Just write. Many writers have a vague hope that elves will come in the night and finish any stories for you. They won’t. - Neil Gaiman

Just write. Many writers have a vague hope that elves will come in the night and finish any stories for you. They won’t. - Neil Gaiman

Writers/illustrators: You only fail if you quit. Don't let go of your dreams. Take a break if you need to, but DON'T GIVE UP.

Everyone feels overwhelmed and discouraged sometimes. Or sometimes life gets in the way, with circumstances out of your control.

Take a break if you need to, but don't give up hope. Put your half-finished mss or picture book dummy in the drawer for now and find other ways to keep that part of your creative soul on simmer. Maybe have a small notebook with you all the time, and keep track of story idea snippets? Quick notes about title ideas? Character traits? Settings?

Just don't give up.

Noel Coward quote on writer professionalism

The beautiful part of writing: you don't have to get it right the first time unlike, say, brain surgery. - Robert Cormier

I have to remind myself of this again and again as I'm working on my novel; my tendency has always been to over-edit as I write the first draft.

Feel free to download and print this Robert Cormier quote to post in your home, office, classroom or library!

For many more free, print-ready posters, bookmarks and other material related to writing and reading, see my For The Love Of Reading and Print-Ready Archives.

My two fav. things in life are libraries & bicycles. Both move people forward without wasting anything. - P. Golkin

In celebration of Ontario Public Library Week, here's one of my favourite quotes about libraries, from Peter Golkin.

Click the image above or this link for a free, print-ready version.

Just write. Many writers hope elves will come in the night and finish your work for you. They won’t. @Neilhimself

Just write. Many writers hope elves will come in the night and finish your work for you. They won’t.

- Neil Gaiman (@NeilHimself on Twitter)

Beautiful part of writing: you don't have to get it right the first time unlike, say, brain surgery. - R. Cormier

(Quote above & others available as free, print-ready posters for classrooms, libraries, bookstores and elsewhere: DebbieOhi.com/read)

World is full of people w/ good ideas. Published authors are ones who sat down & got them written. - @JenniferFallon

"Write, write, write... The world is full of people with good ideas. The published authors are the ones who sat down and got them written." - Jennifer Fallon

On Libraries and Bicycles

"My two favorite things in life are libraries and bicycles. Both move people forward without wasting anything." - Peter Golkin.

Tip for aspiring writers & illustrators: Make a routine and then stick to it.

A tip for aspiring children's book writers and illustrators: Try not to let yourself get sucked into too much fussing over preparation and ritual. Make a routine and then stick to it.

Now to follow my own advice...

You don't find time to write. You make time. - Nora Roberts

Illustrated quote: It's never too late to revise

You can also find my illustrated quotes on my Illustrated Quotes Pinterest board.

On Writers and Elves: A Neil Gaiman Quote

 This is one of my favourite Neil Gaiman quotes. Thanks to Neil for his permission to illustrate it. :-)

You can hear the original quote in this video in which he offers advice for young writers:

And if you haven't already seen the inspirational commencement speech he gave at the University of the Arts:

For more info about Neil Gaiman and his work, visit http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Finding the balance between the feel of a real book & the digital world

From Christopher Herz at The Huffington Post:

As the publishing industry struggles to find that balance between the digital world and the feel of actually handling a book, perhaps a look towards the emotional connection is the bridge.

Right now, while we all follow twitter feeds and become fans on Facebook, what might be getting lost is the fact that reading a book is an extremely intimate and personal experience. To give travel notes of the journey is a benefit to both writer and reader, and might just promise a relationship that can only grow with each trip taken together.



Write from your own passion

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