Ray Bradbury Quotes

A creative writing program is only as good as its teachers, and I was fortunate in having two great writers as mentors.

I'm not a writer who teaches. I'm a teacher who writes.

The first book is the book you have to write to get back at your parents; the book you always had in you. Once you get that out of your way, you can start writing books.

Go where the pleasure is in your writing. Go where the pain is. Write the book you would like to read. Write the book you have been trying to find but have not found. But write. And remember, there are no rules for our profession. Ignore rules. Ignore what I say here if it doesn't help you. Do it your own way. Every writer knows fear and discouragement. Just write.The world is crying for new writing. It is crying for fresh and original voices and new characters and new stories. If you won't write the classics of tomorrow, well, we will not have any.

I think technique can be taught but I think the only way to learn to write is to read, and I see writing and reading as completely related. One almost couldn't exist without the other.

Of all the ways of acquiring books, writing them oneself is regarded as the most praiseworthy method. Writers are really people who write books not because they are poor, but because they are dissatisfied with the books which they could buy but do not like.

I liked to write from the time I was about 12 or 13. I loved to read. And since I only spoke to my brother, I would write down my thoughts. And I think I wrote some of the worst poetry west of the Rockies. But by the time I was in my 20s, I found myself writing little essays and more poetry - writing at writing.

I can't change overnight into a serious literary author. You can't compare apples to oranges. William Faulkner was a great literary genius. I am not.

The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading in order to write. A man will turn over half a library to make a book.

I learnt to love reading. And then I started scribbling stories, and I liked that even more.

One thing I always did in my career was writing. I always was writing. I was trying to create things. For myself, for other people.

Writing was something I have always been interested in. I've grown up in a household full of books, with both my parents English teachers and very booky.

As far as writing, it's grown because I've really grown comfortable with who I am.

When I began to be published, people got the idea that I should 'teach writing,' which I have no idea how to do and don't really believe in.

If you don't like my book, write your own. If you don't think you can write a novel, that ought to tell you something. If you think you can, do. No excuses. If you still don't like my novels, find a book you do like.

I've been a teacher at the college level, in composition mostly, and I've been an editor on magazines.

I had always loved to write and my mom was my editor for my school papers.

You learn to write by reading, and my experiences and tastes as a reader are pretty wide.

For example, many colleges in their writing programs teach some of my work.

Everywhere I go, I'm asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.

I've always been a reader and a writer.

Part of my problem as a young writer was that I was too much a New Yorker, always second-guessing the 'market.' I became so discouraged that I decided to write something that would please me alone - that became my sole criterion. And that was when I wrote 'Forgetting Elena,' the first novel I got published.

I like to write, and I try to be positive and optimistic.

I write because I like to make things and the only things I am good at making things with are words.

I love to read, and I've always loved to write.