For Writers
Favorite Quotes on Writing and Craft
“When it comes to first drafts, as Voltaire said, ‘the perfect is the enemy of the good.’ ”
—Peter Selgin
By Cunning and Craft
“The best sources for significant story problems reside within yourself in the form of your personal demons. The very best writers are those who are courageous enough to go deep inside themselves to face and expose the warts and hidden desires and forbidden feelings most of us want to hide from or deny, at least to others.”
—Les Edgerton
Hooked
“The best crime novels aren’t about how a detective works the case; they’re about how a case works on a detective.”
—Michael Connelly
“The central theme of a story is often crystallized by a moral choice the hero must make, typically near the end of the story. Theme is your view of the proper way to act in the world. It is your moral vision, and it is one of the main reasons you are writing your story.”
—John Truby
The Anatomy of Story
“Never forget that the best tools you have as a writer are yourself, your memories, your values, your POV or life perspective, your doubts, fears, and obsessions. Especially your doubts, fears, and obsessions!”
—Catherine Ann Jones
The Way of Story
“Great stories are created by powerful and mysterious inner processes. They are designed to guide us to our full potential and are as necessary to our well-being as fresh air. Understanding great stories means understanding these inner processes. And understanding these inner processes can lead to a profound understanding of our selves and the world.”
—James Bonnet
Stealing Fire From The Gods