A Letter from F. Scott Fitzgerald
I noticed this letter from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Frances Turnbull on a friend’s Facebook.
“You’ve got to sell your heart, your strongest reactions, not the little minor things that only touch you lightly, the little experiences that you might tell at dinner. This is especially true when you begin to write, when you have not yet developed the tricks of interesting people on paper, when you have none of the technique which it takes time to learn. When, in short, you have only your emotions to sell.”
- Posted in: Other Sites
- Tagged: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Frances Turnbull, letter, write
Suzanna and Writing 
Well, Suzy, F. Scott Fitzgerald just validated my work…One piece I wrote this summer touched all the poetry students. Now I have to turn it into a work of art. Wish me instinct and insight!
Sally
Forgot to say I love this quote. Thanks for posting it!
I do wish you instinct and insight, Sally! This letter touched me very deeply, verifying that I have to use my emotions when I write. Otherwise what I’m writing will struggle to touch others the way it touched me. Writing is not just intellectual but emotional.
You’re very welcome! 🙂