“I spent thirty-two years in a paper mill in southern Ohio, and before that I worked in a meatpacking plant and a shoe factory.” YearsTwoPaperPlantShoesThirtyTwo YearsSouthernFactoriesOhioMills Author:Donald Ray Pollock
“I'm trying to break myself of that habit [of not writing out a first draft ] because I'm working on a couple novels and I know if I tried to write those books the way I wrote the stories it would take me years to finish.” IfsKnowsWayWritingTryingYearsFirstsBookStoriesBreakNovelCoupleHabitTake Me Author:Donald Ray Pollock
“Probably because I personally knew at least six or seven people in Ross County who died from overdoses in the last three years. The heroin epidemic is just too aggravating and sad and unsettling for even someone like me to live with and think about for the time it would take to write a book dealing with it.” PeopleThinkingWritingYearsBookLastsThreeSixDiedSevenLike MeThree YearsCountyEpidemicsHeroinDealing With ItOverdoseAggravating Author:Donald Ray Pollock
“Nostalgia is partly illusion in that we remember things differently as we get older, etc. But that doesn't mean, when historians look back on the 1950s, say, from the year 2090, it won't be judged as a saner, slower, less narcissistic, more family-focused, and economically secure time.” YearsLooksMeanRememberIllusionFocusedNostalgiaSecureEtcHistorianJudgedNarcissistic Author:Donald Ray Pollock
“It depends on what your dream might be, as to whether or not it's still possible when you're, say, fifty or sixty. You won't ever pitch for the big leagues, for example. But I believe anyone, regardless of age, can write if he or she is willing to do the work, and I'm talking about spending at least an hour or two at it almost every day for five to ten years.” IfsWritingYearsBelieveStillsTwoDreamBigsMightAgeI BelieveHoursTalkingFiveExampleWillingDependsTenSpendingLeagueYour DreamsFiftySixty Author:Donald Ray Pollock
“If a person does this for just a couple of years and discovers that it just isn't for him, that's okay. At least he can move on knowing that he gave it his best shot.” IfsYearsPersonsDoeMovingKnowingCoupleShotsOkayBest Shot Author:Donald Ray Pollock
