Writing Development Quotes

To this day, 'The Duke and I' remains particularly close to my heart; I felt it was the novel in which my writing took a huge leap forward.

I liked to write from the time I was about 12 or 13. I loved to read. And since I only spoke to my brother, I would write down my thoughts. And I think I wrote some of the worst poetry west of the Rockies. But by the time I was in my 20s, I found myself writing little essays and more poetry - writing at writing.

The books that I wrote in my late teens and 20s, the little love stories, they were right from the heart.

By writing quickly we are not brought to write well, but by writing well we are brought to write quickly.

Nothing improves your writing, I think, as much as your keeping writing.

I started out as a poet who primarily wanted to write about image and moment. Over the years I've been trying to teach myself how to do plot and scene. My first story collection had the most issues with the plotlessness, and when I was writing my second collection I was teaching myself how to make things happen.

I started writing seriously when I was a teenager, around 14 years old.

The first fiction I ever wrote was short stories. I was writing short stories in my late teens and early twenties, and I think it's how you teach yourself to write.

Writing is like a sport. If you don't practice, you don't get any better.

You learn to write by doing it.

I personally feel I still have so much to learn as a writer; each novel is better than the one before, just because I'm getting better at it.

I like to tell kids that I started thinking about stories when I first started reading stuff like Dr. Seuss and 'Go, Dog. Go!,' thinking, 'Oh yeah, that's funny. I'd like to do that.' And then writing throughout school, but at the same time I was studying pre-med stuff, because my mom told me I should be a doctor.

I've written poetry since I was a kid. As the years went on, I got into writing stories and screenplays, but I always, always kept up with poetry as well.

As a rule, one must write a great many words before one learns to write well.

The more you write, the better you will write! So - keep at it!

Writing is like a sport - you only get better if you practice

I've been writing since I was maybe seven.

In the early '70s - a very good time for children's books and their authors - editors and publishers were willing to take a chance on a new writer. They were willing and able to invest their time in nurturing writers with promise, encouraging them.

Read everything you can on writing. Join online forums and critique groups, go to conferences, get feedback, and learn, learn, learn!

My writing has developed drastically . The Return of the Prodigal Son is the most important thing I've done, and my most mature book.

Indeed, learning to write may be part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.

I read 'The Washington Post' every day from a very young age. Reading the newspaper taught me how to organize my thoughts on the page. Meaning, it taught me how to write.

You only learn to be a better writer by actually writing.

The second half of the '60s really was a kind of learning period, in terms of writing, for me.

As a teacher, I can help my students see what is working and not working. I can show them certain solutions. I can guide them to books that will serve as role models. Largely, though, one learns to write almost like developing muscle memory, and this requires years of effort.