Helpful writing quotes: An A to Z of authors' advice

This week we’ve put together an A to Z of our favorite authors’ helpful writing quotes, categorised by subject from ‘anti-hero’ to ‘YA’. Use the links below to jump to your favorite section. Share on social media and let us know in the comments section which are your favorites:

Jump to Section: A;   B;   C;   D;   E;   F;   G;   H;   L;   M;   N;   O;   P;   Q;   R;   S;   T;   W;   Y

A

Allegory

Allegory is ‘a story… with a second distinct meaning partially hidden behind its literal or visible meaning’ (Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary terms, 7). For example, each character in a story can be a symbol representing an idea. An example of this would be the lion in C.S. Lewis who is resurrected in C.S. Lewis’ Christian, creationist allegory. Writing allegory is complex because you have to manage multiple layers of meaning in your story and make sure that each is coherent. Here are some authors’ views on allegory:

‘Into an allegory a man can put only what he already knows; in a myth he puts what he does not yet know and could not come by in any other way.’ - C.S. Lewis (Lewis in Schakel, 36)

'I dislike Allegory - the conscious and intentional allegory - yet any attempt to explain the purport of myth or fairytale must use allegorical language.' - J. R. R. Tolkien (Tolkien, 145)

Antagonist

The Oxford English Dictionary defines an antagonist broadly as ‘A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something’ (OED). In fiction, the antagonist is the character who opposes or brings conflict to a main character or protagonist. In genres such as fantasy, the antagonist is often the villain opposing the heroic main character, but many novels (especially 'literary' ones) make the distinction between the ‘good guys’ and the villains less straightforward.

Kafka on  the nature of antagonists:

‘From the true antagonist, illimitable courage is transmitted to you.' Franz Kafka (Kafka trans. Max Brod, 23)

Anti-heroes

The anti-hero, not to be confused with the villain or antagonist, is ‘A central character...who lacks the nobility and magnanimity expected of traditional heroes and heroines’ (Baldick, 17). They are often characters whose ethical scruples (or lack thereof) make us uncomfortable.

Some writers’ thoughts on anti-heroes:

‘I’ve made a career writing about fictitious anti-heroes. To create these worlds, I’ve spent a lot of time with active members on both sides of the law. And if I had to pick the most interesting of the two, the choice is obvious...It’s not so much about justifying bad behavior, but to hear it from the inside out instead of from a distant law enforcement social judgement call.’ Kurt Sutter (Sutter, Entertainment Weekly)

‘An antihero is not simply a rebel who cannot follow the rules. The reasons for why he acts as he does, along with his self-concept, are important to the story.’ Jessica Page Morrell (Morrell, Bullies, Bastards and Bitches)

‘Writing a story that had an antihero for a protagonist could be refreshingly different. It could be surprising and interesting, and both those things are the opposite of boring.’ Karen Woodward (Woodward, '3 ways to create a hero your readers identify with')

B

Bad writing

Authors are perhaps most vocal when it comes to bad writing - whether it’s cracking wise about the shortcomings of other writers' work or simply detailing what they dislike in writing. Here are some of the more useful insights on bad writing from published authors:

‘Bad writing is more than a matter of shit syntax and faulty observation; bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do― to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help old ladies cross the street.’ Stephen King (King, On Writing)

‘You start realizing that good prose is crunchy. There's texture in your mouth as you say it. You realize bad writing, bland writing, has no texture, no taste, no corners in your mouth. I'm a great believer in reading aloud.’ Janet Fitch (Fitch, Los Angeles Times) 

‘Reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite. If it still doesn’t work, throw it away. It’s a nice feeling, and you don’t want to be cluttered with the corpses of poems and stories which have everything in them except the life they need.’ Helen Dunmore (Dunmore, 78)

Beginnings

The beginning of a story needs to tantalize readers and give them a strong sense of character and setting. Here are some writers’ views on story openings:

‘Every thing must have a beginning … and that beginning must be linked to something that went before.’ Mary Shelley (Shelley, Introduction to Frakenstein)

'I begin a book with imagery, more than I do with an idea or a character. Some kind of poetic image.’ Rachel Kushner (Kushner, 'Insurrection: An Interview with Rachel Kushner', The Paris Review)

‘The last thing we discover in writing a book is to know what to put at the beginning.’ Blaise Pascal (Pascal,  263)

Biography

You might mostly associate the word biography - the writing of a person’s life - with non-fiction. Yet besides describing characters’ lives (and often their histories of personal development), many novels have also been published as though they were non-fiction biography.

The most obvious example from recent years is James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces, which he passed off as factual before being found out. When Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Ayre was first published in 1847, it was printed with the subtitle ‘An autobiography’. Here are some writers’ thoughts on writing biography:

‘Biographies are but the clothes and buttons of a man. The biography of the man himself cannot be written.’ Mark Twain (Twain, 221)

‘Whereas fiction is a continual discovery of what one wants to say, what one feels, what one means, and is, in that sense, a performance art, biography requires different skills - research and organization.' Edmund White (White, The Review of Contemporary Fiction)

‘A typical biography relying upon individuals' notorious memories and the anecdotes they've invented contains a high degree of fiction, yet is considered 'nonfiction.’ Joyce Carol Oates (Oates in Paul, 65)

C

Catharsis

From the Greek word kathairein meaning to ‘cleanse’, catharsis is the term for the way a dramatic or tragic story can ‘purge’ emotions, leaving the reader feel better despite heaviness of subject matter. A novel that produces this effect is referred to as ‘cathartic’. Some writers’ views on writing cathartic fiction:

‘It is through fantasy that children achieve catharsis. It is the best means they have for taming Wild Things.’ Maurice Sendak (Sendak in Silvey, 403)

‘The thing should have plot and character, beginning, middle and end. Arouse pity and then have a catharsis. Those were the best principles I was ever taught.’ Anne Rice (Rice in Munier, 147)

Characters

Writing believable, rich characters is one of the surest ways to hook readers’ attention and keep them enthralled as you spin your story. Here are some choice quotes on writing characters and how to create characters that make your fictional world vivid:

‘Be sure not to discuss your hero's state of mind. Make it clear from his actions.’ Anton Chekhov (Chekhov in Gioia and Gwynn, 151)

‘The writer's characters must stand before us with a wonderful clarity, such continuous clarity that nothing they do strikes us as improbable behavior for just that character, even when the character's action is, as sometimes happens, something that came as a surprise to the writer himself.’ John Gardner (Gardner, The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers)

‘The fact is that the characters are obliged to act according to the laws of the world in which they live. In other words, the narrator is the prisoner of his own premises.’ Umberto Eco (Eco, trans. Weaver, 553)

'‘The thing that makes vivid writing is when the reader is in the body of the story, the body of the character. Things smell like something; there's weather, there's texture, there's light.’ Janet Fitch (Fitch, LA Times)

Comedy

Some writers are particularly skilled at making us laugh - the zany characters of Charles Dickens or the sly, witty essays of David Sedaris are two examples. Comedy has been described as a form of writing designed ‘chiefly to amuse its audience, by appealing to a sense of superiority over the characters’ (CODLT). Do you agree with this definition? Some writers' thoughts on the nature of comedy:

‘Comedy is tragedy that happens to other people.’ Angela Carter (Carter in Ratcliffe, 90)

‘When humor can be made to alternate with melancholy, one has a success, but when the same things are funny and melancholic at the same time, it's just wonderful.’ Francois Truffaut (Truffaut in Andrews)

‘Concise use of language is a joke writers’ secret power. “Someone came to my door last night and indicated I should answer it”, is far less efficient than “Knock, Knock”.’ Susan Calman (Calman, The Independent)

Clichés

A cliché is ‘a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought’ (OED). Using clichés is widely seen as one of the cardinal sins of writing. Character gestures such as wringing hands to show distress or clichéd metaphors and similes indicate to readers that a writer is amateurish. Here are some thoughts on clichés and how not to write them:

‘We read so that we can be moved by a new way of looking at things. A cliche is like a coin that has been handled too much. Once language has been overly handled, it no longer leaves a clear imprint.’ Janet Fitch (Fitch in Melander, 208)

‘The reason that clichés become clichés is that they are hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox of communication.’ Terry Pratchett (Pratchett in Cresswell, The Cat’s Pyjamas: The Penguin Book of Clichés)

Creative writing courses 

Many successful writers have taught and continue to teach college courses in writing, but not all writers have been in favour of learning to write at a university:

‘You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you do—and they don’t. They have prejudices. They may like Henry James, but what if you don’t want to write like Henry James?’ Ray Bradbury (Ray Bradbury and Sam Weller, Listen to the Echoes: The Ray Bradbury Interviews)

Crime writing

Crime writing requires mystery and suspense. Executed well, it will keep readers gripped and returning book after book for your series.Writers thoughts on crime stories:

‘Crime fiction is an objective, realistic genre because it’s about the real world, real bodies really being killed by somebody. And this involves the investigator in trying to understand the society that the person lived in.’ Michael Dibdin (Dibdin, The Telegraph)

‘The crime novel should have a compelling and credible plot, characters who are more than stereotypes, good writing and the creative integration of setting, narrative, characterisation and theme. To put it simply, a good detective story should be a good novel.’ PD James (James in Sanderson, The Telegraph)

Crisis

The crisis in a story is the decisive plot point or event that demands that there will be a resolution or decisive outcome. Putting crises in your novel creates dramatic tension and can help build restless, page-turning suspense. Some well-known writers’ perspectives:

‘Life always waits for some crisis to occur before revealing itself at its most brilliant’ Paulo Coelho (Coelho, trans. Costa, 50)

‘The greater the crisis, it seems, the swifter the evolution.’ Elizabeth Gilbert (Gilbert, 447)

Criticism

It’s not unusual to feel each critique of your work as though it is a personal attack. Here are some writers' thoughts on the value of critique:

‘To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.’ Aristotle (Aristotle in Katz, 299)

‘Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.’ Neil Gaiman (Gaiman, ‘Neil Gaiman’s Advice for Writers’)

‘A creative life cannot be sustained by approval any more than it can be destroyed by criticism.’ Will Self (Self, ‘Falling Short: Seven Writers Reflect on Failure’)