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John Steinbeck on Writing

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“Your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one person-a real person you know, or an imagined person and write to that one.”

More from John Steinbeck

“The basic rule [of writing] given us was simple and heartbreaking. A story to be effective had to convey something from the writer to the reader, and the power of its offering was the measure of its excellence. Outside of that, there were no rules.”
“In writing, habit seems to be a much stronger force than either willpower or inspiration.”
“Three hours of writing require twenty hours of preparation. Luckily I have learned to dream about the work, which saves me some working time.”
“And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.”
“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”
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