Need some inspiration for a new year of writing?
It’s become a yearly tradition here on Writing and Wellness to gather some of the most inspirational, thought-provoking, and encouraging quotes from this years’ author features into one grand end-of-the-year post.
If any of the quotes grab you and you want to read more, simply click on the author’s name and you’ll be taken to his or her full feature.
You can view past quote pages at the following links:
- 30 Quotes to Inspire a New Year of Writing
- 30 Quotes to Boost a Writer’s Spirit
- Quotes to Encourage, Motivate, and Reassure Writers
Here you go—great quotes from 2018. Thank you to all the authors who contributed!
“I would say patience and tenacity are key. Many are surprised how long it takes to get a coherent book completed, let alone the glacial pace of publishing and the non-stop need to feed the marketing beast. It won’t always be fun. But when it is, it’s the best.”
~Allison Maruska
“It’s great fun to be an author. I know that my books are out there representing me and people are enjoying them. Every bit of feedback is a pleasure. And even criticism means someone has read your book. Don’t be afraid to try. Failing is just a step to success. I try to ask myself as I’m proposing something new: What if I succeed?”
~Virginia Jensen
“Like so many other writers out there, writing isn’t just something I do. It’s something I am. Nothing in life fulfills me as deeply as sinking into the creative act and letting the power of imagination takeover. The world disappears. I almost disappear. Except I am never as fully present and satisfied as I am what I’m getting lost inside of story. Whether you call that a spiritual practice or something else is not really important. The point is, it matters.”
~Donna Cook
“A certain voice nags inside my head: perhaps I should be doing better things with my time, get out of my house more, get a real job with steady money. But then I return to the realization that writing is not just a pursuit that I do only for myself. It is not inherently selfish. It is sharing how I see the world and human nature. It is developing empathy for others, and sensing what all people have in common across time and circumstances. It is my attempt to find the meaning of seemingly senseless things.”
~Carol Pratt Bradley
“After all the self-analysis, I realize I’m happiest when writing. Time ceases to exist when I’m in the zone.
Worldly worries fall away.”
~Elizabeth Noyes
“At the end of the day though, when people wax poetic about how romantic it must be to write novels, I nod in agreement because it IS wonderful and there’s no other occupation I’d rather pursue. But, like being a mother, it is also extraordinarily taxing on your body and mind. There are days you can’t bear being your own cheerleader or don’t want to be your own taskmaster. Days that no amount of stretching can alleviate the tiredness in your bones. Days you ask yourself why you’re such a glutton for punishment and is it really worth it? Oh, yes. It is. Most definitely!”
~Teresa Neumann
“The one thing that has kept me true to my path as a writer has been determination to overcome my self-doubt. The question I often ask myself comes from a Tim McGraw song, ‘How Bad Do You Want It?’ I can hear his voice singing the words in my head. Sometimes I play the song before a writing session. If I’m going to achieve my writing goals, my tenacity must be greater than my skepticism.”
~Margo Kelly
“With each novel I’ve written, there’s always a moment when I doubt my ability to finish the story, which is when I remind myself that I’ve been down this odiferous creek many times before and so far have always managed to find a paddle. So I plan to keep on paddling, for as long as I have the desire and strength to write.”
~Daryl Anderson
“Now, after writing my book, I feel empowered, brave, courageous, and hopeful. I have started working on two more books and have done a few speeches. The notes, emails, and responses I have heard have touched me to my core. They have proven to me how powerful my voice is and how much of an impact my story can have.”
~Elizabeth Antonucci
“In general, the writing process enabled me to transition from living in my head to experiencing life through my heart.
What a significant change!”
~Rebecca Whitehead Munn
“I’ve always liked puzzles, and I think crafting a story is a lot like working an intricate puzzle. I love it. Not every day, of course. Some days, it seems like I’m plodding through mud, but eventually I get that first draft finished and I get to revise and polish and play with the story until it’s just right. And then I get to share a piece of my heart with the world.”
~Beth Carpenter
“No one writes simply to create a masterpiece. You write because you have to write. The characters and their stories need to be told and that is all that matters.”
~P. J. Reed
“It’s frightening to step out into the publishing world all on your own. All the responsibility is on you. Some days, I feel like I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. Other days, I feel empowered. I call this my biggest triumph because every day I get up and push myself forward. Every day I must find the strength in myself and continue on. Not giving up on my dreams is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”
~Christine Rains
“Writing is hard. If you don’t have a burning desire, don’t do it. But if you are passionate about it, don’t let anything or anyone stop you. Follow your passion. Start today.”
~Iris Yang
“I let go of my need to control people’s responses and learned not to be driven by other opinions. There is no reason to horde our creativity when there is so much of it lacking in the world. Throw it out there into great conversation and see just how much it will contribute. The surprises that come about are so much better than the fear that isolates…. Give something life and then let it go and move on to the next goal.”
~Cindy Helms
“Somehow, in letting go and learning to love each of these characters not despite their flaws but with them, I learned to love those parts of myself, too.”
~Kai Raine
“I think writing is most healing when the writer has a regular process, in which he or she enters the writing place, as if going into a sacred space. The more writing becomes a regular practice—every day, if possible—I think there’s a greater chance of reaping the transformative rewards that writing can give.”
~Patty Somlo
“But, to be frank, the average muggle has no idea how demanding this industry is. Or how hard we work. You have to forgive them. You have to ‘get teflon’ about their ignorance.”
~Jen Storer
“Anyone who releases their creativity into the world needs to be aware, however, that there are those who will try to tear down what is created. It is up to us creatives to not let that discourage us—instead, find those who support and encourage you, and do the same for other creatives. We are in this together, and together we can build each other up.”
~Lori Robinett
“Success is how you define it. I will never be a best seller in the Times, but that’s not my goal. It now is to create something worth reading, so that the one or two people who need to read it will find it.”
~Victoria Randall
“Success for a writer is not determined by whether or not they write a book, or whether or not that book is published. Success is not based on the number of books they sell, the number of readers they have or the number of social media followers they acquire. Despite what we have been conditioned to believe, success is not based on performance! Success is a state of resonance that naturally attracts abundance to us.”
~Heidi DuPree
“It took me so long to admit to myself that writing was my dream and that to give up would feel like failure. Even when it’s hard, what keeps me going is the elusive feeling when the world you are creating starts fizzing with potential, you realize it feels truthful and that you are close to understanding something that has escaped you before. It’s the closest I’ve come to magic.”
~Nillu Nasser
“Writing is not glamorous: it’s hard work, the hardest work you’ll ever do. Writing is emotionally, intellectually, and physically challenging. Being an author is even harder than being a writer. My best advice for writers who want to become authors is this: Don’t do it unless you can’t live without it.”
~Alexandria Constantinova Szeman
