Home / Authors / John Dufresne

John Dufresne Quotes

Author

John Dufresne is an American author born on January 30, 1948. His works are known for their unique narrative style and profound insights into human nature.

Filter quotes by topic

All Stories Writing Fiction Character Ifs Knows Firsts Gossip Jobs Love Is Novel Persons Pleasure Reading Social Thinking World Careers Creative Done

Famous John Dufresne Quotes

“Novels are written, not wished into existence. You have to sit your ass in the chair or nothing gets done.”

Writing Done Existence Novel Written Ass Chairs

Book:Is Life Like This?: A Guide to Writing Your First Novel in Six Months

Source: Is Life Like This?: A Guide to Writing Your First Novel in Six Months

“Actually, my first literary heroes were the Romantic poets, so I began to get serious by writing poems. I have notebooks full of them that I cherish but am afraid to look at.”

Writing Firsts Looks Serious Poet Hero Cherish Notebook Writing Poems Romantic Poet

Author:John Dufresne

“I was always writing. I just didn't know if I was any good.”

Ifs Knows Writing

Author:John Dufresne

“What you create when you're teaching fiction writing is a kind of literary salon, not a social club or a mutual admiration society, not a debating society, not a repair shop, not a fight club or a soap box. It's a place to have a conversation about a story.”

Writing Kind Stories Fighting Social Fiction Teaching Conversation Boxes Clubs Shops Mutual Admiration Soap Fiction Writing Salons Mutual Admiration

Author:John Dufresne

“Writing a story, you understand, is not done by consensus. But we do learn from each other, and we remind ourselves how important this work we're doing is.”

Writing Important Done Stories Consensus

Author:John Dufresne

“Place is character. And all writing is regional.”

Writing Character

Author:John Dufresne

“It's easier to write about a place sometimes when you've left it, when you can apply your imagination to your memory and let your emotions guide the writing about a place.”

Writing Sometimes Left Imagination Memories Emotion Easier Guides Our Memories

Author:John Dufresne

“I write with a fountain pen. And then revise word by word and line by line so that the first draft of a scene is usually the tenth or so draft.”

Writing Firsts Lines Scene Pens Fountain Fountain Pens

Author:John Dufresne

“Love is anticipation and memory, uncertainty and longing. It’s unreasonable, of course. Nothing begins with so much excitement and hope and pleasure as love, except maybe writing a story. And nothing fails as often, except writing stories. And like a story, love must be troubled to be interesting.”

Writing Stories Courses Memories Love Is Pleasure Interesting Failing Longing Uncertainty Excitement Anticipation Unreasonable Writing Stories

Book:Love Warps the Mind a Little: A Novel

Source: Love Warps the Mind a Little: A Novel

“You will feel discouraged; you will lose confidence in your abilities; you will be bored with the characters–and the only way to overcome these obstacles is to write your way through them. And writing always works.”

Way Feels Writing Character Loses Ability Overcoming Obstacles Bored Discouraged

Author:John Dufresne

About the Author

Born: January 30, 1948
Known for: Author
Quotes: 48

Books & Sources

Love Warps the Mind a Little: A NovelRelated source material

Is Life Like This?: A Guide to Writing Your First Novel in Six MonthsRelated source material

Love Warps the Mind a LittleRelated source material

No Regrets, CoyoteRelated source material

Similar Authors

Eudora WeltyBrowse related quotes
Sefi AttaBrowse related quotes
Chuck WendigBrowse related quotes
Etgar KeretBrowse related quotes
Joyce Carol OatesBrowse related quotes
Dan ChaonBrowse related quotes
Flannery O'ConnorBrowse related quotes
Theodore SturgeonBrowse related quotes
Paul AusterBrowse related quotes
Jess WalterBrowse related quotes