Writers on craft and life.

Change, growing from within and forced from without, is the mainspring of character development.—Rita Mae Brown

Anticipation is the sweet pain to know whatever’s next–a must for every real writer.—Richard Ford

If you happen to be one of the fretful minority who can do creative work, never force an idea; you’ll abort it if you do. Be patient and you’ll give birth to it when the time is ripe. Learn to wait.—Robert A. Heinlein

If you try to discipline your characters, they will become surly and clam up on you, and that will fix you good.—George V. Higgins

I always forget how important the empty days are, how important it may be sometimes not to expect to produce anything, even a few lines in a journal…The most valuable thing we can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of a room, not try to be or do anything whatever.—May Sarton

Each line of dialogue must: one, characterize the person speaking; two, advance the plot; three, be interesting in itself. Perfect dialogue has all three elements. Good dialogue has two.—Betty Smith

Western literature differs from much other American literature in the fact that so much of it happens outdoors.—Wallace Stegner*

*Dana sez, Just because I think Stegner is the most misogynistic writer who ever lived and is almost as overrated as Ernest Hemingway doesn’t meant he didn’t occasionally say a smart thing. Now and then. Accidentally.

Chatter Random Friday Betty Smith George V. Higgins May Sarton Richard Ford Rita Mae Brown robert a heinlein Wallace Stegner writing writing craft