Frankisms

“We have to begin somewhere, so we start by thinking small, by limiting our goals and our writing time, by noticing the chorus of critics within us and quieting them. Over time we are more and more able to look like writers. — Jane Anne Staw”

writing

“We must learn about characters by what they do, not by what they say. — Blake Snyder”

writing

“We must see and feel the character bettering his weaker self, rather than simply reading the news of it or have it spring from no logical, discernible source. — Larry Brooks”

writing

“We want our readers to feel as though they’re right there in the scene, experiencing what the characters are experiencing. — Cheryl St.John”

writing

“We want to see characters who make mistakes, who have lapses of judgment, who experience weakness from time to time. — Elizabeth George”

writing

“We want to write, but we fear the hard work, so we keep thinking and talking about it—telling ourselves someday we’ll write that novel. — DiAnn Mills”

writing

“We’re masters at creating reasons and excuses not to write; it’s simply a barrier to the creative process. — Syd Field”

writing

“Weak, superficial motivations lead to weak, superficial conflict, which results in weak, superficial characters. — Cheryl St.John”

writing

“Weigh the passages of narrative against dialogue, and make sure neither overwhelms. — Cheryl St.John”

writing

“What is so wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards the condition of the man who wrote it. — E. M. Forester”

writing

“What makes a story unique is the twist the writer gives the tale and the well-developed, interesting, and sympathetic characters within it. — Cheryl St.John”

writing

“What makes characters tragic is not just the result of what is done to them, but the result of what they fail to do for themselves. — Dara Marks”

writing

“What makes writers masters of their trade is not only their ability to express interesting thoughts, but their mastery of an inventory of basic moves that they probably picked up by reading a wide range of other accomplished writers. — Gerald Graff”

writing

“What people want is a new voice. They want to read words from a trusted new friend. That can be you. — Joe Vitale”

writing

“What separates the winners from the losers: Clarity, originality, and uniqueness of voice. — Mark Tavani, executive director at Ballantine Books”

writing

“What the character is doing is not as important as why he is doing it. What’s happening is not as important as how he reacts to what’s happening. — Cheryl St.John”

writing

“What the inexperienced novelist has not yet learned is how to make all that vivid stuff as vivid to readers as it is in the writer’s mind. — Donald Maass”

writing

“What the reader feels is driven by what the protagonist feels. — Lisa Cron”

writing

“What we need as writers is to be able to play the long game—to keep the ball in the air as long as possible, which means to keep readers turning the page. — Carole Bugge”

writing

“What we take away from our reading of a good novel mainly is the memory of character. — Elizabeth George”

writing

“What you fear, if you turn toward it, will give your writing teeth. — Natalie Goldberg”

writing

“Whatever we do to overcome a writing block, it should involve taking a direction in which we have not headed before. Doing more of the same—avoiding, criticizing, blaming, beating up on ourselves—is certain to lead to failure. — Jane Anne Staw”

writing

“When coming up with the climax to your story, discard every possible solution you can think of for your protagonist to succeed. — Steven James”

writing

“When eyes sparkle or twinkle, when hair is jet black or a man loves his girlfriend more than life itself, we know we are in the hands of a lazy or inexperienced writer who hasn’t taken time to find fresh language. — Laurie Alberts”

writing

“When it becomes an obsession, you will naturally write about it. — Natalie Goldberg”

writing

“When it comes to writing characters for your novel, one of your largest blind spots is most likely your own personality. — Jeff Gerke”

writing

“When people don’t have free access to books, then communities are like radios without batteries. — Anne Lamott”

writing

“When several ideas in a sentence are of equal importance, this equality must be made clear for the reader by a parallel structure. — Theodore A. Rees Cheney”

writing

“When talented people write well, it is generally for this reason: They’re moved by a desire to touch the audience. — Robert McKee”

writing

“When you are creating your characters’ pasts, think about what secrets might be hidden in their backstory, and how you might use them at a key moment to reveal something unexpected. — Carole Bugge”

writing

“When you begin with a disturbance, you're doing the most important thing you can in the beginning of your book. You are starting to bond of the reader with a character. — James Scott Bell”

writing

“When you can articulate your subject in a few sentences, in terms of action and character, you’re ready to begin expanding the elements of structure and story. — Syd Field”

writing

“When you have no historical record to go on, the author’s creative ingenuity should be allowed free reign. — Persia Woolley”

writing

“When you understand what your readers care about, you are in a position of power. — Joe Vitale”

writing

“When you use transition phrases like “in other words” and “to put it another way,” you repeat yourself with a difference, since these phrases help you restate earlier claims but in a different register. — Gerald Graff”

writing

“When you write with emotion, you invite your reader to be part of the story. — DiAnn Mills”

writing

“When your writing hits a pothole, don’t stop to explore the pothole. — Robert J. Ray”

writing

“Whenever you can shorten a sentence, do. And one always can. The best sentence? The shortest. — Gustave Flaubert”

writing

“Whether you’re struggling with a single sentence or polishing a book-length manuscript, let progress be your guide, not perfection your nemesis. — Joel Saltzman”

writing

“With a critique group, you have more diversity in your writing. — Sandra Glahn, editor in chief of Kindred Spirit magazine”

writing