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Elmore Leonard:
Using adverbs is a mortal sin.
Neil Gaiman:
Remember: when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.
PD James:
Read widely and with discrimination. Bad writing is contagious.
Margaret Atwood:
You most likely need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, and a grip on reality. This latter means: there's no free lunch. Writing is work. It's also gambling. You don't get a pension plan. Other people can help you a bit, but essentially you're on your own. Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don't whine.
Roddy Doyle:
Do not place a photograph of your favourite author on your desk, especially if the author is one of the famous ones who committed suicide.
Hilary Mantel:
Are you serious about this? Then get an accountant.
Michael Moorcock:
Find an author you admire (mine was Conrad) and copy their plots and characters in order to tell your own story, just as people learn to draw and paint by copying the masters.
Joyce Carol Oates:
Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.
Annie Proulx:
Rewrite and edit until you achieve the most felicitous phrase/sentence/paragraph/page/story/chapter.
Will Self:
Always carry a notebook. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an idea for ever.
Jeanette Winterson:
Turn up for work. Discipline allows creative freedom. No discipline equals no freedom.
