The first thing to cross my mind when I saw Gore Vidal trending on Twitter this morning was: what would the great man himself have had to say about his sudden digital popularity? Something scathing, undoubtedly, something funny and clever and sharp. He died yesterday, so we will never know, but the site is flooded with tributes to the great man this morning – mostly, and most joyfully and poignantly, in the form of some of his own great quotations.

The unlikely combination of author Michael Moore and digital champion Martha Lane Fox both went for: "Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half", and author Jon Courtenay Grimwood for "Write something, even if it's just a suicide note..." Chavs author Owen Jones chose the classic quote, "Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little", writing: "RIP Gore Vidal, a great intellectual of our time. No-one did acerbic better."

Actor Martha Plimpton chose a personal favourite: "A writer must always tell the truth. Unless he's a journalist." Author Taslima Nasreen said she was "proud to be with Gore Vidal in a book", also remembering his quotes "There is no such thing as a homosexual or a heterosexual person. There are only homo or heterosexual acts", and "'Democracy is supposed to give you the feeling of choice, like Painkiller X and Painkiller Y. But they're both just aspirin."

Scissor Sister Jake Shears joined in the commemoration, tweeting: "'Camp is nothing but another word for someone who hasn't got any talent.' RIP Gore Vidal. A truly great American original. What a legacy." So did Courtney Love, writing: "'Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn.' Quoted by Gore Vidal ... you will be missed, rest in peace Gore."

And the American Humanist Association has provided a fine tribute to the author, its honorary president, saying that his "progressive and humanist values ... moved the culture in a positive direction".

"He spent his life pointing out the places in society that needed the most attention without worrying who might be embarrassed or upset by his opinions," said president David Niose. Humanist magazine editor Jennifer Bardie added: "He's been called an iconoclast, a provocateur, and a misanthrope. And of course Gore occasionally said things that gave humanists pause. But he was forever dedicated to the cause of enlightenment and exposed injustice and hypocrisy at every turn."

I love, finally, comedian Frank Conniff's comment, that "Gore Vidal dreaded the idea of an afterlife, because it would mean he'd have to see Norman Mailer again. Rest In Peace." But newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy is probably right too: "I imagine Gore Vidal will get to heaven and find it terribly bland. I hope he somehow sends us back a review."

Please leave your own tributes to Vidal here – and remind us of your favourite quotations from the author, if you can't spot them here.