Writing Quotes

Top Ten Tuesday: Writing Quotes

February 24, 2026 By Long and Short Reviews 38 Comments

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Here are ten quotes about writing that make me smile.

1. “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”
― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time

2. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

3. “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”
― Robert Frost

4. “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
― Anton Chekhov

5. “Fiction is the truth inside the lie.”
― Stephen King

6. “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”
― W. Somerset Maugham

7. “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
― Pablo Picasso

8. “Writing is a way of talking without being interrupted.”
― Jules Renard

9. “The hard part about writing a novel is finishing it.”
― Ernest Hemingway

10. “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
― Toni Morrison

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: Blog Hop, Quotes, Top Ten Tuesday, Writing Quotes

1 Star – We currently do not post a review of any story with a 1 star rating. If it’s DNF or a “wall-banger” we decline to review.

2 Stars — Disappointing. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you’d re-read. This is a book you might borrow from the library--never buy--and never check out again. There's a small chance you might recommend it to a friend with a mention of the glitches, knowing that something in the plot or story would still appeal to them regardless.

3 Stars — Okay. You made it through and didn’t consider it a waste of time. The story was strong enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There’s a chance you’ll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn’t go on your keeper shelf, you wouldn't buy it, and you wouldn't re-read it.

4 Stars — Good. You’re glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would very likely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean. You would read more books by this author.

5 Stars — Excellent! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for the author's back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book – For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you’re not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise – and reserved for only a few.