28 Anne Tyler Quotes for You to Enjoy

Anne Tyler

American Novelist

Born: Oct 25, 1941

About Always Life Me Think Writing

Related authors: Elie Wiesel Ernest Hemingway H. P. Lovecraft James Baldwin John Updike Leo Rosten Nathaniel Hawthorne Richard Bach

Ever consider what pets must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul - chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth! Anne Tyler

Amazing Pet Half Think Consider Back Earth Hunters Must Haul Come Most Most Amazing Greatest Cow Chicken Store Mean Us Grocery Grocery Store Pork Pets Ever Here

The one ironclad rule is that I have to try. I have to walk into my writing room and pick up my pen every weekday morning. Anne Tyler

Morning Writing Walk Try Every Rule Pen Pick Up Room

I do write long, long character notes - family background, history, details of appearance - much more than will ever appear in the novel. I think this is what lifts a book from that early calculated, artificial stage. Anne Tyler

Family Character History Book Will Long Stage Think Background Details More Write Lifts Calculated Than Family Background Artificial Notes Much Appear Appearance Novel Ever Early

I remember leaving the hospital - thinking, 'Wait, are they going to let me just walk off with him? I don't know beans about babies! I don't have a license to do this.' We're just amateurs. Anne Tyler

Me Remember Wait Walk Thinking Babies License About Beans Hospital Know Him Amateur Leaving Off Going Just

My stories are never quite good enough. Anne Tyler

Good Enough Never Quite Stories

My decision to start a new one is just that, a decision, since I never get inspirations. Anne Tyler

Decision Inspirations Never Since New New One Get Just Start

If I waited till I felt like writing, I'd never write at all. Anne Tyler

Writing Write Never Like Felt Till Waited

I'll write maybe one long paragraph describing the events, then a page or two breaking the events into chapters, and then reams of pages delving into my characters. After that, I'm ready to begin. Anne Tyler

Events Long Chapters Characters Paragraph Write Delving Ready Begin Maybe After Breaking Then Page Pages Describing Two

I don't want to say I hear voices; well, actually I do hear voices, but I don't think it's supernatural. I think it's just that when characters are given enough texture and backbone, then lo and behold, they stand on their own. Anne Tyler

Own Think Enough Backbone Say Characters Given Supernatural Voices Well Hear Texture Behold Just Want Then Stand Actually

For me, writing something down was the only road out. Anne Tyler

Me Writing Down Out Something Only Road

When I read, I'm purely a reader. Anne Tyler

Purely Read Reader

The hardest novel to write was Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. Anne Tyler

Dinner Restaurant Write Novel Homesick Hardest

She worded it a bit strongly, but I do find myself more and more struck by the differences between the sexes. To put it another way: All marriages are mixed marriages. Anne Tyler

Myself Differences Way Bit Marriages Sexes Find Strongly Struck More More And More Put Between She Another Another Way Mixed

My writing day has grown shorter as I've aged, although it seems to produce the same number of pages. Anne Tyler

Day Writing Seems Although Same Aged Produce Pages Grown Number

I've always enjoyed studying the small clues that indicate a particular class level. Anne Tyler

Class Indicate Small Studying Particular Always Clues Enjoyed Level

I think it must be very hard to be one of the new young writers who are urged to put themselves forward when it may be the last thing on earth they'd be good at. Anne Tyler

Good Young Think Earth Must Writers Put New Very May Urged Young Writers Themselves Hard Who Forward Thing Last

I forget a book as soon as I finish writing it, which is not always a good thing. Anne Tyler

Good Book Writing Finish Good Thing Soon Always Forget Which Thing

I didn't really choose to write; I more or less fell into it. Anne Tyler

More More Or Less Write Fell Really Choose Less

I consciously try to end my novels at a point where I won't have to wonder about my characters ever again. Anne Tyler

Try Characters About Point End Wonder Where Again Novels Ever

I can never tell ahead of time which book will give me trouble - some balk every step of the way, others seem to write themselves - but certainly the mechanics of writing, finding the time and the psychic space, are easier now that my children are grown. Anne Tyler

Time Me Book Writing Space Psychic Will Trouble Every Every Step Others Way Easier Tell Finding Some Seem Give Give Me Write Never Step Balk Children Which Themselves Certainly Mechanics Grown Now

At most I'll spend three or four hours daily, sometimes less. Anne Tyler

Daily Sometimes Three Spend Hours Most Less Four

My family can always tell when I'm well into a novel because the meals get very crummy. Anne Tyler

Family Tell Crummy Well Because Always Very Get Meals Novel

Anne Tyler Quotes

No more Anne Tyler quotes