(There are several writing groups around the country who began with Leonard Bishop.  Each of us writers and dreamers are thankful to him every time we sit down to our desks, or curl in front of a fire to “percolate” our ideas for our next work.

The following is a collection of quotes gathered from our notebooks.  We hope you find them useful and motivating…and in his own way…scolding you to keep writing.  We can still hear him commanding, “Use Detail! Detail! Detail!”

Thank you, Mr. B!  Our lives are infinitely richer because of you!)

“Lyrical writing comes when you have reached the border in your conscious abilities.  Learn by using up everything you already know and find new combinations.”  (12/19/96)

“Patient writers don’t settle for what they wanted when they began.  Instead, they discover more than they anticipated they had and write on that. ” (11/12/98)

“Ask the question, “What is URGENT about what I am writing?”

“A character is exactly what others say he is until he proves them wrong.”  (9/10/98)

“In rewriting, perfection is a provocation.  Don’t search for defects.  You will always find them.” (8/19/99)

“Great writers…as they write, books get shorter, but the plot isn’t shorter.  Like a painter, full detail is brought to the minimum.  Paint that which is exact. ” (4/13/95)

© The Estate of Leonard Bishop