Melvin Maddocks Quotes

What I aspire to do, and what I try the hardest to do, is write stuff that's very personal in its way. I figure I can only say things the way I say them, so I'm trying to do something that is kind of anti-generic.

When I teach writing, I have a mantra: 'Be a first-rate version of yourself, and not a second-rate version of another writer.'

I can only say that I myself wrote always as I wished, without a tremendous desire to find the latest thing possible.

I would like to be able to write in my own voice.

I feel like the point of being an artist is to have your own voice: to do it the way you would do it and not the way anyone else would do it. If you're a strong enough writer, then that voice is going to come out all the time, and I can't stop it from coming out, no matter what I do.

He has found his style, when he cannot do otherwise.

I don't rap like nobody, I don't try to sound like nobody.

Sometimes, there's a preconceived notion of how a scene or how a work should be delivered. And I see young performers sometimes try and deliver that, and it's not really true to their voice or who they are.

And I think I have a distinct voice.

Don't try to write what other people are writing - write what is true to you.

I learned early in my writing career that if I try to tailor a song for someone else, I'm usually off base. They're usually looking for something from you with your character.

I can only be me. I have a hard time being a chameleon as a singer.

There are so many funny people and so many talented people, but the one thing nobody else has is my take on the world. So, when I'm developing my show, that's going to be the focus.

So it's not so much that I set out to do something different, it's just that the songs themselves require their own individual voice and attention.

Bernard Shaw said that when you copy yourself, you know you've got style. And I feel that if you can write like you write, then you are true to yourself. And it's not an easy thing to do - it's a disgustingly difficult thing to do.

Listening to others does not mean you should sound like them; find your own voice by telling stories as authentically as possible.

All the power to them but I'm not interested in making yet another show that looks like some other show.

Don't imitate. Write what you know about, that has to be your goal.

If you don't have a unique voice, then you're not really a writer.

I thought I was clever enough to write as well as these people and I didn't realize that there is something called originality and your own voice.

When you make stuff from the 'you' point of view, you really can't go wrong.

I think you can't help but write in your own voice.

Probably the No. 1 most important thing in my music is not to sound like anyone else. It is hard in this day and age.

All my life, I wanted to sound like myself. I never wanted to sound like anybody else.

You can't say I don't sound like a N.Y. rapper - it's because I don't wanna sound like nobody else.