#writing

What I took back, because of my exposure to the Jewish music of the 30s and the 40s in my upbringing with my father, was that kind of theatrical songwriting. It was always a part of my character. This desire to make people laugh. ↗

— Pete Townshend

#back #because #character #desire #exposure

I think if you are writing an instrumental you are dealing with more of an aesthetic in a sense but a lyric is more of a putting yourself on the line and a much more expensive exercise. ↗

— Leo Kottke

#dealing #exercise #expensive #i #i think

At that time, I had recently finished a book called Amazing Grace, which many people tell me is a very painful book to read. Well, if it was painful to read, it was also painful to write. I had pains in my chest for two years while I was writing that book. ↗

— Jonathan Kozol

#amazing #book #called #chest #finished

In the book, I write about children in first grade who were taught to read by reading want ads. They learned to write by writing job applications. Imagine what would happen if anyone tried to do that to children in a predominantly white suburban school. ↗

— Jonathan Kozol

#ads #anyone #applications #book #children

When I started writing, I did have some idealised notion of my dad as a writer. But I have less and less of a literary rivalry with him as I've gone on. I certainly don't feel I need his approval, although maybe that's because I'm confident that I've got it. ↗

— Paul Theroux

#approval #because #certainly #confident #dad

I have a lot to do with the writing, and also the production, but it would be wrong of me to say that I'm the most important member of the band, because everybody is important the way I see it. ↗

— Glenn Tipton

#band #because #everybody #i #i see

Even when I don't think I'm writing, I'm writing. There's some part of my brain geared toward making songs up, and I know it's collecting things and I know when I get a moment to be by myself, that's when they come out. ↗

— Jeff Tweedy

#collecting #come #even #geared #get

They're mostly done before we went into the studio, although I do like writing in the studio. ↗

— Keith Urban

#before #done #i #i do #into

English of course is your major tool, but it is not nearly so important as other aspects of writing for example you have to have some natural ability you can't buy it no one puts it there you're born with it. ↗

— Leon Uris

#aspects #born #buy #course #english

Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith. ↗

— Gore Vidal

#business #countries #faith #fiction #lost