Being an English major has its pros and cons. No exams, but many more papers than any other major (for the most part) are assigned. The writers of today follow in the footsteps of many writers before us. It is comforting in the sense that people throughout the centuries have been crazy enough to choose this path. It's also unnerving because writing has evolved so much over time, and it's unclear where the profession will be in the next few years.

It can be hard to motivate yourself to sit down and write, but these quotes might have the ability to get you going and remind you of the power you have as a writer. Never stop writing, and remember how many options you have as an English major, no matter what misinformed family members may believe.

I think students are born with the propensity to excel in certain subjects, and I know I've always excelled in reading and writing classes over math and science classes. But that doesn't mean I've mastered it all.

We have to continue to cultivate these strengths we've been given so as to improve our abilities and make progress. Don't take your aptitudes for granted. Keep working toward being the best writer you can be.

I think about poetry and non-fiction pieces when I see this quote. The creative side of writing allows writers to express themselves in ways they might not otherwise be able to. Write honestly and fiercely in these situations.

You're incredible! You were made to create distinctive pieces of writing, regardless of what style you choose to create in. Do not waste your tremendous potential.

This is a trap I'm sure all of us have fallen into at some point -- "I don't feel like writing right now. I'll do it later." But often when you put off writing a paper, the task seems more daunting as more time passes. Just taking initiative and writing an outline or a few ideas that you can come back to and add on to later can be immensely helpful, as hard as it is to admit.

Reading books can keep your mind fresh with new adjectives to use, as well as looking up new words or having an online thesaurus pulled up to employ as you write.

Don't procrastinate. Push through the block or the exhaustion to get something down on the page. Many times I neglect writing in my journal because I'm tired at night, but I know that it's worth it when I have entries to reflect on about what I was thinking at that time or what I did that day. Giving just 10 minutes to write is crucial.

Writers have the difficult job of having to be decisive about their own works. It helps to have critiques and receive feedback from peers, but we are ultimately responsible for the revisions made to our works. Our names are recognized as the sole author of our pieces, and that's a hefty responsibility to have. But being proud of the work we produce is the key to it all. We have to let go of uncertainty and find confidence to produce our best work.

This quote touches on the hard work it takes to succeed as a writer in various roles. Just know that what you're doing now, the writing, the reading, and the working, is helping you on the path to being where you want to be. Remember that passion you had in the beginning that made you want to be a writer to push through the hard times coupled with doing what you love.

We continue to write for personal purposes: to make a difference in others' lives or to come to some sort of understanding of ourselves through our writing. Remember the kind words people give to you in response to reading what you've written because this positive feedback means you are succeeding.

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Enjoy your restful break from writing papers and reading long texts. Perhaps journal or write a few poems. Enjoy a novel or two. Based on this article that features research from Wait But Why, if we only read five books a year on average, we will have to choose only 300 books out of the millions out there to actually read. Read as many as you can while you have no responsibilities over the break!