
My last Top Ten Tuesday was six months ago and I am grateful that The Artsy Ready Girl remains committed to this beautiful prompt.
This week’s theme is: Book Quotes that Fit X Theme (Pick any theme you want, i.e., motivational quotes, romantic dialogues, hunger-inducing quotes, quotes that fill you with hope, quotes on defeating adversity, quotes that present strong emotions, healing, etc. and then select quotes from books that fit that theme.)
As you may know, I am a poet, too, hence the name A Reading Writer. 😉 So here are some wise words that stir my writing heart + the books that carry them.
- “Start with empathy. Continue with utility. Improve with analysis. Optimize with love.” ― Ann Handley, Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content

2. “A man’s soul or lack of it will be evident with what he can carve upon a white sheet of paper.” — Charles Bukowski, On Writing
3. “In my godless household, poems were the closest we came to sacred speech — the only prayers said. Mary Karr, Sinners Welcome

4. “That room has been static for me so long:
an emptiness. a void. a silence
containing an unheard story
ready for me to unlock.
Let there be plot.”
― Margaret Atwood, Dearly
5. “If I want to understand what moves me, what confuses me, what pains me—everything that makes me react, in short—I have to put it into words.” ― Jhumpa Lahiri, In Other Words

6. “To be an artist means: not to calculate and count; to grow and ripen like a tree which does not hurry the flow of its sap and stands at ease in the spring gales without fearing that no summer may follow. It will come. But it comes only to those who are patient, who are simply there in their vast, quiet tranquility, as if eternity lay before them.”― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
7. “The key to flow is to pursue an activity for its own sake, not for the rewards it brings.”
― Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

8. “Poets are alchemists of nothingness. They aspire to turn silence, nothingness, absence, into something palpable.” ― Matthew Zapruder, Why Poetry
9. “The scariest moment is always just before you start.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

10. “Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot if difference. They don’t have to makes speeches. Just believing is usually enough.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
—
What writing quote has recently moved you? Share your thoughts and your TTT below!
—
Thank you. These quotes are helpful and I never would have found them myself. I think quotes are my favorite topics on Top Ten Tuesday. My quote topic this week is TREES
LikeLiked by 1 person
ah! thank you, Anne. I agree. I love it when TTT is about quoteS!
LikeLike
Those are some great quotes. Thanks for staring, Rosema
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you, Shweta! i am happy you liked them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤
LikeLike
Even though I may never be able to finish any of my million writing projects, I know I love to read books on the writing craft. Stephen King is an old practical favorite, but Dearly — how dearly do I love Dearly! Thanks for adding in some lovely recs, I’m going to check them all out. Happy TTT! ~Lex
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh dearly. I am please you love Dearly dearly, too! Thank you, Lex!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve only read King’s book, but as someone who aspires to write a novel one day, I should definitely check out some more of them. Here’s my TTT https://readwithstefani.com/my-favorite-quotes-from-books/ Happy reading!
LikeLiked by 1 person
ooh. i definitely recommend the rest of the books on this list. 🙂 looking forward to your TTT. and good luck with your novel!
LikeLike
Welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday! It’s nice to hear from you again.
Writing is a lonely job at times for sure. It’s so important to reach out to others who get it.
And thanks for stopping by earlier.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello, Lydia! Happy to be here again. Indeed it is lonely. But fulfilling. Thank you and looking forward to reading more of your TTT!
LikeLike
I didn’t know you were a poet. Neat!
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh yes. i am. or i try to be. looking forward to your TTT!
LikeLike
Great quotes! Other than ON WRITING, I haven’t heard of most of these writing books. I’ll have to check some of them out.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh please do when you can, Susan. thank you!
LikeLike
I love these! We have a similar theme this week.
My TTT post is here: https://wordywitterings.com/2021/05/25/top-ten-tuesday-book-quotes-about-reading/
LikeLiked by 1 person
hello, Claire! thank you for liking. will jump to yours now!
LikeLike