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Blog, Dr. Seuss, Holly Michael, Inspiration, Writing, writing advice, writing inspiration, www.writingstraight.com
Discouragement is a writing related illness, especially on days when words don’t flow, characters remain flat, plots are full of holes, or you get another rejection. You can get into a slump, stare at the computer screen for hours and wonder what comes next. Where do you get your inspiration? Where do you go for advice?
Me? Dr. Seuss. Here are some great quotes from the good doctor that can pick us up, get us back on track, or maybe just make us laugh.
1. “So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”
2. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…” From: Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
3. “Being crazy isn’t enough.”
4. “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”
5. “So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you’ll move mountains.” From: Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
6. “I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.”
7. “Words and pictures are yin and yang. Married, they produce a progeny more interesting than either parent.”
8. “It all began with a shoe on the wall. A shoe on the wall shouldn’t be there at all.”
9. “Writing simply means no dependent clauses, no dangling things, no flashbacks, and keeping the subject near the predicate. We throw in as many fresh words we can get away with. Simple, short sentences don’t always work. You have to do tricks with pacing, alternate long sentences with short, to keep it vital and alive…. Virtually every page is a cliffhanger–you’ve got to force them to turn it.”
10. “Everything stinks till it’s finished.”
11. “If I were invited to a dinner party with my characters, I wouldn’t show up.”
And this one sort of discribes my writing life now:
“You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…” – Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Wisdom. Great post today, Holly!
Thanks Becky. Taking a few moments out from trying to finish up my edits on novel #2. Should be finished by tomorrow, then I can breathe again and catch up on blogs. Hope you are well
What fun and an encouragement to one who is in a discouraging place. 🙂 Thanks!
🙂
Write on into the night, because in the night we dream, right? Keep kicking those words.
Thanks Rick!
Some great advice there, Holly! Love Dr. Seuss
Thanks Cindy
What a brilliant way to start the day. The coffee hasn’t kicked in yet but I’m all smiles. 🙂
Thanks so much, Holly!
Your welcome. Gotta love Dr. Seuss
Just priceless advice! Bless you Holly! 😉
A fun article, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks.
Holly, these quotes are great, and just what I needed today. Thanks for the encouraging words here and on my blog.
Your welcome Lori. Keep on writing!!
Thank you so much for Dr. Seuss. It brought a smile to my lips and lots of chuckles which is just what I need, right now. I feel so much better and am off in search of his books. What a great way to start my day. His approach lightens life.
Diane
We all need to lighten our hearts and not take ourselves too seriously, right?!
Loved reading this today, Holly. Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks for stopping by!
Ah, a great man, and a great post, Holly.
Great post, Holly!
Glad you’re all writing!