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George Orwell Quotes about Writing

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Threats to freedom of speech, writing and action, though often trivial in isolation, are cumulative in their effect and, unless checked, lead to a general disrespect for the rights of the citizen.

Threats to freedom of speech, writing and action, though often trivial in isolation, are cumulative in their effect and, unless checked, lead to a general disrespect for the rights of the citizen.

Freedom, Writing, Rights

George Orwell (1998). “It is what I think, 1947-1948”, Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd

In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible... Thus, political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging, and sheer cloudy vagueness... Political language [is] designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.

Lying, Writing, Political Language

In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible.

Time, Writing, Political Language

George Orwell (1956). “The Orwell Reader: Fiction, Essays, and Reportage”, New York : Harcourt, Brace

I do not wish to comment on the work; if it does not speak for itself, it is a failure.

Writing, Wish, Doe

George Orwell (1997). “The complete works of George Orwell”

Good prose should be transparent, like a window pane.

Writing, Window Panes, Should

A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: 1. What am I trying to say? 2. What words will express it? 3. What image or idiom will make it clearer? 4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

Writing, Political Language, Trying

George Orwell, Keith Gessen (2009). “All Art Is Propaganda: Critical Essays”, p.279, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

When I talk to anyone or read the writings of anyone who has any axe to grind, I feel that intellectual honesty and balanced judgement have simply disappeared from the face of the earth. Everyone's thought is forensic, everyone is simply putting a "case" with deliberate suppression of his opponent's point of view, and, what is more, with complete insensitiveness to any sufferings except those of himself and his friends.

Honesty, Writing, Views

Literature is doomed if liberty of thought perishes.

Writing, Liberty, Literature

1946 'The Prevention of Literature', in Polemic, Jan.

Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.

Struggle, Book, Writing

George Orwell (1970). “A Collection of Essays”, p.316, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Political writing in our time consists almost entirely of prefabricated phrases bolted together like the pieces of a child's Meccano set. It is the unavoidable result of self-censorship. To write in plain, vigorous language one has to think fearlessly, and if one thinks fearlessly one cannot be politically orthodox.

Children, Writing, Thinking

George Orwell (1986). “The complete works of George Orwell”

By using stale metaphors, similes and idioms, you save much mental effort, at the cost of leaving your meaning vague, not only for your reader but for yourself.

Writing, Effort, Leaving

George Orwell, Keith Gessen (2009). “All Art Is Propaganda: Critical Essays”, p.279, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Good novels are not written by orthodoxy-sniffers, nor by people who are conscience-stricken about their own unorthodoxy. Good novels are written by people who are not frightened.

Writing, People, Frightened

"Essays".

Good writing is like a windowpane.

Writing, Good Writing, Thrive

There is only one way to make money at writing, and that is to marry a publisher's daughter.

Daughter, Writing, Way

George Orwell (2016). “Homage to Catalonia / Down and Out in Paris and London”, p.268, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Sheer egoism... Writers share this characteristic with scientists, artists, politicians, lawyers, soldiers, successful businessmen - in short, with the whole top crust of humanity.

Writing, Successful, Artist

George Orwell, Sonia Orwell, Ian Angus (1968). “The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell: An age like this, 1920-1940”, Harvill Secker

In certain kinds of writing, particularly in art criticism and literary criticism, it is normal to come across long passages which are almost completely lacking in meaning.

Art, Writing, Math

George Orwell (1970). “A Collection of Essays”, p.161, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Money writes books, money sells them. Give me not righteousness, O Lord, give me money, only money.

Money, Book, Writing

George Orwell (1987). “Keep the Aspidistra Flying”, Harvill Secker

Man's greatest drive is not love or hate but to change another person's writing.

Hate, Writing, Men

There is a minority of gifted, willfuf people who are determined to live their own lives to the end, and writers belong in this class.

Writing, Class, People

For a creative writer possession of the 'truth' is less important than emotional sincerity.

Love, Writing, Heart

George Orwell, Keith Gessen (2009). “All Art Is Propaganda: Critical Essays”, p.134, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

For weeks past he had been making ready for this moment, and it had never crossed his mind that anything would be needed except courage. The actual writing would be easy. All he had to do was to transfer to paper the interminable restless monologue that had been running inside his head, literally for years.

Running, Writing, Past

George Orwell (1976). “The Penguin complete novels of George Orwell”

As I write, highly civilized human beings are flying overhead, trying to kill me. They do not feel any enmity against me as an individual, nor I against them. They are only 'doing their duty'

Writing, Flying, Trying

George Orwell (2009). “Facing Unpleasant Facts: Narrative Essays”, p.109, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Winston worked in the RECORDS DEPARTMENT (a single branch of the Ministry of Truth) editing and writing for The Times. He dictated into a machine called a Speakwrite. Winston would receive articles or news-items which for one reason or another it was thought necessary to alter, or, in Newspeak, rectify. If, for example, the Ministry of Plenty forecast a surplus, and in reality the result was grossly less, Winston's job was to change previous versions so the old version would agree with the new one.

Jobs, Writing, Reality

As I write, highly civilized human beings are flying overhead, trying to kill me.

Wisdom, Writing, History

1941 The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius, pt.1,'England Your England'.

In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible. Things like the continuance of British rule in India, the Russian purges and deportations, the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan, can indeed be defended, but only by arguments which are too brutal for most people to face, and which do not square with the professed aims of the political parties. Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness.

Party, Writing, Squares

George Orwell (2001). “Orwell and Politics”, p.459, Penguin UK

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