James Houston Quotes

When people ask me for secrets to writing, I say, 'Read to write.'

Writers are the ones who figure out how to put their observations into words.

I love writing different things.

I think writing is a glorious and noble thing.

Some people read. I like to put words together.

Writing is more about imagination than anything else. I fell in love with words. I fell in love with storytelling.

Reading is probably what leads most writers to writing.

In the world of words, the imagination is one of the forces of nature.

Words are the basic tools, if you are a writer. But why? Why do you choose one set of tools rather than another?

I've been writing for as long as I can remember, and reading even before that. My mom still has stories that I wrote when I was in kindergarten. I was a reader and a re-reader. That's the main reason I became a writer.

I started writing as soon as I started reading.

I definitely have loads of respect for writers and the art of writing.

Words are my life.

I know a lot about words. I get paid to write stories, so I get to talk with people about the meaning behind words all day.

I was always writing. I've always been attracted to words and stories, communication.

Writing is more important than being a writer.

A writer is what I am.

I have always, always loved words.

All people in the world - who are not hermits or mutes - speak words. They speak different languages, but they speak words. They say, "How are you" or "I'm not feeling well" all over the world. These common words - these common elements that we have between us - the writer has to take some verbs and nouns and pronouns and adjectives and adverbs and arrange them in a way that sound fresh.

Writing is the starting point from which all goodness (and crappiness) flows.

A writer needs three things, experience, observation, and imagination, any two of which, at times any one of which, can supply the lack of the others.

Find something you like, go into a room, close the door and read it aloud. Read it aloud. Everybody in the world who likes dance can see dance, or hear music, or see art, or admire architecture - but everybody in the world uses words who is not a recluse or mute. But the writer has to take these most common things, more common than musical notes or dance positions, a writer has to take some adverbs, and verbs and nouns and ball them up together and make them bounce.

Read a lot. Write a lot. Have fun.

You become a great writer by writing.

Writers are so important.