret is to really understand what the writer is saying, then to think about how you can use that advice, and then to finally remember it. And this whole process is done with just one quote. So quotes can be a powerful tool, and they are also a very convenient way of getting inspired because they are very easy to find. You can find the entire collection of written work of an author and only a handful of things that are useful to you, yet these few things will give you a lot of inspiration!

Let us begin by defining the term quote. A quote can be defined as a sentence or phrase taken out of its context, or even more simply, to repeat someone else’s statement. Many people out there think that to be a good writer, you must be a prolific reader. While this may count for something, it’s not the reading that makes the writer. The most important thing to help you become a good writer is to write yourself. For example, you cannot be a good cricketer unless and until you play cricket! Now there will often be times when you feel like you just can’t write, when the words just won’t come, or when you feel that what you are writing is not up to scratch. These are the times when you’ll need a bit of inspiration to recharge your creative batteries. And one of the best ways to get inspired is to read what some of the great writers have said about the craft of writing.

3. Using Quotes to Spark Creativity

Many writers use quotes to fuel their work. Whether it be an opening line, a closing line, a theme running throughout the piece or just something said by someone somewhere at some point that somehow seems to fit perfectly with what is being written. Quotes can be a powerful tool in helping you to identify and clarify what is it that you are wanting to say. Try using a quote as a stimulus to trigger a piece of freewriting. Let words flow out onto the page and see where it takes you. Set a timer for 5/10 minutes and write continuously, without censure, until the bell sounds. You might choose to write about the quote itself, how it makes you feel or what it means to you. Strand the quote itself in the middle of the page and just react to it in writing, or use it to begin a character sketch, a poem, a short story, diary entry, letter or article. See where your imagination takes you. At the sound of the bell, stop, and read over what you have written. This should give you a better idea of what it is you are wanting to write, or what it is you have to say. Stick to your initial idea, and rework this exercise as many times as you need to provide material for different written pieces. Whether it be fiction or non-fiction, keeping the original quote in mind will provide a strong basis of unity through what is written.

4. Quotes for Overcoming Writer’s Block

“I encourage my students to write in the first person and to write about what [distresses] them. … This does not mean that I want them to produce a psychological document or a therapeutic discourse. Quite the opposite.” Vivian Gornick.

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” Stephen King.

“What I try to do is write. I may write for two weeks ‘the cat sat on the mat, that is that, not a rat.’ And it might be just the most boring and awful stuff. But I try. When I’m writing, I write. And then it’s as if the muse is convinced that I’m serious and says, ‘Okay. Okay. I’ll come.” Maya Angelou.

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” Stephen King.

“A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.” Epictetus.

“When the going gets tough, the tough make books.” Dr. Seuss.

“Everywhere I go, I’m asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them.” Flannery O’Connor.

“There are three rules for writing. Unfortunately, no one can agree what they are.” W. Somerset Maugham.

“I’ve produced my best writing when I’ve had the blues. It’s a good counterpoint.” John Lindsay.

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” Stephen King.

“The first things a writer should do when he gets up in the morning – not customarily, but the first thing every morning – is not to write – Robert Frost.

5. Conclusion

Creative writing is also vivid and clear. This also gives a good understanding of what is being conveyed. Any quote can be picked and discussed at length. It is flexible. It goes beyond age, race, and religion to humanity and deals with human nature. The concentration of the quote can be easily understood. The heading under which the quote is used will usually show the context in which these lines were said by the character concerned. Thus, no explanation is needed. Last but not least, they are entertaining. Though there is no action or any sort of drama, they are still entertaining because of the emotions and simplicity. The Animal Farm novel has been given as a satire on contemporary society at the time of writing and has been used sarcastically. Thus, this is the real power of creative writing.

When we started reading this book, the initial thought was, “What is so special about the quotes?” Quotes, as we understand, are simple sentences with a moral, but not as powerful as a story in a book. But as we went through the book, we found the answer to the above question. The quotes used in the book are simple sentences with morals. Many of them are the continuity of the heading, but indeed, they are as powerful as the story of any other book. The quotes generate strong emotions and make the reader feel as if they were one of the characters in the story. They touch the softest part of the reader. Let us take an example: A sniper is a combatant, a man of action for sure, but when he wants to know what kind of man he was in his life before joining the war, he was a normal person. This normal person, the reader comprehends, is himself. Now, when the reader puts himself in the shoes of a sniper, thus simulating the situation, he will definitely feel ashamed of being a sniper. This is the power of creative writing. This small sentence has made the reader simulate the situation of being a sniper and put him into a shameful state.