Brenda Ueland Quotes

I write too much to ever keep everything just for myself.

Writing is an act of generosity toward other people.

The hallmark of an artist is generosity.

Words, yes, formulating things, creating something from your heart, it is something very necessary, yes.

There's a love that I want to continue to offer people. And, I hope I can offer people that love through the art.

A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it, A song's not a song 'til you sing it, Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay, Love isn't love 'til you give it away!

To help, to continually help and share, that is the sum of all knowledge; that is the meaning of art.

I loved words. I love to sing them and speak them and even now, I must admit, I have fallen into the joy of writing them.

Fashion is life-enhancing, and I think it's a lovely, generous thing to do for other people.

Any time you make the transfer of 'I've created something, and I'm giving it to you, and I hope it makes you happy,' that's good.

I can create for others.

The crucial thing in any work of any kind is that it must be a gift - the reader must possess it even more than the person who wrote it. It must be given completely.

I never wanted credit for being a wonderful person or a great human being or looking peculiar. I just wanted credit for the music.

The literary world is filled with good and generous people. But then that's what writing is all about - empathy.

Writing is the starting point from which all goodness (and crappiness) flows.

Give because you love to give - as the flower pours forth its perfume.

In the act of giving lies the expression of my aliveness.

Why write stories? To join the conversation.

There is no greater enjoyment than that of sharing something. Have you given something to somebody? That's why people enjoy giving gifts so much. It is a sheer delight. When you give something to somebody - maybe valueless, may not be of much value - but just the way, just the gesture that you give, satisfies tremendously. Just think of a person whose whole life is a gift! whose every moment is a sharing - he lives in heaven. There is no other heaven than that.

Give plenty of what is given to you, And listen to pity's call. Don't think the little you give is great, And the much you get is small.

Writing is, after all, a gesture towards other people, giving something to others. And so it's not a completely hermetic exercise. It's really an opening up.

Giving is more joyous than receiving, not because it is a deprivation, but because in the act of giving lies the expression of my aliveness.

Against the charitable gesture there is no defence.

I enjoy writing. I enjoy communicating and connecting.

Advice: It's more fun to give than to receive.