Asks Quote by John Jeremiah Sullivan

A good writer is an expert on nothing except himself. And on that subject, if he is wise, he holds his tongue.

— John le Carre

“Really good writing has purpose and that purpose should be to shape other minds to desire truth and a more noble purpose in life…

— Susan Waterfield

Good writers have two things in common: they prefer to be understood rather than admired; and they do not write for knowing and over-acute…

— Friedrich Nietzsche

Any one who wishes to become a good writer should endeavour, before he allows himself to be tempted by the more showy qualities, to…

— Henry Watson Fowler

“He believes that if talent is demanded of a literary publisher or a writer, it must also be demanded of a reader. Because we…

— Enrique Vila-Matas

A good writer is basically a story teller, not a scholar or a redeemer of mankind.

— Isaac Bashevis Singer

I believe no one qualification is so likely to make a good writer, as the power of rejecting his own thoughts.

— Alexander Pope

“I want a writer to trust my intelligence. After all, I trust her/his skill to entertain me.”

— Aleksandr Voinov

“...a writer has the duty to be good, not lousy; true, not false; lively, not dull; accurate, not full of error. He should tend…

— E. B. White

Five common traits of good writers: (1) They have something to say. (2) They read widely and have done so since childhood. (3) They…

— James J. Kilpatrick

“My message will be very clear; it is that I think we have to continue to read novels. Because I think that the novel…

— Jean-Marie G. Le Clezio

You can't be a good writer without being a good thinker.

— Andy Rooney