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12 Quotes on Writing by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist, essayist and short story writer. During his career, he published four novels, four collections of short fiction and 164 short stories. His most well-known works include The Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night.

F. Scott Fitzgerald on Writing

“Work like hell! I had 122 rejection slips before I sold a story.”
#3
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“I don't want just words. If that's all you have for me, you'd better go.”
#343
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“What people are ashamed of usually makes a good story.”
#374
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over.”
#375
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Great books write themselves, only bad books have to be written.”
#376
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy.”
#377
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“The reason one writes isn't the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say.”
#378
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Find the key emotion; this may be all you need know to find your short story.”
#379
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Often I think writing is a sheer paring away of oneself leaving always something thinner, barer, more meagre.”
#380
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“The history of my life is the history of the struggle between an overwhelming urge to write and a combination of circumstances bent on keeping me from it.”
#381
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Every author ought to write every book as if he were going to be beheaded the day he finished it.”
#382
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath.”
#422
F. Scott Fitzgerald
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Focus Saved In my younger and more vulnerable years years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” He didn’t say any more, but we’ve always been unusually communicative in a reserved way, and I understood that he meant a great deal more than that. In consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores. | The Great Gatsby Chapter I Words 106 Writing Time 00:18:20 / 00:30:00 Speed 342 words/hour
In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” He didn’t say any more, but we’ve always been unusually communicative in a reserved way, and I understood that he meant a great deal more than that. In consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores. | The Great Gatsby 12:46:32 Chapter I 106 W 00:18:20