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If you can’t write a story that pleases yourself, you will never please the public. But in writing the story forget the public.

O. Henry

It gives men courage and ambition and the nerve for anything. It has the colour of gold, is clear as a glass and shines after dark as if the sunshine were still in it.
O. HENRY

Ambition Color Courage Darkness Man Sunshine
A story with a moral appended is like the bill of a mosquito. It bores you, and then injects a stinging drop to irritate your conscience.
O. HENRY

Boredom Conscience Irritate Morals
He studied cities as women study their reflections.
O. HENRY

Reflection Study Woman
I’ve got some of my best yarns from park benches, lamp posts and newspaper stands.
O. HENRY

Lamp Myself Stand
Now, girls, if you want to observe a young man hustle out after a pick and shovel, just tell him that your heart is in some other fellow’s grave. Young men are grave-robbers by nature.
O. HENRY

Grave Heart Nature Observation Young Yourself
Of habit, the power that keeps the earth from flying to pieces; though there is some silly theory of gravitation.
O. HENRY

Gravitation Habit Pieces Power Theory
Humans were denied the speech of animals. The only common ground of communication upon which dogs and men can get together is in fiction.
O. HENRY

Animal Communication Human Talk Together
There are a few editor men with whom I am privileged to come in contact. It has not been long since it was their habit to come in contact with me. There is a difference.
O. HENRY

Contact Difference Man Privilege
Whenever he saw a dollar in another man’s hands he took it as a personal grudge, if he couldn’t take it any other way.
O. HENRY

Grudge Hands Man Personal Way
We may achieve climate, but weather is thrust upon us.
O. HENRY

Achieve Climate Ourselves
She had become so thoroughly annealed into his life that she was like the air he breathed–necessary but scarcely noticed.
O. HENRY

Air Breathe Life Necessary Notice Scarce
Write what you like; there is no other rule.
O. HENRY

Rule Writing Yourself
A good story is like a bitter pill, with the sugar coating inside of it.
O. HENRY

Creativity Pill Story
Those whom we first love we seldom marry.
O. HENRY

Love Marriage
If you can’t write a story that pleases yourself, you will never please the public. But in writing the story forget the public.
O. HENRY

Forget Please Story Writing Yourself
There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.
O. HENRY

Day Oneself Ourselves Patriotic

If you can’t write a story that pleases yourself, you will never please the public. But in writing the story forget the public.

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If you can’t write a story that pleases yourself, you will never please the public. But in writing the story forget the public.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More O. Henry Quotes