Using Quotations to Enhance Your Articles

Writing comes more easily if you have something to say - Sholem Asch

Quotations add credibility, humor, interest and power to articles.  They can be used in many ways.  Some article writers use quotations as the above to introduce an article and to draw the readers attention to it.  Sometimes this introductory quotation can apply to the theme of the article or just be of interest.  Since this article has to do with both writing and quotations, I've made use of a quotation which is on the theme of writing.  It is also, of course, a humorous quotation.

Writers can find quotations via quotation books compiled on different subjects and/or they can be found easily online at numerous quotations websites.  However, writers can also keep their own quotations journals, with those quotations that are of special interest to themselves and on the subjects they usually write about.  These can be subject-oriented or author-oriented or general.  Authors can also compile their own new quotations from newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, etc.  When reading newspapers or magazines jot down interesting quotations.  When watching television, if anyone says anything that can be quotable, jot it down.  In fact, you can be a compiler of new quotations adding to the store of the great quotations.  Also be sure to be accurate, and jot down the author of the quotation and if necessary the source.  Some quotations are so familiar  and/or by such famous people that you only need the author, for the author is the source, as with the magnificent quotations of Mohammad Ali:

Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision.

  Mohammad Ali