Ngaio Marsh Quotes

• You must be able to write. You must have a sense of form, of pattern, of design. You must have a respect for and a mastery over words.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Writing, Design, Mastery

  Ngaio Marsh (1996). “Death on the Air and Other Stories”, HarperCollins Publishers

  49 Copy quote

• if you go through life looking for insults, you may be comfortably assured of finding them.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Insults You, May, Findings

  Ngaio Marsh (2012). “Artists in Crime: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #6”, p.122, Felony & Mayhem Press

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• You may be able to write a novel, you may not. You will never know until you have worked very hard indeed and written at least part of it. You will never really know until you have written the whole of it and submitted it for publication.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Writing, May, Able

  Ngaio Marsh (1996). “Death on the Air and Other Stories”, HarperCollins Publishers

  26 Copy quote

• No coffee is ever quite as good as it smells.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Coffee, Smell

  Ngaio Marsh (2016). “Last Ditch: Roderick Alleyn #29”, p.71, Felony & Mayhem Press

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• It is a curious thing that when one speaks from the heart it is invariably in the worst of taste.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Heart, Taste, Speak

  Ngaio Marsh (2012). “Death in a White Tie: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #7”, p.58, Felony & Mayhem Press

  15 Copy quote

• One should have the courage of one's loneliness.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Loneliness, Should Have, Should

  Ngaio Marsh (2014). “Singing in the Shrouds: Roderick Alleyn #20”, p.179, Felony & Mayhem Press

  7 Copy quote

• Expectation is the springboard of achievement.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Expectations, Achievement, Springboards

  8 Copy quote

• We do not wait for inspiration. We work because we've jolly well got to. But when all is said and done, we toil at this particular job because it's turned out to be our particular job, and in a weird sort of way I suppose we may be said to like it.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Jobs, Inspiration, Writing

  16 Copy quote

• As usual she had a deceptive air of perspicacity.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Air, Usual, Deceptive

  Ngaio Marsh (2012). “Death in Ecstasy: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #4”, p.192, Felony & Mayhem Press

  8 Copy quote

• Custom makes monsters of us all.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Monsters, Customs

  Ngaio Marsh (2012). “Death in Ecstasy: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #4”, p.145, Felony & Mayhem Press

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• Above all things-read. Read the great stylists who cannot be copied rather than the successful writers who must not be copied.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Writing, Successful, Stylist

  Ngaio Marsh (1996). “Death on the Air and Other Stories”, HarperCollins Publishers

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• Why do you want to become an author? I will accept only one answer. If it is because you feel you can write better than you can do anything else then go ahead and do it without frills and flourishes. Stick to your present job and write in your spare time: but do it as if it is a whole time job.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Jobs, Writing, Answers

  Ngaio Marsh (1996). “Death on the Air and Other Stories”, HarperCollins Publishers

  10 Copy quote

• No art should be fashionable.

  Ngaio Marsh

  Art, Should, Fashionable

  5 Copy quote

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