My belief of book writing is much the same as to my belief as to shoemaking. The man who will work the hardest at it, and will work with the most honest purpose, will work the best.

Anthony Trollope

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Trollope

The book is a film that takes place in the mind of a reader.

Paulo Coelho

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Coelho

Good writing is lean and confident.

William Zinsser

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Zinsser

Writing shouldn’t come between the reader and what’s being described. It should be as transparent as possible.

Diana Athill

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Athill

Storytelling, then, is born from our need to order everything outside ourselves. A story is like a magnet dragged through randomness, pulling the chaos of things into some kind of shape and – if we’re very lucky – some kind of sense. Every tale is an attempt to lasso a terrifying reality, tame it and bring it to heel.

John Yorke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Yorke_(producer)

A film is only as good as its villain.

Alfred Hitchcock

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock

The essential characteristic of the really great novelist is a Christ-like, all-embracing compassion.

Arnold Bennett

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Bennett

Writers are the custodians of memory.

William Zinsser

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Zinsser

How To Deal With The Press

She’ll urge you to confide. Resist.
Be careful, courteous, and cool.
Never trust a journalist.

‘We’re off the record,’ she’ll insist.
If you believe her, you’re a fool.
She’ll urge you to confide. Resist.

Should you tell her who you’ve kissed,
You’ll see it all in print, and you’ll
Never trust a journalist

Again. The words are hers to twist,
And yours the risk of ridicule.
She’ll urge you to confide. Resist.

‘But X is nice,’ the publicist
Will tell you. ‘We were friends at school.’
Never trust a journalist

Hostile, friendly, sober, pissed,
Male or female – that’s the rule.
When tempted to confide, resist.
Never trust a journalist.

Wendy Cope

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Cope

Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.

Kurt Vonnegut

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Vonnegut