Anthology Quote by Carl Clinton Van Doren

A lot of first novels are written long before they're actually put down on paper.

— Roger Ebert

Just about everybody has written a first novel that they throw away before writing their actual first novel.

— Daniel Handler

The first job of a writer is to be honest.

— Irvine Welsh

“who wrote book 1st”

— John Green

I think most short story writers, at one time or another, over the course of several books, naturally skirt near the edge of one…

— David Means

The first book was my first attempt at writing full-length prose.

— Neil Simon

The first draft of a story is the writer's clay.

— Bruce Coville

Early publication can be a dubious blessing: we all know writers who would give anything not to have published their first book, and go…

— Joyce Carol Oates

“All writers are readers first, and all of us write the sort of books we want to read.”

— George R.R. Martin

“Every novel is brand-new. It’s never been written before in the history of the world. At the same time, it’s merely the latest in…

— Thomas C. Foster

One thing that writers have in common is that they are readers first. They have read lots and lots of stuff, because they're just…

— Terry Pratchett

The essay community should have hundreds of anthologies from hundreds of different perspectives that are constantly introducing us to new writers, new work, and…

— John D'Agata