Harlan Ellison Quotes

Cowards, I believe, are people who are afraid to embrace what they want or need in a natural, honest way.

I am very fond of truth, but not at all of martyrdom.

Falsehood is cowardice, the truth courage.

I think that people in general appreciate honesty and not trying to cook something up just to fit a mold that would be beneficial for you. I never made music like that.

I'm always looking for something that's real and that's got meat on it. I think it's artistic suicide if you're too vain, or if you're afraid to play ugly. I would never fall for that.

Do what is right... do it with honesty and vigor. Be creative - that's important. Don't follow what other people are doing.

I don't write anything that I haven't lived. In terms of integrity, you have to write what you live. And if you write beyond what you live, it is theory. And theory is not helpful. It is just not.

I think I'm genuinely sincere, and that's what hopefully makes it work. I take that very seriously when I'm writing.

Whether I'm writing for myself or someone else, I'll always write a song that I would feel comfortable singing.

If I can't be honest with music, forget it.

I want to always be classy and honest, and I always want to have fun with music, and if I can't really express who I am through my music, then it's not really fun anymore.

Any real piece of writing is an act of courage.

You're gutless. It's how you were made. And that's not such a bad thing because your saving grace is that you've never lied to yourself about it. Not about that. Nothing wrong with cowardice as long as it comes with prudence. But when a coward stops remembering who he is... God help him.

Please everyone without becoming a hypocrite or a coward.

I would rather be beaten and be a man than to be elected and be a little puppy dog. I have always supported measures and principles and not men. I have acted fearless[ly] and independent and I never will regret my course. I would rather be politically buried than to be hypocritically immortalized.

You can write anything you want to,--a six-act blank verse, symbolic tragedy or a vulgar short, short story. Just so that you write it with honesty and gusto, and do not try to make somebody believe that you are smarter than you are. What's the use? You can never be smarter than you are.

I admire anybody who has the guts to write anything at all.

Writers cannot let themselves be servants of the official mythology. They have to, whatever the cost, say what truth they have to say.

Write what you’re scared about.

Only the difference between truth and lies, courage and cowardice.

The simple step of a courageous individual is not to take part in the lie. "One word of truth outweighs the world.

It kills your writing if you try to manipulate it with crude politics.

Unethical conduct is actually the conduct of destruction and fear; lies are told because one is afraid of the consequences should one tell the truth; thus, the liar is inevitably a coward, the coward is inevitably a liar.

We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents. It may be safely trusted as proportionate and of good issues, so it be faithfully imparted, but God will not have his work made manifest by cowards.

Ultimately, I think writing is a mixture of craft, inspiration, and being incredibly, courageously explorative with yourself - and being brutally honest, too.