|

|

Advertisements

George Saunders Quotes

As a fiction writer, one of things you learn is God lives in specificity. You know, human kindness is increased as we pursue specificity Picture Quote #1

The one thing fiction and non-fiction writing have in common for me is that sense of trying to get the sentences to be minimal but at the same time be a little overfull - to encourage them to do a kind of poetic work Picture Quote #1

I’ve found that my first drafts are not so special. But the more I work on them, the better they get. They are more unique and defensible Picture Quote #1

The word ‘funny’ is a bit like the word ‘love’ - we don’t have enough words to describe the many varieties Picture Quote #1

I took me to the Banks of the River, and tarried there awhile, as the lowering Sun made one with the Water, giving generously of Itself and its Diverse Colors, in a Splay of Magnificence that preceded a most wonderful Silence Picture Quote #1

I attended Catholic school. We received a great education from the nuns. ... Also, guilt. Guilt and a feeling of never being satisfied with what you’ve done. And a sense that you are inadequate and a big phony. All useful for a writer. I’m always being edited by my inner nun Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

Dad had once said, Trust your mind, Rob. If it smells like shit but has writing across it that says Happy Birthday and a candle stuck down in it, what is it?Is there icing on it? he’d said.Dad had done that thing of squinting his eyes when an answer was not quite there yet Picture Quote #1

I’m very happy - if I can do even a little bit of work to get the short story out more, I’m thrilled Picture Quote #1

It's funny with fiction - once you cut something, it hasn't happened anymore Picture Quote #1

So I may not have had a gothic childhood, but childhood makes its own gothicity Picture Quote #1

Stay alert. The big moral crossroads in your life may not come labeled as such Picture Quote #1

The contours of the coming disaster expanded to include the deaths of all present Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

I started out in engineering. I was a geophysical engineer. Throughout the course of my life I've done a lot of strange jobs, and the effect has been to make me think a little more skeptically about our capitalist society Picture Quote #1

A John Updike is a once in a generation phenomenon, if that generation is lucky: so comfortable in so many genres, the same lively, generous intelligence suffusing all he did Picture Quote #1

I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character, I cleave the character in half, on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar Picture Quote #1

If you think of a work of fiction as a kind of scale model of the world, then the positive valences - where things turn out better than you thought they would - ought to be in there somewhere, too Picture Quote #1

We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish Picture Quote #1

If death is in the room, it’s pretty interesting. But I would also say that I’m interested in getting myself to believe that it’s going to happen to me. I’m interested in it, because if you’re not, you’re nuts. It’s really de facto what we’re here to find out about Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

Stories, as much as we like to talk about them, retrospectively, as emanations of theme or worldview or intention, occur primarily as technical objects when they’re being written. Or at least they do for me. They’re the result of thousands of decisions made at speed during revision Picture Quote #1

The best thing that ever happened to me is that nothing happened in writing. I ended up working for engineering companies, and that’s where I found my material, in the everyday struggle between capitalism and grace. Being broke and tired, you don’t come home your best self Picture Quote #1

If a writer understands his work as something that originates with him but then, with any luck, gets away from him, then what he needs is someone who can grasp the potential of the piece and lead him to that higher ground Picture Quote #1

It is technically very hard to show positive manifestations. But I can look back at the way I thought and felt even as a little kid and there was a lot of wonder there, and openness to the many sides of life Picture Quote #1

It seems to me that there are certain thoughts and vignettes and attitudes that I have always had the desire to represent Picture Quote #1

I feel that there is nothing that can happen to a person that is banal. Everything that happens to us is interesting Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

If I’m writing a story and you’re reading it, or vice versa, you took time out of your day to pick up my book. I think the one thing that will kill that relationship is if you feel me condescending to you in the process Picture Quote #1

I think the trick of being a writer is to basically put your cards out there all the time and be willing to be as in the dark about what happens next as your reader would be at that time Picture Quote #1

The most hopeful thing in the stories, I hope, is wit. I make it up. If I make up a world in which we’re ruled by big talking turds, it doesn’t mean that we are. So you shouldn’t feel depressed Picture Quote #1

I’m not thinking much about overall themes or preoccupations or anything like that. Instead I’m just trusting that, if I’m working hard, various notions and riffs and motifs and so on are very naturally suffusing the stories and the resulting book Picture Quote #1

Positive human action is not only possible, but pervasive; human beings can improve and choose light and so on. And this is all happening Picture Quote #1

Fiction is open to whoever comes in the door, as long as you come in energetically Picture Quote #1

1 2 3 4 5

Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

Advertisements

Text Quotes

As a fiction writer, one of things you learn is God lives in specificity. You know, human kindness is increased as we pursue specificity. (George Saunders Quotes) The one thing fiction and non-fiction writing have in common for me is that sense of trying to get the sentences to be minimal but at the same time be a little overfull - to encourage them to do a kind of poetic work. (George Saunders Quotes) I’ve found that my first drafts are not so special. But the more I work on them, the better they get. They are more unique and defensible. (George Saunders Quotes) The word ‘funny’ is a bit like the word ‘love’ - we don’t have enough words to describe the many varieties. (George Saunders Quotes) I took me to the Banks of the River, and tarried there awhile, as the lowering Sun made one with the Water, giving generously of Itself and its Diverse Colors, in a Splay of Magnificence that preceded a most wonderful Silence. (George Saunders Quotes) I attended Catholic school. We received a great education from the nuns. ... Also, guilt. Guilt and a feeling of never being satisfied with what you’ve done. And a sense that you are inadequate and a big phony. All useful for a writer. I’m always being edited by my inner nun. (George Saunders Quotes) Dad had once said, Trust your mind, Rob. If it smells like shit but has writing across it that says Happy Birthday and a candle stuck down in it, what is it?Is there icing on it? he’d said.Dad had done that thing of squinting his eyes when an answer was not quite there yet. (George Saunders Quotes) I’m very happy - if I can do even a little bit of work to get the short story out more, I’m thrilled. (George Saunders Quotes) It's funny with fiction - once you cut something, it hasn't happened anymore (George Saunders Quotes) So I may not have had a gothic childhood, but childhood makes its own gothicity (George Saunders Quotes) Stay alert. The big moral crossroads in your life may not come labeled as such (George Saunders Quotes) The contours of the coming disaster expanded to include the deaths of all present (George Saunders Quotes) I started out in engineering. I was a geophysical engineer. Throughout the course of my life I've done a lot of strange jobs, and the effect has been to make me think a little more skeptically about our capitalist society (George Saunders Quotes) A John Updike is a once in a generation phenomenon, if that generation is lucky: so comfortable in so many genres, the same lively, generous intelligence suffusing all he did (George Saunders Quotes) I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character, I cleave the character in half, on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar (George Saunders Quotes) If you think of a work of fiction as a kind of scale model of the world, then the positive valences - where things turn out better than you thought they would - ought to be in there somewhere, too (George Saunders Quotes) We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish (George Saunders Quotes) If death is in the room, it’s pretty interesting. But I would also say that I’m interested in getting myself to believe that it’s going to happen to me. I’m interested in it, because if you’re not, you’re nuts. It’s really de facto what we’re here to find out about (George Saunders Quotes) Stories, as much as we like to talk about them, retrospectively, as emanations of theme or worldview or intention, occur primarily as technical objects when they’re being written. Or at least they do for me. They’re the result of thousands of decisions made at speed during revision (George Saunders Quotes) The best thing that ever happened to me is that nothing happened in writing. I ended up working for engineering companies, and that’s where I found my material, in the everyday struggle between capitalism and grace. Being broke and tired, you don’t come home your best self (George Saunders Quotes) If a writer understands his work as something that originates with him but then, with any luck, gets away from him, then what he needs is someone who can grasp the potential of the piece and lead him to that higher ground (George Saunders Quotes) It is technically very hard to show positive manifestations. But I can look back at the way I thought and felt even as a little kid and there was a lot of wonder there, and openness to the many sides of life (George Saunders Quotes) It seems to me that there are certain thoughts and vignettes and attitudes that I have always had the desire to represent (George Saunders Quotes) I feel that there is nothing that can happen to a person that is banal. Everything that happens to us is interesting (George Saunders Quotes) If I’m writing a story and you’re reading it, or vice versa, you took time out of your day to pick up my book. I think the one thing that will kill that relationship is if you feel me condescending to you in the process (George Saunders Quotes) I think the trick of being a writer is to basically put your cards out there all the time and be willing to be as in the dark about what happens next as your reader would be at that time (George Saunders Quotes) The most hopeful thing in the stories, I hope, is wit. I make it up. If I make up a world in which we’re ruled by big talking turds, it doesn’t mean that we are. So you shouldn’t feel depressed (George Saunders Quotes) I’m not thinking much about overall themes or preoccupations or anything like that. Instead I’m just trusting that, if I’m working hard, various notions and riffs and motifs and so on are very naturally suffusing the stories and the resulting book (George Saunders Quotes) Positive human action is not only possible, but pervasive; human beings can improve and choose light and so on. And this is all happening (George Saunders Quotes) Fiction is open to whoever comes in the door, as long as you come in energetically (George Saunders Quotes)

1 2 3 4 5