Dean Wesley Smith > Quotes

“Yeah, I know what your English Professor tried to tell you. But if your English Professor could make a living writing fiction, they would have been doing it.”
― Dean Wesley Smith

“I believe that a writer is a person who writes. An author is a person who has written.”
― Dean Wesley Smith

“When I have a chapter finished, I jot down who the viewpoint characters are, what they are wearing, what happened in the chapter. So as I go along, I outline each book as I write it. I never outline ahead of the writing, but after the writing is done. That keeps the creative side of my brain in control of the writing.”
― Dean Wesley Smith, Writing into the Dark: How to Write a Novel without an Outline

“Truth: When you are writing new words, you are never wasting your time. Never. Here comes a dirty word. Better cover your ears. Practice. There, I said it. Imagine walking up to some poor kid who is practicing a musical instrument and telling that kid he is wasting his time by practicing. He needs to only play concerts or nothing at all. Can’t imagine that? Yet when your critical voice tells you that you might be wasting your time, that’s exactly what you are saying to yourself. You are saying your writing must always be special, that it can’t be done to practice. Yeah, believing every word you write is always special will freeze you down into making writing work and then fairly quickly stop you completely. And again, that’s what the critical voice wants. Critical voice does not want you writing or taking any chances. Period. And writing into the dark? Wow, what a chance that would be. Far too much of a chance to take because your writing is “special.” Your writing must always be perfect and maybe you had better add in just one more rewrite to be sure. And maybe one more rewrite after that, because rewriting isn’t wasting time. That italics part, folks, was a sarcastic attempt to show you just how stupid those thoughts are. If you believe all of that was advice, you are beyond my help. Truth: The biggest waste of time in writing is rewriting. Period.”
― Dean Wesley Smith, Writing into the Dark: How to Write a Novel without an Outline

“It is not possible to translate a language that does not exist.”
― Dean Wesley Smith, By the Book

“The last editorial meeting I had was with a 24 year-old Vassar grad who tried to explain to me (after I had been selling novels longer than she had been alive) how to write a book. I kept my cool and was nice to the human, but as Kris and I walked down the sidewalk after that meeting, I remember my only words were ‘I’m done with this shit.”
― Dean Wesley Smith

“English teachers, workshops, and myths try to make writers slow down. We are the ONLY ART on the planet that tells young artists to not practice and do less to get better. Head-shaking in its stupidity. And new writers buy into that.”
― Dean Wesley Smith

“1. You must write. 2. You must finish what you start. 3. You must refrain from rewriting except to editorial order. 4. You must put it on the market. 5. You must keep it on the market until sold.”
― Dean Wesley Smith, Heinlein's Rules: Five Simple Business Rules for Writing

“Jim said,”
― Dean Wesley Smith, Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery

“T’Pol.” Archer made his voice sting with command. “You’re coming dangerously close to violating a rule of the bridge. Don’t nag the captain.”
― Dean Wesley Smith, By the Book

“The only purpose of the critical voice in creative writing is to stop you.”
― Dean Wesley Smith, Writing into the Dark: How to Write a Novel without an Outline