Jason Henderson Quotes

I always send new writers to 'Writer's Digest Books' line-up of how-to books. I read them all when I was starting out, and they were very helpful.

I never think that any writer can teach someone how to write.

Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing, was like being cornered and forced to have a long, drawn out mental enema.

All of the most important lessons about writing I learned from my father. He never set out to teach me anything, it would just be something he said casually in conversation.

It's very hard to tell somebody how to write when they're so good, and they're a brilliant writer and a really good guy.

If I could chat with anyone, it would be Claire Messud, because I think she could tell me how to get better as a writer as I age.

I knew I would read all kinds of books and try to get at what it is that makes good writers good. But I made no promises that I would write books a lot of people would like to read.

I think writing well takes a little bit of talent and an awful lot of work.

Writing tips are like mini skirts. Sometimes they fit perfectly, sometimes they make you cry, and sometimes you can reuse the material and sew yourself a pillow or something.

If you want to be a writer, don't worry so much about writing. Read as much as you can. Read as many different writers as you can. Soak up the styles.

I've always liked new writing.

No one can teach writing, but classes may stimulate the urge to write. If you are born a writer, you will inevitably and helplessly write. A born writer has self-knowledge. Read, read, read. And if you are a fiction writer, don't confine yourself to reading fiction. Every writer is first a wide reader.

I'm a writer who likes to be influenced.

Somebody said writing is easy, you just sit down at your typewriter and open a vein. It depends on the book. Some, I have to do quite a lot of research, which I like. Others are much closer to me.

Doing interesting things and then writing about them is the best way to become a good writer.

Now I'm not an author, I'm a writer, that's all I am.

Struggling writers are often advised to pick a simple genre, but it doesn't work that way.

I think some aspects of writing can be taught. Obviously, you can't teach vision or talent. But you can help with comfort.

'What It Is' was based on this class I've been teaching for 10 years - I wanted to write a book about writing that didn't mention stuff like story structure, protagonists, and all those things that we know about only because they already exist in stories.

Other writers definitely influence my writing. What encourages me and inspires me is when I read a good book. It makes me want to be a better writer.

The single best piece of advice I give to aspiring writers is to always write about things that they know. I suggest that they write about people and places and events and conflicts they are familiar with. That way their writing will be real and hopefully readers will respond to it. I try to take my own advice.

I think a man turns into a writer by editing his own texts.

I never know how to give advice to a writer because there's so much you could say, and it's hard to translate your own experience. But of course, I always try. The main thing that I usually end up saying is to read a lot. To read a great deal and to learn from that.

I write what's given me to write.

Our job, as writers is to do our jobs.