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WRITING QUOTES: These are all quotes I've found about getting started and putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

"Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good." — William Faulkner

Whether I'm writing fiction or non-fiction, I just sit down and start writing. It could be in the beginning or in the middle. Then I go back and fix it. Often, the final result doesn't look like what I started with.

"The scariest moment is always just before you start." — Stephen King

It's strange (or maybe not) that scare-master Stephen King used the word "scariest."

"Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on." — Louis L'Amour

"Don't be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand."
— Henry Miller

"Go to the edge of the cliff and jump off. Build your wings on the way down."
— Ray Bradbury

I especially like this one. I can envision what he's saying, and I suspect you can, too.

"You want to be a writer? A writer is someone who writes every day — so start writing."
— Shonda Rhomes

Sadly, I don't write every day; most days. But, even when I'm not writing, I'm thinking about it. It's part of me.

CONTACT: I can be reached at tgilli52@gmail.com or nc3022@yahoo.com. Also, my Twitter handle is EDITORatWORK.

More EDITOR@WORK blog entries

• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• What I do when I'm editing

• What I charge (it's a deal) and what I edit

• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

• J-school: Go out and learn

• Rookie mistakes for magazine writers
•  Editor with no experience

Blog entries by Tom Gillispie

• Resume for a writer and editor

• An editor's views on powerful writing

• Advice for be and would-be novelists

• Links to TG's stories online

• Favorite quotes

• What I do when I'm editing

Anecdotes by Tom Gillispie

• Good Samaritan

• The PRESS cap and my friend Mike

• Watching TV

• No luck with Billy Sims

• Wipeout at Death Valley

• Days with rainbows

• A desperate writer working in the dark

• Yer outta there!

Entries from The Dog Blog

• Katie cried

• Growl and pull

• ... said the spider to ...

• The Dog Diary (2015)

• The Dog Diary (2014)

• 12-plus years with my dog Lady

• OOH! OOH! The stereophonic huskies

• What Lady and Michael Jackson had in common

Blog entries from The Auto Racing Journal

• Angel in Black: Remembering Dale Earnhardt Sr.

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)

• Then Junior Said to Jeff...

(the book of great NASCAR stories)

• My best day as a sports writer

• Jeff Gordon's milk toast to Dale Earnhardt

• Wayne Auton: A life in racing