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Katherine Anne Porter

Katherine Anne Porter Quotes

Journalist

American journalist, novelist, and essayist, known for her profound psychological portraits and unique narrative style. Porter, born in Texas, often explored the relationship between individuals and society, as well as themes of morality and religion in her works. Her notable works include 'The Ship of Fools' and 'The Gate of Heaven'.

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All Humans People Ifs Knows World Writing Believe Men Art Giving Thinking Want Children Death Has Beens Needs Stories Artist Firsts Hands

Famous Katherine Anne Porter Quotes

“I think I've only spent about ten percent of my energies on writing. The other ninety percent went to keeping my head above water.”

Thinking Writing Energy Water Ten Percent Ninety

Author:Katherine Anne Porter

“It is as hard to find a neutral critic as it is a neutral country in time of war. I suppose if a critic were neutral, he wouldn't trouble to write anything.”

Ifs Writing War Country Hard Trouble Critics

Author:Katherine Anne Porter

“I started out with nothing in the world but a kind of passion, a driving desire. I don't know where it came from, and I don't know why - or why I have been so stubborn about it that nothing could deflect me. But this thing between me and my writing is the strongest bond I have ever had - stronger than any bond or any engagement with any human being or with any other work I've ever done.”

Knows World Writing Humans Kind Has Beens Done Desire Passion Human Beings Stronger Driving Strongest Engagement Stubborn

Book:Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

Source: Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

“Writing does not exclude the full life; it demands it.”

Writing Doe Demand Full Life

Author:Katherine Anne Porter

“I always write a story in one sitting.”

Writing Stories Sitting

Book:Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

Source: Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

“If I didn't know the ending of a story, I wouldn't begin. I always write my last lines, my last paragraph first, and then I go back and work towards it. I know where I'm going. I know what my goal is. And how I get there is God's grace.”

Ifs Knows Writing Firsts Stories Lasts Goal Lines Grace Paragraph God's Grace

Book:Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

Source: Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

“Writing, in any sense that matters, cannot be taught. It can only be learned by each separate one of us in his own way, by the use of his own powers of imagination and perception, the ability to learn the lessons he has set for himself.”

Way Writing Matter Use Imagination Ability Taught Lessons Perception Power Of Imagination

Book:Katherine Anne Porter: Collected Stories & Other Writings

Source: Katherine Anne Porter: Collected Stories & Other Writings

“Most people won't realise that writing is a craft. You have to take your apprenticeship in it like anything else.”

People Writing Crafts Realising Apprenticeship

Author:Katherine Anne Porter

“Now and again thousands of memories converge, harmonize, arrange themselves around a central idea in a coherent form, and I write a story.”

Writing Ideas Stories Form Memories

Book:Katherine Anne Porter: Collected Stories & Other Writings

Source: Katherine Anne Porter: Collected Stories & Other Writings

“Be bold, and try not to fall in love with your faults. Don't be so afraid of giving yourself away, either, for if yo write, you must. And if you can't face that, better not write.”

Ifs Giving Writing Trying Faces Fall Love You Faults Falling In Love Giving Yourself

Author:Katherine Anne Porter

“You can't write about people out of textbooks, and you can't use jargon. You have to speak clearly and simply and purely in a language that a six-year-old child can understand; and yet have the meanings and the overtones of language, and the implications, that appeal to the highest intelligence.”

People Writing Years Children Use Speak Language Six Highest Appeals Implications Textbooks Jargon Six Year Olds

Book:Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

Source: Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

About the Author

Born: May 15, 1890
Died: September 18, 1980
Known for: Journalist
Quotes: 134

Related Topics

Humans People Ifs Knows World Writing Believe Men Art Giving Thinking Want Children Death Has Beens Needs Stories Artist Firsts Hands

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Katherine Anne Porter: Collected Stories & Other WritingsRelated source material

Katherine Anne Porter: ConversationsRelated source material

Letters of Katherine Anne PorterRelated source material

Ship of Fools: A NovelRelated source material

Collected stories and other writingsRelated source material

Flowering Judas and Other Stories: A Library of America eBook ClassicRelated source material

Pale Horse, Pale RiderRelated source material

Pale Horse, Pale Rider: Three Short Novels: A Library of America eBook ClassicRelated source material

Ship of FoolsRelated source material

The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne PorterRelated source material

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