Anne Lamott, on books:

 

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth.

What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you.

Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave.

They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.

- Anne Lamott.

P. D. James, on words:

Increase your word power.

Words are the raw material of our craft.

- P. D. James. 

Larry L. King, on writing:

Write.
Rewrite.
When not writing or rewriting, read.
I know of no shortcuts.
- Larry L. King.
 

Ruth Rendell, on reading:

 

Some say life is the thing, but I prefer reading.
- Ruth Rendell.

C. S. Lewis, on writing:

 

You can make anything by writing.
- C. S. Lewis.

Lisa Gardner, on reading:

I still read romance, and I read suspense. I read them both. And part of it is, I like stories with strong characters, and I like stories where there's closure at the end. And I like stories where there's hope. That's a kind of empowerment. I think romance novels are very empowering, and I think suspense novels are, too.
- Lisa Gardner.

Wally Lamb, on writing:

 

I like to be surprised.
The best writing is when it defies me, when it starts going a different way than I had planned.
- Wally Lamb.

Lisa Scottoline, on writing:

 

The truth is that every writer, whether it's fiction or nonfiction,
is trying to write something truly original and that's what I think I'm doing.
- Lisa Scottoline.

Charles Bukowski, on writing:

In the morning it was morning and I was still alive.
Maybe I'll write a novel, I thought.
And then I did.
- Charles Bukowski.

Ann Patchett, on books:

 

That's important to me, to recommend books.

- Ann Patchett.

Ray Bradbury, on writing:

 

Find out what your hero or heroine wants,

and when he or she wakes up in the morning,
just follow him or her all day.
- Ray Bradbury.
 

Cynthia Rylant, on reading:

 

I learned to write from authors.

I didn't know any, but I read their books.
- Cynthia Rylant.

Margaret Atwood, on writing:

Writing is alone, but I don't think it's lonely.

Ask any writer if they feel lonely when they're writing their book, and I think they'll say no.
– Margaret Atwood.

Betsy Byars, on reading and writing:

 

For me, reading books and writing them are tied together.

The words of other writers teach me and refresh me and inspire me.
- Betsy Byars.

Junot Diaz, on writing:

In my view, a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope,

even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise,
you keep writing anyway.
- Junot Diaz.

Mary Roberts Rinehart, on writing:

 

Of one thing the reader can be certain:
the more easily anything reads, the harder it has been to write.

- Mary Roberts Rinehart.

Haruki Murakami, on writing:

You have to dream intentionally.

Most people dream a dream when they are asleep.

But to be a writer, you have to dream while you are awake, intentionally.

- Haruki Murakami.

Lisa Scottoline, on books:

 

Do you know what they call people who hoard books?
Smart.
- Lisa Scottoline.

Edmund Wilson, on books and reading:

 

No two persons ever read the same book.
- Edmund Wilson.

Ann Patchett, on writing:

I craft everything in the beginning.

I know where the characters are going before I start writing the book.

- Ann Patchett.