You can't write about stuff you don't know about. You have to live it. You have to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Live life to be a good songwriter. Dierks Bentley dirtygoodhand Change image and share on social
You can't write about the past and ignore religion. It was such a fundamental, mind-shaping, driving force for pre-modern societies. I'm very interested in what religion does to us - its capacity to create love and empathy or hatred and violence. Geraldine Brooks capacitycreatedrive share on social
You can't write an image, a metaphor, a story, a phrase, without leaning a little further into the shared world, without recognizing that your supposed solitude is at every point of its perimeter touching some other. Jane Hirshfield imageleanmetaphor share on social
You can't write just anything. Your story needs structure. James McBride storystructurewrite Change image and share on social
You can't write masterpieces in your 80s and be happy too. Maurice Sendak 80shappymasterpiece Change image and share on social
You can tailor garments all you want, but if it doesn't fit in the arms or legs, it never will. Amar'e Stoudemire armfitgarment Change image and share on social
You can take 100 penalties in training, but when you go out on that pitch in front of all those people and the television cameras, it's completely different. Alan Shearer cameracompletelyfront Change image and share on social
You can take a chance with any man who pays his bills on time. Terence billchanceman Change image and share on social
