“I began to see, again and again, stories that were first confusing and second where the emotional impact was muted because the big scene came before the explanation of what was going on. There was a reverse chronological order as well as a concealment of what exactly was going on. I think often that comes out of the fear of being boring, and sometimes I think it's just an attempt to seem clever.” ThinkingFirstsWellsSometimesStoriesBigsSeemsOrderEmotionalSceneImpactBoringCleverExplanationAgain And AgainReverseConfusingConcealment Author:Alice Mattison
“For some people, it's very easy to be spontaneous and they can pour out the most wonderful stuff. But it's really hard to exert control over it, to think, 'Well, this could be different. This could go in the opposite order, there could be more here and less there.' For other people, it's much easier to have rules and a methodology, but much harder to let loose and allow their feelings to come pouring out on the page. They're more shy or they're just more distant from their emotions. I think everybody starts with one or the other.” PeopleThinkingWellsDifferentHardFeelingsOrderEasyStuffEmotionWonderfulEasierPagesOppositesHarderShyOver ItSpontaneousPouringMethodologyBe Spontaneous Author:Alice Mattison
“Somehow we have to detach from feeling as though money is a quick and easy standard by which we can gauge how well we're doing.” WellsFeelingsEasyStandardsGauges Author:Alice Mattison
“You may be somebody who writes best for a small press that doesn't pay very well, but you might have a fascinating and intricate style that might not appeal to as many readers but will be incredibly meaningful to the readers you have. Truly, that's as wonderful if not more wonderful.” IfsWritingWellsMayMightPayWonderfulStyleReaderPressesMeaningfulAppealsFascinatingIntricate Author:Alice Mattison
“Whoever would write books? It's suffering as well as greatly satisfying. And certainly there's suffering in the sense that you don't know for a long time how to do it.” KnowsWritingWellsLongBookSufferingLong TimeSatisfying Author:Alice Mattison