Probably, indeed, the larger part of the labor of an author composing his work is critical labor; the labor of sifting, combining, constructing, expunging, correcting, testing. This frightful toil is as much critical as creative. ~T.S. Eliot
The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is made of you can make of it whatever you wish. ~Terence McKenna
Tell the readers a story! Because without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences. ~Anne McCaffrey
The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. ~Robert Cormier
If you don't feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then probably what you are doing isn't very vital. If you don't feel like you are writing somewhat over your head, why do it? If you don't have some doubt of your authority to tell this story, then you are not trying to tell enough. ~ John Irving
Sometimes making stuff up feels a lot like Coyote* running across the empty space between one rocky pinnacle and the next, and as long as you keep moving you're fine. When you stop and look down, it's suddenly all too apparent that there's absolutely nothing underneath and that you're keeping in the air by a peculiar effort of will.
And then a good day comes, and you start running through the air once again, and, if you're smart, you resolutely don't look down. ~Neil Gaiman
Really? Cause I didn't see that coming as a by product of spawnage. What else are you hiding? Are you planning to mess with my plot? I know you are. Don't lie to me. I need to know what's going on. So fess up. What are you up to next?
I had one do that to me a few weeks ago. I haven't even introduced him in the book yet, except mentioned in passing. Now I find out he's a supporting character? The others will not like this turn of the plot! (A couple books down, they may get with the program. But not yet.)
Oh, how big you've gotten over the last few months! It seems like just yesterday that you were a glimmer in the back of my mind. Amazing, really, how you came forth into this world, screaming and crying and gasping for air. When I first beheld you, I realized you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, and to think that I created you! I cradled you, I babied you, I brought you up and kept you as close to my heart as anything.
And now... well, now you're a spoiled little brat, aren't you? You're always crying for attention. You're the neediest little thing I've ever seen. Every five minutes, something else has to be done. You're always running away from me, and someday, I'm afraid you're going to be so much as roadkill if I can't figure out a way to keep you on a leash. And, oh God, the pissing and the shitting. You are the messiest. Every other second it seems like I'm having to clean you up or change you. And heaven help me, when you get big enough for me to send you out into the world, that day will hold for me a joyous sigh of relief, because I'll finally be rid of your putrescent little needy carcass, and I can move on to fathering my next bastard love child.
Much love, Big Daddy Cam
Hm... I guess that letter explains why I'll never really be that great of a father.