Quote of the Week

by | Jul 22, 2013 | Quote of the Week | 2 comments

For I know that the energy of the creative impulse comes from love and all its manifestations—admiration, compassion, glowing respect, gratitude, praise, … tenderness, adoration, enthusiasm.—Brenda Ueland

Portrait of Brenda Ueland, ca. 1930, by Henry Elleby, via Wikimedia.

Portrait of Brenda Ueland, ca. 1930, by Henry Elleby, via Wikimedia.

I could wax on endlessly about the wisdom of Brenda Ueland, a journalist, memoirist, and writing teacher best known today for her 1938 guide If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit, from which this quote is drawn. But if you know about Brenda Ueland, you don’t need me to wax on, and if you don’t know about Brenda Ueland, you should have the pleasure discovering her for yourself.

  • You might start with her beautiful essay, “The Art of Listening.” It will make your day!
  • Read a brief bio of Brenda Ueland at Wikipedia.
  • Her papers are archived at the Minnestota Historical Society. Be sure to read the letters to Brenda Ueland from Langston Hughes, Sinclair Lewis, and Carl Sandburg that are posted on this page. They give a sense of her camaraderie with other writers and her generous spirit.
  • You can hear Brenda Ueland in her own words in a six-minute piece on Minnesota Public Radio, made in 1972 when she was 80 years old; she recalls the Minneapolis streetcars that she rode at the turn of the century for only a nickel and the characters she met along the way. Listen to the clip and see photos of the streetcars here.

See more quotes about writing here.

Comments

2 Comments

  1. Judy Anderson
    Judy Anderson on July 23, 2013 at 12:52 pm

    Hey, Barbara! I learned so much years ago when I read Brenda Ueland’s “If You Want To Write.” Your post made me eager to read that book again… and be a better listener!

    • Barbara Ann Yoder
      Barbara Ann Yoder on July 28, 2013 at 2:44 pm

      “If You Want to Write” is a great book to read again and again. Brenda Ueland is wise and wonderful. So are you, Judy!

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