249 Novelist Quotes for You to Enjoy

I am a fictionalizing philosopher, not a novelist. Philip K. Dick

Philosopher Am Novelist

The novelist's obsession, moment by moment, is with language: finding the right next word. Philip Roth

Word Language Finding Obsession Next Moment Novelist Right

Novel-writing is, for the novelist, a game of let's pretend. Philip Roth

Game Pretend Novelist

I'm a novelist, not a social scientist or a commentator. Rachel Cusk

Scientist Commentator Social Novelist

I don't think I knew that you could be a novelist. I think a lot of my students are in the same condition. I thought it was unreachable, that it was sort of dead people. It took me a long time - I think I was well into novel writing before I really thought, 'Actually, this is a valid pastime.' Rachel Cusk

Time Me You People Writing Thought Long Long Time Before Think Took Valid Unreachable Could Students Knew Dead Well Dead People Sort Condition Lot Pastime Same Really Novel Novelist Actually

I am not expecting anyone to feel sorry for me, but when friends ask how it feels to be a debut novelist who has also been long listed for the Man Booker prize, I have to admit that my response has confused me. I am so overwhelmed, so delighted, so honoured and so surprised, I have come out in a violent cold. Rachel Joyce

Me Man Confused Long Sorry Cold Honoured Out Response Admit Delighted Feel Feels Come Also How Am Surprised Been Friends Debut Overwhelmed Prize Expecting Listed Anyone Ask Who Novelist Violent

'Divergent,' directed by Neil Burger, displayed an admirable seriousness and some grim verve in laying out the boundaries of novelist Veronica Roth's dystopia - six segregated but ostensibly harmonious regions defined by their inhabitants' skills. Richard Corliss

Burger Harmonious Defined Out Neil Admirable Some Divergent Directed Segregated Laying Boundaries Veronica Six Grim Dystopia Regions Inhabitants Skills Roth Displayed Novelist Seriousness

After writing a novel, what is there to say? If a novelist could say it in a maxim, they wouldn't need 120,000 words, several years and sundry characters, plots and subplots, and so on. I'd much rather listen always. Richard Flanagan

Writing Words Say Several Characters Plots Rather Could Always Years Maxim Listen After Much Novel Novelist Need

As a novelist, you have to be free. Books can't be an act of filial duty. Richard Flanagan

You Free Duty Books Act Novelist

I think that if the novel's task is to describe where we find ourselves and how we live now, the novelist must take a good, hard look at the most central facts of contemporary life - technology and science. Richard Powers

Life Good Technology Science Live Think Ourselves Must Find Take Facts Look Most Contemporary Contemporary Life How Task Where Central Hard Hard Look Describe Novel Novelist Now

I think a novelist must be more tender with living or 'real' people. The moral imperative of having been entrusted with their story looms before you every day, in every sentence. Rick Bass

Not until my middle thirties did I consider myself a novelist. Rita Mae Brown

Myself Thirties Consider Until Did Middle Novelist

I started my career as a novelist. 'Veronica Mars' was first imagined as a novel. Rob Thomas

First Mars Veronica Novel Novelist Started Career Imagined

I had wanted to be a novelist for so long, but I didn't have a story. That story came from the death of my father, and wrestling with how to help my mother. Writing it allowed me to work through my fears, frustrations and desires. I wanted control over the situation. And I wasn't sure I would have any in real life. Robert Crais

Life Work Death Me Writing Mother Father Fears Long Real Life Control Situation Would Wrestling Through Had Allowed Over Sure How Real Came Any Wanted Story Frustrations Help Novelist Desires

One of the big surprises for me about Einstein was... that he wasn't this big introvert; he was more like a novelist or a painter. It's amazing how close society came to not benefiting from Albert Einstein's genius. Ron Howard

Me Genius Amazing Big Society Benefiting Introvert About More He Like How Came Surprises Close Einstein Painter Novelist Albert

To sing a song is quite different than to write a poem. I'm not and never will be a novelist, but to write a novel is not the same thing as writing a play. There is a difference in form, but essentially what you're after is the same thing. Sam Shepard

I was so sure I wanted to be a novelist. I would spend hours and hours every day writing. Little stories about nothing in particular. I recall one about someone with an illness. But my dedication wasn't really healthy, and it reached the point where I wasn't sleeping. My mum would tell me, 'You need to go outside to get some fresh air.' Samantha Shannon

Day Me You Every Day Writing Healthy Nothing Dedication Every Sleeping Air Spend Tell Would Some About Someone Point Outside Particular Hours Hours And Hours Reached Sure Fresh Fresh Air Go Get Where Wanted Stories Little Really Illness Novelist Mum Recall Need

I once did an event with Ian Rankin where he said he didn't really need to do much background research because his books are set in the present, and I just thought: 'You lucky, lucky beast!' because as a historical novelist, I live constantly on the edge of wondering whether tissues had been invented. Sara Sheridan

You Thought Beast Edge Research Live Books Once Background Constantly Invented Had He Because Said Been His Historical Did Wondering Just Where Whether Much Really Lucky Novelist Event Present Need Set

I studied the short story as part of my creative writing course at university but then set off as a novelist. Generally, there is a sense that even if you want to write short stories, you need to do a novel first. Sarah Hall

You Creative Writing First Sense Write Generally Studied Part Course Off Short Want Stories Short Stories Short Story Story Then Even Novel Creative Writing Novelist Need Set University

I think back on that day when 16-year-old me scribbled on some silly piece of paper for some long-forgotten high school career-day project that my dream job was 'romance novelist.' Sarah MacLean

Day Me School Job Think Back Project Paper High Dream Some High School Silly Piece Romance Novelist

I knew I'd always be a second-rate academic, and I thought, 'Well, I'd rather be a second-rate novelist or even a third-rate one'. Sarah Waters

Thought Second-Rate Rather Knew Academic Well Always Even Novelist

Britain proves to be an ideal setting for many a medieval-minded crime novelist, regardless of century. Sarah Weinman

Crime Setting Ideal Proves Regardless Century Many Novelist Britain

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