ADVICE - First Friday with Rita Lakin

“Run mad as often as you choose, but do not faint.” ~Jane Austen

Since the novels I write are aimed at senior women, I’ve had the temerity to start each book with a quotation in order to advise, inspire, or merely amuse.

Here they are in no particular order: 

“Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.” ~Phyllis Diller

“Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and visit now and then.” ~Katharine Hepburn

“What is the secret of your life? Tell me that I may make mine beautiful, too.” He replied, “I had a friend.” ~James Russell Lowell.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” ~George Carlin

“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old. You grow old when you stop laughing.” Anon.

Through the years, multitudes of quotes came along on this topic:

Advice on writing:

“Start telling the stories that only you can tell, because there’ll always be better writers than you and there’ll always be smarter writers than you. There will always be people who are much better at doing this or doing that - but you are the only you.” ~Neil Gaiman

“Write without pay until somebody until somebody offers to pay.” ~Mark Twain

“Breathe properly. Stay curious. And eat your beets.” ~Tom Robbins

 “Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy. ...this book...is a permission slip: you can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up.”  ~Stephen King

10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer
“Write.
Write more.
Write even more.
Write even more than that.
Write when you don’t want to.
Write when you do.
Write when you have something to say.
Write when you don’t.
Write every day.
Keep writing.”
~Brian Clark

And of course, those old staples: 

“Write what you know.”

“When in doubt, throw it out.”

“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

What are your favorites?

Comments

[Camille Minichino]

I turn to Woody Allen: "I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying."

[rita lakin]

woody allen is so funny

[Ann]

Ha! Love the Woody Allen quote, Camille. Rita, I think my favorite in your list is the first one from Jane Austen. Running mad might actually be a bit refreshing! :-)

[Susan Shea]

I like all of them, Rita. Question for everyone who comes up with these great quotes: Where and how do you get them? Do you read a book or article, find a passage you like, and write it down, or is there some book somewhere I don't know about that does all the work for you?

[Ann]

The internet! :-)
I have books of quotes as well, but the internet makes finding quotes soooo easy...

[rita lakin]

Ditto Ann is right. The internet.
Another funny quote-advice from that new bible:

"Everything I know I learned from television!" That's scary.

Rita

[Priscilla]

I love the ones about laughing and about beets.