For me, writing is a tangled strand of emotions. Assignments combine fear of the blank page, pressure of a looming deadline and the deeply felt satisfaction of telling a story well. Here’s a collection of thoughts on writing that have inspired my journey. Send me your favorites and I’ll add them to the list.

“There’s no such thing as perfect writing, just like there’s no such thing as perfect despair.”
Haruki Murakami

“Writing is almost a place of dreams for me, and I don’t have to give up anything to do it.”
Walter Mosley

“I try to leave out the parts readers skip.”
Elmore Leonard

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
Ernest Hemingway

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”
Stephen King

“Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up.”
Stephen King

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
Jack London