"Simple peck-order bullying is only the beginning of the kind of hierarchical behavior that can lead to racism, sexism, ethnocentrism, classism, and all the other 'isms' that cause so much suffering in the world."
- Octavia E. Butler
Awareness
"You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it."
- Octavia E. Butler
Motivation
"Repressive societies always seemed to understand the danger of 'wrong' ideas."
- Octavia E. Butler
Adversity
"Every story I create, creates me. I write to create myself."
- Octavia E. Butler
Creativity
"Human beings are more alike than different—damn sure more alike than we like to admit."
- Octavia E. Butler
Connection to Earth
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
- Calvin Coolidge
Persistence
"I have stood on a mountain of no’s for one yes."
- Barbara Elaine Smith
Persistence
"First, forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice."
- Octavia Butler
Persistence
"A dragonfly's journey is proof that persistence carves canyons from cliffs"
Persistence
"Persistence pays off, buzz on like the dragonfly"
Persistence