This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Jackie Collins, the best-selling British-born author of dozens of steamy novels, which depicted the boardrooms and bedrooms of Hollywood's most powerful, died on Saturday of breast cancer at age 77.
A true trailblazer who wasn’t afraid to speak honestly and openly about women and sex, or to discuss taboo topics, Jackie leaves a legacy of timeless and wildly entertaining novels – every single one of which hit the New York Times bestsellers list – and a wealth of frank and feisty advice.
Here are some of our favourite Jackie quotes on writing. Not only do they capture the straight-talking author’s candid and relentlessly real approach to life, but they’re tips and snippets we can all learn from.
1. "Barbara Cartland said to me, 'Oh, Miss Collins, your books are filthy and disgusting and you are responsible for all the perverts in England,' I pause for a few moments and said, 'Thank you.'"
2. “I’m not grammatical in the way I talk, or in the way I write, and I don’t pretend to be. I’m a high school dropout who eavesdrops.”
3. "I think I'm a born storyteller. Inspiration is all around me. I can read a newspaper article and come up with an idea for a book."
4. "I really fall in love with my characters, even the bad ones. I love getting together with them. They tell me what to do; they take me on a wild and wonderful trip."5. "My biggest critics are the people who’ve never read me. It doesn’t bother me at all."
6. "I start with a title and a cast list of characters in my head. Then I let them take me off on a journey. I have no idea where I’m going but I do know it’s going to be a hell of a ride!"
7. "I wake up at 7am, go straight to my desk and write one sentence. That’s the secret."
8. "I never get lonely because I always have my characters with me."
9. "Writing sex happens like it happens in life – organically."
10. "When reading, imagery is everything – a good author makes you see, smell and breathe the characters."
Oh, Jackie. You will be missed.