In writing, habit seems to be a much stronger force than either willpower or inspiration.
John Steinbeck
Writing, Habit, Inspiration, Creativity, Force, Discipline
John Steinbeck’s Quotes On Topics
Night Thoughts | Question Response | Religious Tension | Sabotage | Little Own | Self-perception | Fatigue | Writer Loneliness | Creative Life | Governments | Foreigners | Ireland | Waiting | Social Justice | Desire | Inquiry | Book Burning | Irrigation Sling | Writer Believe | Liar Call | More
More John Steinbeck Quotes
“The candle aimed its spark of light at heaven, like an artist who consumes himself to become divine.” John Steinbeck
Candle Light, Consumes Divine, Artist Spark, Aspiration, Sacrifice, Light
John Steinbeck Candle Light, Consumes Divine, Artist Spark, Aspiration, Sacrifice, Light“Unless a reviewer has the courage to give you unqualified praise, I say ignore the bastard.” John Steinbeck
Reviewer Courage, Honest Criticism, Unqualified Praise, Reviewer, Criticism, Courage
John Steinbeck Reviewer Courage, Honest Criticism, Unqualified Praise, Reviewer, Criticism, Courage“For nitrates are not the land, nor phosphates and the length of fiber in the cotton is not the land. Carbon is not a man, nor salt nor water nor calcium. He is all these, but he is much more, much more; and the land is so much more than its analysis.” John Steinbeck
Land, Nature, Elements, Life, Soil, Analysis
John Steinbeck Land, Nature, Elements, Life, Soil, Analysis“Literature was not promulgated by a pale and emasculated critical priesthood singing their litanies in empty churches, nor is it a game for the cloistered elect, the tinhorn mendicants of low calorie despair.” John Steinbeck
Literature Critical, Empty Churches, Cloistered Elect, Creativity, Expression, Defiance
John Steinbeck Literature Critical, Empty Churches, Cloistered Elect, Creativity, Expression, Defiance“Lennie said quietly, “It ain’t no lie. We’re gonna do it. Gonna get a little place an’ live on the fatta the lan’.” John Steinbeck
Dream Fulfillment, Simple Wishes, Life Hope, Dream, Life, Hope
John Steinbeck Dream Fulfillment, Simple Wishes, Life Hope, Dream, Life, Hope“The nicest thing in the world you can do for anybody is let them help you.” John Steinbeck
Help Acceptance, Kindness Act, Generosity, Selflessness, Compassion, Trust
John Steinbeck Help Acceptance, Kindness Act, Generosity, Selflessness, Compassion, Trust“The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.” John Steinbeck
Comfort, Migration, Society, Hatred, Pity, Class
John Steinbeck Comfort, Migration, Society, Hatred, Pity, Class“We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.” John Steinbeck
Journey, Life, Travel, Experience, Time, Growth
John Steinbeck Journey, Life, Travel, Experience, Time, Growth“I hold that a writer who does not passionately believe in the perfectibility of man has no dedication nor any membership in literature.” John Steinbeck
Writer Believe, Man Perfectibility, Literature Dedication, Optimism, Ideals, Craft
John Steinbeck Writer Believe, Man Perfectibility, Literature Dedication, Optimism, Ideals, Craft“Doc still loved true things but he knew that it was not a general love and it could be a very dangerous mistress.” John Steinbeck
True Love, Dangerous Passion, Heart Struggles, Reality, Deception, Love
John Steinbeck True Love, Dangerous Passion, Heart Struggles, Reality, Deception, Love“In utter loneliness a writer tries to explain the inexplicable.” John Steinbeck
Writer Loneliness, Creative Expression, Human Solitude, Loneliness, Writing, Solitude
John Steinbeck Writer Loneliness, Creative Expression, Human Solitude, Loneliness, Writing, Solitude“Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.” John Steinbeck
Memory, Place, Society, Nature, Dreams, Nostalgia
John Steinbeck Memory, Place, Society, Nature, Dreams, Nostalgia“I think of my life as a kind of music, not always good music but still having form and melody.” John Steinbeck
Life Music, Form Melody, Always Good, Reflection, Harmony, Life
John Steinbeck Life Music, Form Melody, Always Good, Reflection, Harmony, Life“We only have one story. All novels, all poetry are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil.” John Steinbeck
Good Vs Evil, Universal Story, Eternal Conflict, Novel Themes, Poetry, Life Struggles
John Steinbeck Good Vs Evil, Universal Story, Eternal Conflict, Novel Themes, Poetry, Life Struggles“Stories have haunted us and followed us from our beginning,” Samuel said. “We carry them along with us like invisible tails – the story of original sin and the story of Cain and Abel. And I don’t understand either of them. I don’t understand them at all but I feel them.” John Steinbeck
Stories, History, Religion, Philosophy, Memory, Understanding
John Steinbeck Stories, History, Religion, Philosophy, Memory, Understanding“And their greed was for gold or God. They collected souls as they collected jewels.” John Steinbeck
Greed For Gold, Spirituality, Greed For Souls, Materialism, Morality, Religion
John Steinbeck Greed For Gold, Spirituality, Greed For Souls, Materialism, Morality, Religion“Are cats strange animals or do they so resemble us that we find them curious as we do monkeys?” John Steinbeck
Curious Cats, Animal Comparisons, Resemblance Humans, Cats, Strange, Monkeys
John Steinbeck Curious Cats, Animal Comparisons, Resemblance Humans, Cats, Strange, Monkeys“The sound of a jet, an engine warming up, even the clopping of shod hooves on pavement brings on the ancient shudder, the dry mouth and vacant eye, the hot palms and the churn of stomach high up under the rib cage.” John Steinbeck
Anxiety Triggers, Modern Sounds, Ancient Feelings, Anxiety, Sounds, Feelings
John Steinbeck Anxiety Triggers, Modern Sounds, Ancient Feelings, Anxiety, Sounds, Feelings“The new migrants from the dust bowl are here to stay. They are the best American stock, intelligent, resourceful; and, if given a chance, socially responsible. To attempt to force them into a peonage of starvation and intimidated despair will be unsuccessful. They can be citizens of the highest type, or they can be an army driven by suffering to take what they need. On their future treatment will depend the course they will be forced to take.” John Steinbeck
Migrants Future, Dust Bowl, Socially Responsible, Opportunity, Struggle, Citizenship
John Steinbeck Migrants Future, Dust Bowl, Socially Responsible, Opportunity, Struggle, Citizenship