Oprah Winfrey recently mentioned collecting quotations, of keeping a journal of quotations, which she began collecting as a child. This is an excellent hobby for writers and speakers and for those just interested in ideas and the best ways in which ideas are expressed on almost every subject. Quotations can certainly add to wisdom, to the ability to write and think and express this ability in the most expressive and cogent language.
If you’re a writer or public speaker and/or even a school child needing to write a paper or give a speech, a useful and interesting hobby is collecting quotations. Quotations can be found anywhere, from “Anonymous” to famous sayings of those you hear on the television, the radio, in the movies, from newspapers, magazines, journals, etc. from the (so-called) “rich and famous” to the (so-called) “ordinary citizen.” You can collect the “historical” famous sayings, such as those said by Harry S. Truman or Galileo and/or you can collect the newest sayings by contemporary political figures, celebrities, artists, writers, etc. These can be collected according to subjects, for example sayings about astronomy or art or religion or sports, etc.
These sayings and quotations can be collected for their own interest and you can compile books of them or you can add them to various articles you write on almost any subject. Let’s say you’re writing about a local politician. Then go to your quotations on politics. Or maybe the local politician has something to say on the subject of art and you want to find out what others have said. Go to your quotations on art. You can also find many of the most famous quotations online to add to your repertoire. There are quotations from famous scientists, writers, sports figures, politicians, artists, and many others. There are quotations on almost every subject you want to know or write about, and this also include the quotations from the Bible and various spiritual texts.
Let's say you want to write about or give a speech about wisdom or writing. Here are a couple of famous quotations:
The wisdom of the wise, and the experience of ages, may be preserved by quotations. Isaac Disraeli
Writing is no trouble: you just jot down ideas as they occur to you. The jotting is simplicity itself–it is the occurring which is difficult.
Stephen Leacock
Quotations can add spice to your articles or speeches. They are also useful when you’re trying to figure out what subjects to write about and/or what to speak about Read through some of your favorite quotations for these very cogent, spare, accurate remarks. So whether you want to write about music or chocolate or politics or physics, there are quotations on every subject. For a writer or public speaker, collecting quotations is a fabulous hobby and a treasure trove of new and interesting ideas.
Although Oprah Winfrey began collecting quotations as our child now as a "public pundit," people are collecting the quotations of Oprah Winfrey
