Elie Wiesel Quotes

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 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 knew what I didn't want, and I knew whatever it was going to be it had to be believable and it had to come from me and I had to drive it. The way I write is very honest and when I think of the music that I listened to growing up, I loved it because I believed it.

You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, 'This is me, this is what I stand for, this is what you get when you read me. I'm doing the best I can - buy me or not - but this is who I am as a writer.

I've always been the audience that I wanted to reach, so I write for myself.

Write the poem only you can write.

Be yourself. An original is always worth more than a copy.

Readers would email me and say, 'Please write a novel about so-and-so,' but it has to come from yourself and not so much from your readership.

To the extent that independent means you're willing to attempt to put your own ideas, personality, and commitment to the material on screen, then of course I hope I'm independent until the day I die.

And I think I have a distinct voice.

Be careful that you do not write or paint anything that is not your own, that you don't know in your own soul.

My concepts are never bright ideas; they're never notions I think will sell or be trendy or attract new fans. I don't think that way. All I can do is sing from my life.

I certainly want people to like my writing, but I know that if I write with the intention of trying to please people, the writing will not be good because it will not be authentic. So, ironically, I have to be willing to write something strange or unlovable in order to write anything truly good.

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

I do not feel any artist can produce great art without putting great personality into it. It is always a piece of you that goes on the screen or the canvass.

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.

It's great to get to make something in your own voice.

The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.

Songwriting is such an intricate part of me as an artist and as a person; I couldn't just let someone else do it.

I do like the idea of being an auteur in the sense of writing and being in your own stuff.

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

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.

Really take the time to focus on finding your voice and making sure that whatever you're creating is of high quality and is useful for people in their everyday lives.

Don't try to guess what it is people want and give it to them. Don't ask for a show of hands. Try your best to write what you like, what you think your friends would like and what you think your father would like and then cross your fingers... The most valuable thing you have is your own voice.

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