15 Badass Quotes About Writing and Creativity That Are Depressing Yet Still Somehow Inspiring

Every one of these quotes fuels my writing. I hope they do the same for you.

The inside cover of my journal (Image by the author)

I’m a sucker for quotes. Whenever I find one that’s particularly inspiring or impactful, I write it down in Obsidian and the front cover of my journal (pictured above).

But I’ve noticed that many of the most inspiring quotes simultaneously express two sentiments:

1. Creative pursuits like writing are really freakin hard
2. But this difficulty just makes the pursuit more worthwhile

Here are 15 of my favorite kick-you-in-the-butt motivational quotes for writers and creatives:

“You’re so privileged to be a writer. Normal people, something bad happens to them and there’s nothing they can do with it except feel bad or complain or press charges.” -David Sedaris

As a writer, failure is rich soil for growing heartfelt stories. Vulnerability is a powerful draw. Write down your biggest failures, then review the list to see which ones can be marshaled into relatable stories for your readers.