Gabriel García Márquez is a Colombian novelist and one of the most significant writers of the 20th century. A literary hero who was also an accomplished journalist, Márquez proved that age doesn’t matter when achieving your dreams. During his time, he authored short stories, novels, and screenplays. Many of his works undeniably contributed much to his fame and success. To some extent, Marquez quotes on writing shared the same popularity as his short and long output of fiction.
Latin American writer, Colombian novelist, journalist, and screenwriter Gabriel García Márquez was born in Aracataca, Colombia, on March 6, 1967. From an accomplished newspaper journalist, Marquez became one of the most significant authors of the 20th century after writing many acclaimed non-fiction works, short stories, and novels. His best-known novels were One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, released in 1967 and 1985, respectively. Apart from his large output of fiction and non-fiction works, Marquez also became famous for popularizing the literary style known as magical realism. This genre of writing incorporates mystical elements and events into seemingly realistic fiction.
Marquez’s conventional storytelling ability enables readers to use their imagination to visualize different forms of fantasy. He’s an undeniably literary hero who made a remarkable contribution in the field that experienced and budding writers benefit from up until today. If your passion involves venturing into the literature world, let the following Marquez quotes on writing motivate you to improve while achieving your dreams.
Marquez Quotes About Writing
Marquez’s work discipline and commendable storytelling ability earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982, mainly for his iconic masterpiece entitled One Hundred Years of Solitude. His enormous influence in literature, shorter and longer fiction, and writing approach established his name as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. His legacy remains even today, that simply listening or reading his advice and quotes about writing will ignite any writer’s passion even more.
Explore Marquez quotes about writing through the collection below.
As a writer I’m merely a journalist who has learned to write better than others.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
All my life, I’ve been frightened at the moment I sit down to write.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The house became full of love. Aureliano expressed it in poetry that had no beginning and no end. He would write it on the harsh pieces of parchment that Melquiades gave him, on the bathroom walls, on the skin of his arms, and in all of it Remedios would appear transfigured: Remedios in the soporific air of two in the afternoon, Remedios in the soft breath of the roses, Remedios in the water-clock secrets of the moths, Remedios in the steaming morning bread, Remedios everywhere and Remedios forever.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The more transparent the writing, the more visible the poetry.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Unfortunately many young writers are more concerned with fame than with their own work… It’s much more important to write than to be written about.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Then the writing became so fluid that I sometimes felt as if I were writing for the sheer pleasure of telling a story, which may be the human condition that most resembles levitation.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I have never done anything except write, but I don’t possess the vocation or talents of a narrator, have no knowledge at all of the laws of dramatic composition, and if I have embarked upon this enterprise it is because I trust in the light shed by how much I have read in my life.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I think that the idea that I’m writing for many more people than I ever imagined has created a certain general responsibility that is literary and political. There’s even pride involved, in not wanting to fall short of what I did before.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
People spend a lifetime thinking about how they would really like to live. I asked my friends and no one seems to know very clearly. To me, it’s very clear now. I wish my life could have been like the years when I was writing ‘Love in the Time of Cholera.’
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
In the end all books are written for your friends. The problem after writing One Hundred Years of Solitude was that now I no longer know whom of the millions of readers I am writing for; this upsets and inhibits me. It’s like a million eyes are looking at you and you don’t really know what they think.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Today, retired but not defeated, I enjoy the sacred privilege of writing at home, with the phone off the hook so that no one can disturb me, and without a censor looking over my shoulder to see what I am writing.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A famous writer who wants to continue writing has to be constantly defending himself against fame.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I never used to write down all the ideas that occur to me while writing. I believed if I forgot them they were not important, and the ones that really mattered were those I remembered. Now I write them all down.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The only thing that didn’t occur to her was to give up. Nevertheless, he seemed insensible to her delirium; it was like writing to nobody.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Marquez Quotes About Books
Like many other writers, Marquez also loved reading books. In an interview, he mentioned how some of his readings marked him for life, most likely influenced his preferred genre and writing style. Marquez reads not only for entertainment but also to learn more about his origins. Then, he incorporates his new finds into his works. Indeed, a master of his craft!
If you’re looking for any quotes about books from Marquez, the following compilation shows you just what you need.
Between the covers of the books that no one had ever read again, in the old parchments damaged by dampness, a livid flower had prospered, and in the air that had been the purest and brightest in the house an unbearable smell of rotten memories floated.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I don’t know who said that novelists read the novels of others only to figure out how they are written. I believe it’s true. We aren’t satisfied with the secrets exposed on the surface of the page: we turn the book around to find the seams.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The truth is that I know very few novelists who have been satisfied with the adaptation of their books for the screen.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
In the end all books are written for your friends.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
One night a friend lent me a book of short stories by Franz Kafka. I went back to the pension where I was staying and began to read The Metamorphosis. The first line almost knocked me off the bed. I was so surprised. The first line reads, “As Gregor Samsa awoke that morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. . . .” When I read the line I thought to myself that I didn’t know anyone was allowed to write things like that. If I had known, I would have started writing a long time ago. So I immediately started writing short stories.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Faulkner is a writer who has had much to do with my soul, but Hemingway is the one who had the most to do with my craft – not simply for his books, but for his astounding knowledge of the aspect of craftsmanship in the science of writing.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I must warn you that the books I like are not necessarily the ones I think are the best. I like them for various reasons not always easy to explain.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
When I sit down to write, which is the essential moment in my life, I am completely alone. Whenever I write a book, I accumulate a lot of documentation. That background material is the most intimate part of my private life. It’s a little embarrassing – like being seen in your underwear It’s like the way magicians never tell others how they make a dove come out of a hat.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Most critics don’t realize that a novel like One Hundred Years of Solitude is a bit of a joke, full of signals to close friends; and so, with some pre-ordained right to pontificate they take on the responsibility of decoding the book and risk making terrible fools of themselves.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Marquez Quotes About Dreams
Marquez did not achieve his fame and success as a writer early in life nor overnight. The publication of his blockbuster novel only happened in 1967, shortly before he reached 40 years old. True enough, his life story shows his dedication to writing. However, it also served as a reminder that no age is too late for someone to achieve their dreams.
Moreover, the list below shows some quotes about dreams coming from Marquez himself.
It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
An artisan without memories, whose only dream was to die of fatigue in the oblivion and misery of his little gold fishes.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
It was the year they fell into devastating love. Neither one could do anything except think about the other, dream about the other, and wait for letters with the same impatience they felt when they answered them.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Colombian writer and journalist Gabriel García Márquez was one of the 20th century’s most celebrated writers. His unique storytelling ability, the use of magical realism, and words of wisdom will undoubtedly help many professional and aspiring writers today. Like most writers, his legacy, advice, and quotes will never fade in time. We hope that you enjoy our collection of Marquez quotes on writing.
Need more inspiration on writing other than these quotes of Gabriel García Márquez? Check out our collection of quotes on writing from other authors here.
