John Milius Quotes

Good writing of course requires talent, and no one can teach you to have talent.

We like to think about how smart we are. But I think talent as a writer is hard-wired in, it's all there, at least the basic elements of it. You can't change it any more than you can choose whether to be right handed or left handed.

Writers - all writers, even screenwriters - like to make their mark. I don't think many screenwriters can write. They pass as writers.

I think you can be taught to write. You can't be taught to be a good writer. For that, you have to bring something to it, yourself, something that can't be given to you.

A lot of people ask me, 'Are you born a writer?' And I don't think it's necessarily true. I just think what you either have or you don't is this ability to see something that's complex and worth talking about.

I think writing well takes a little bit of talent and an awful lot of work.

I'm not a writer. I think I can write short stories and poetry, but film writing, brilliant film writing, is a talent - you can't just do it like that.

I never think that any writer can teach someone how to write.

Although I write screenplays, I don't think I'm a very good writer.

There are plenty of clever young writers. But there is too much genius, not enough talent.

Sean's a great, great writer.

You can't teach somebody how to be a good writer.

There are seldom more than a couple of students in any workshop who seem natural writers.

No one can teach writing, but classes may stimulate the urge to write. If you are born a writer, you will inevitably and helplessly write. A born writer has self-knowledge. Read, read, read. And if you are a fiction writer, don't confine yourself to reading fiction. Every writer is first a wide reader.

I'm very happy with the way I write. I think I do it good. But I've never really considered myself a writer.

I am, really, a great writer; my only difficulty is in finding great readers.

I think writing is such a great talent, and if I was better, I would love to be a writer.

I've written many nonfiction books, but that's a special gift.

My dad is a great writer. Naturally talented, naturally charming. He embodies that back-in-the-day cool.

I have always thought that writers come with any variety of attributes. Some are capable and some aren't.

There isn't any distinction between a reader and a writer - reading is so much a part of it.

I think some aspects of writing can be taught. Obviously, you can't teach vision or talent. But you can help with comfort.

Writers cannot simply have a go, imagining it's easier to produce a story than a novel because fewer words are required. Have a go by all means; be intrepid, but be equipped.

And writing I think is a gift that you have, the same as acting, in a way.

I just admire people like Woody Allen, who every year writes an original screenplay. It's astonishing. I always wished that I could do that.