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Insight Horizon

22 F. Scott Fitzgerald Quotes On Writing, Love, And Disillusion

Author

Ava Hall

Updated on March 16, 2026

F. Scott Fitzgerald in Paris

The author of The Great Gatsby, This Side of Paradise, Tender is the Night, and such exquisite short stories as “The Diamond Big as the Ritz” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald burned his way through the literary world of the early 20th century.

He was an Ivy League elite of the old guard, full of idealistic visions of duty and artistic taste. His intoxicating success and his chaotic romance with his wife Zelda aggravated his alcoholism, and his writing frayed in his later years. He died young, at the age of 44.

Below are some of the disillusioned, brilliant, beleaguered, and enamored writer’s best lines, drawn from his world-class canon and his private letters.

Fitzgerald Quotes Love Writing Disillusion
Fitzgerald Good Writing Swimming Underwater From a private letter to his daughter, Frances.Princeton University
Fitzgerald Beauty Literature You Belong
Fitzgerald Whole Theory Of Literature These lines appeared in Fitzgerald’s “Author’s Apology” at the beginning of This Side of Paradise. The photo shows a 16-year old Francis Scott. Princeton University
Fitzgerald Quote Hero Tragedy Writing The quote comes from the author’s notebooks. The image shows a manuscript page of This Side of Paradise. Princeton University
Fitzgerald Versatile Mind Restless Generation Lines from This Side of Paradise. Wikimedia Commons
Fitzgerald Tender Is The Night The quote is from Tender is the Night. The photo shows Fitzgerald’s passport.Princeton University
F Scott Fitzgerald Zelda Fitzgerald From This Side of Paradise. Wikimedia Commons
Fitzgerald Youth Minnesota Football Team The quote is from “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz.” The photo shows Fitzgerald’s football team in St. Paul, Minnesota.Princeton University
Scott Fitzgerald Diamond Big Ritz From “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz.”Princeton University
Amory Blaine Wonderful Nights Fitzgerald From This Side of Paradise.Princeton University
Fitzgerald Tales Jazz Age Quote The quote is from “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz.” Wikimedia Commons
Fitzgerald Beautiful And Damned Quote This quote comes from The Beautiful and Damned, Fitzgerald’s second novel.Princeton University
Fitzgerald Life Is A Cheat Fitzgerald wrote these words in a private letter to his daughter, Frances. The photo shows the author as a Princeton freshman. Princeton University
Fitzgerald Hollywood Is A Dump Quote from a private letter to a friend. Princeton University
Scott Fitzgerald Friends Thirties Forties The quote comes from the author’s notebooks. Library Of Congress
Scott Fitzgerald Dark Night Soul The quote is from The Crack-Up. The photo shows Fitzgerald’s house in St. Paul, Minnesota. Library Of Congress
Scott Fitzgerald I Love You Quote from the shot story titled “The Offshore Pirate.” Wikimedia Commons
Zelda Fitzgerald Finest Loveliest Tenderest From a letter to Zelda. Wikimedia Commons
Fitzgerald Quotes Zelda Only God From a letter to a friend. Wikimedia Commons
Francis Zelda Same Love Twice From a private letter.Library Of Congress
Fitzgerald First-Rate Intelligence From The Crack-Up. Wikimedia Commons
Scott Fitzgerald The Crack-Up From The Crack-Up. Princeton University

Enjoy this look at the most powerful F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes? Be sure to check out these quotes to change your life, as well as the words of George Orwell, Roald Dahl, Ernest Hemingway and Mark Twain.