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INTRODUCTION
THE QUOTABLE WRITER The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages are perpetuated by quotations. |
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INTRODUCTION
THE QUOTABLE WRITER The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages are perpetuated by quotations. |
This is an unusual type of quote book in that it is not just a reference tool that writers in need of a quote can turn to and come up with something memorable. This is also a book with a mission, and that mission is to help writers-whether they are just starting out or have already been published-by providing all kinds of practical advice about the craft of writing and the business of publishing.
In fact, this is a book I wish someone had given me when I started work on my first book some 25 years ago. Like so many authors, I did not ask the question: Who will buy this book, and why? I paid little attention to the marketplace and was basically ignorant of how the publishing business operates.
That, of course, helps explain why 17 years passed between the time I started working on my first book and the time it was eventually published. Since then I have written two other books, and can count myself among the fortunate few who are able to make a living as a full-time writer.
During the years I wandered around the publishing wilderness, I started collecting the quotes that appear in this volume, selecting them from various books, magazine and newspaper articles, and other sources. The quotes helped keep me sane, motivated and focused.
I continued to collect quotes even after my first book was published, although not just any quotes. I only picked those quotes about writing and publishing that count and struck me as being the most memorable, thought-provoking, humorous, and/or important.
This collection, which consists of approximately 1000 quotes, can almost be viewed as a Publishing 101 for those new to the business. It is my hope that it will also prove to be useful to others who work with the written word, including historians, journalists, speechwriters, English teachers, and screenwriters.
William A. Gordon is a full-time author and publisher based in Southern California. His previous books include The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book, Shot On This Site: A Traveler's Guide to the Places and Locations Used to Film Famous Movies and Television Shows and Four Dead in Ohio: Was There a Conspiracy at Kent State?.
