10 Jojo Moyes Quotes About Writing for Writers
These 10 Jojo Moyes quotes about writing will inspire you to keep writing, to stop thinking about the people who don’t love your writing, and to keep on revising!
These 10 Jojo Moyes quotes about writing will inspire you to keep writing, to stop thinking about the people who don't love your writing, and to keep on revising!
Bestselling author Jojo Moyes spoke with Writer's Digest in January of 2016 about overcoming the expectations of readers, how to move forward if you get stuck while writing, and much more. Her new book, The Giver of Stars, releases this week and in celebration of that, here are 10 Jojo Moyes quotes about writing to keep you motivated. You can read outtakes from her 2016 interview here.
I had to reach a point where I just reconciled myself to the fact that, hopefully a lot of people will love what I did with the book, but there’s quite possibly going to be a lot of people who disagree. That doesn’t trouble me. – Jojo Moyes, WD January 2016
Frequently I will write chapters that I end up having to ditch. And they might be beautifully crafted, they might contain things I’m really proud of, but you have to be ruthless. – Jojo Moyes, WD January 2016
There comes a point when you know in your gut something just isn’t working, or isn’t as good as it should be. What I’ve found over the years is that I’ve never regretted anything I’ve ditched—I’ve only regretted stuff I’ve left in. – Jojo Moyes, WD January 2016
I do outline. I’m always amazed by these people who say that they just start and see where the story takes them. That makes me actually kind of [shake] with fear—I couldn’t do it. – Jojo Moyes, WD January 2016
I see stories pretty much everywhere. – Jojo Moyes, WD January 2016
I think I’ve gotten better at analyzing what is working and what is not working. I have a litmus test where, for example, if I’m writing a very emotional scene, I know that if I’m not laughing or crying at my own work, the reader isn’t going to. – Jojo Moyes, WD January 2016
My biggest tip for writing is: If you get stuck, move forward to a scene that you’re looking forward to working, and that just tends to give you your joy back. – Jojo Moyes, WD January 2016
I’m not somebody who can craft a perfect sentence. I try to hit on the emotional truth of a scene, and then after that I’ll just keep polishing until the language feels right. – Jojo Moyes, WD January 2016
I try to read writers who are better than me because it inspires me to be better. –Jojo Moyes
You have to write the story that’s at the front of your head. There is no point in trying to write for the market; it won’t ring true. –Jojo Moyes
In WD University's 12 Weeks to a First Draft, you will tackle the steps to writing a book, learn effective writing techniques along the way, and of course, begin writing your first draft. Register today!
About Amy Jones
Amy Jones is the Editor-in-Chief of Writer’s Digest and was the managing content director for WD Books. She is the editor of the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market and Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. Prior to joining the WD team, Amy was the managing editor for North Light Books and IMPACT Books. Like most WD staffers, Amy is a voracious reader and has a particular interest in literary fiction, historical fiction, steamy romance, and page-turning mysteries. When she’s not reading, Amy can be found daydreaming about Italy or volunteering at her local no-kill cat shelter. Find Amy on Twitter @AmyMJones_5.
