Home / Authors / Markus Zusak

Markus Zusak

Markus Zusak Quotes

Writer

Markus Zusak, born on June 23, 1975, is an acclaimed Australian author known for his unique narrative style and profound thematic insights. His works have garnered widespread praise from readers and critics alike.

Filter quotes by topic

All Book Knows Ifs Humans The Book Thief Want Thinking Death Writing People Feels Heart Sky World Eye Liesel Looks Stories Way Faces

Famous Markus Zusak Quotes

“If someone wanted to be a runner, you don't tell them to think about running, you tell them to run. And the same simple idea applies to writing, I hope.”

Writing Motivational Idea Writing Advice Interview Rule The Guardian

Author:Markus Zusak

“Writing is always difficult, but easier with something to say.”

Book:Bridge of Clay

Source: Bridge of Clay

“Failure has been my best friend as a writer. It tests you, to see if you have what it takes to see it through.”

Ifs Writing Has Beens Tests My Best Friend

Author:Markus Zusak

“I'm not one of these 'the characters write themselves; the story just fell out of me' kind of writers. Wish it was like that.”

Writing Kind Character Stories Wish

Author:Markus Zusak

“I find writing extremely difficult. I usually have to drag myself to my desk, mainly because I doubt myself. And it's getting harder because I want to improve with every book.”

Want Writing Book Difficult Doubt Harder Drag Desks

Author:Markus Zusak

“I procrastinate in spades. In my defence, I also try to have all other distractions solved before I can concentrate on writing. My small theory is that to write for three hours, you need to feel like you have three days. To write for three days, you need to feel like you've got three weeks, and so on.”

Needs Feels Writing Trying I Can Three Hours Week Theory Like You Distraction Defence Procrastinating Spades

Author:Markus Zusak

“As a child in Sydney, my German Mum and my Austrian Dad would spontaneously tell me stories about what they saw and what they did as children. It was like a piece of Europe coming into our house... Those stories led me to my writing.”

Writing Children Stories House Saws Pieces Dad Europe Mum Sydney

Author:Markus Zusak

“I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is violence in all of us, and beauty, and strength, and weakness. What's my job? To only write about the good and the beauty, or is it to write about all of it? That's my greater responsibility, to write about them as I see them and as they are.”

Thinking World Writing Jobs Responsibility Greater Violence This World Weakness Strength And Weakness

Author:Markus Zusak

“To me the question is always this: if a ray of light came out of the sky and said, "Your next book will never be published - would you still write it?" If the answer is yes, the book is worth writing.”

Ifs Writing Said Stills Book Light Next Answers Sky Rays Rays Of Light

Author:Markus Zusak

“I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published.... You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart of that worship in your work. As time goes by, you get other influences and find your own voice.”

Writing Firsts Looks Heart Book Voice Influence Hero Worship Glad Imitating Time Goes By

Author:Markus Zusak

“I don't write poetry or short stories. I don't like to write articles usually. I tend to really only want to be focused on writing novels. It's one of the real advantages I've had over the years. I've only been good at one thing. It helps to be limited.”

Want Writing Years Real Helping Stories Novel One Thing Advantage Focused Articles Short Story

Author:Markus Zusak

“I certainly wasn't born with creative writing. Maybe there's a certain amount of learning and then it's up to the person. I think in the end it's your favourite books that are the best teachers. That's the way I've learned the most, by far.”

Thinking Way Writing Persons Book Ends Certain Born Creative Teacher Amount I've Learned Favourite Creative Writing Best Teacher Favourite Book

Author:Markus Zusak

“If you ever write a book, I can only give you one piece of advice. Don't let your parents get involved.”

Ifs Giving Writing I Can Book Parent Pieces Advice Involved Get Involved One Piece

Author:Markus Zusak

“There are two magic acts I want to pull off when I write. One is creating a feeling that when you're inside a book, you believe everything you're reading even when you know it's not true. And the second is an extension of that, which is you know it's not true, you know it's not real, but you believe it anyway. And it's that believing of the story that isn't real that attracted me to writing and storytelling in general.”

Knows Want Writing Believe Two Book Real Stories Feelings Reading Magic Creating Storytelling Extensions True You

Author:Markus Zusak

“It's insane to be a writer and not be a reader. When I'm writing I'm more likely to be reading four or five books at once, just in bits and pieces rather than subjecting myself to a really brilliant book and thinking, "Well what's the point of me writing anything?" I'm more likely to read a book through when I take a break from writing.”

Thinking Writing Wells Book Reading Bits Break Five Pieces Four Reader Brilliant Insane Bits And Pieces

Author:Markus Zusak

“I'm having bigger problems when I'm writing.”

Writing Problem Bigger Bigger Problems

Author:Markus Zusak

“As far as this categorization of books, the way I see it is there are really a hundred-odd categories of books plus one, and on the top shelf at home, I've got the books I love, my favorite books, and that's the type of book that I want to write.”

Way Want Writing Book Home Type Hundred My Favorite Odd Plus Categories Shelves Favorite Book Categorization

Author:Markus Zusak

“...there would be punishment and pain, and there would be happiness, too. That was writing.”

Writing Would Be Pain Punishment

Book:The Book Thief: Enhanced Movie Tie-in Edition

Source: The Book Thief: Enhanced Movie Tie-in Edition

“Just be patient, she told herself, and with the mounting pages, the strength of her writing fist grew.”

Writing Grew Pages Patient Fists Be Patient

Book:Markus Zusak: The Book Thief & I Am the Messenger

Source: Markus Zusak: The Book Thief & I Am the Messenger

“I like that every page in every book can have a gem on it. It's probably what I love most about writing--that words can be used in a way that's like a child playing in a sandpit, rearranging things, swapping them around. They're the best moments in a day of writing -- when an image appears that you didn't know would be there when you started work in the morning.”

Knows Way Writing Children Book Moments Would Be Used Morning Pages Gems Children Playing Best Moments Rearranging Swapping

Book:The Book Thief: 10th Anniversary Edition

Source: The Book Thief: 10th Anniversary Edition

“You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched him as if he'd gone insane. "How, though?" Lightly, he tapped her skull with his knuckles. "Memorize it. Then write it down for him.”

Ifs Giving Should Writing Gone Tables Insane Max Skulls Knuckles Liesel

Book:The Book Thief: Enhanced Movie Tie-in Edition

Source: The Book Thief: Enhanced Movie Tie-in Edition

“That's typically what writers do; we just sit around complaining most of the time. And the better things are going, the more they complain.”

Writing Complaining

Author:Markus Zusak

“I guess that’s the beauty of books. When they finish they don’t really finish.”

Author:Markus Zusak

“When she came to write her story, she would wonder when the books and the words started to mean not just something, but everything.”

Writing Mean Book Stories Wonder

Book:The Book Thief: Enhanced Movie Tie-in Edition

Source: The Book Thief: Enhanced Movie Tie-in Edition

“Don't be afraid to fail. I fail every day. I failed thousands of times writing The Book Thief, and that book now means everything to me. I had many doubts and fears about that book, but some of what I feel are the best ideas in it came to me when I was working away for apparently no result. Failure has been my best friend as a writer. It tests you, to see if you have what it takes to see it through.”

Ifs Feels Writing Mean Has Beens Book Ideas Results Doubt Failing Tests Thieves My Best Friend Afraid To Fail Doubt And Fear

Author:Markus Zusak

“I just want to write someone’s favorite book”

Want Writing Book Favorite Book

Author:Markus Zusak

“You'll have days of complete lack of faith in your abilities. But you have to keep coming back. That's when you know you're a writer - when you take the failures and appear at the desk again, over and over again.”

Knows Writing Ability Desks Coming Back Lack Of Faith

Author:Markus Zusak

About the Author

Born: June 23, 1975
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 562

Related Topics

Book Knows Ifs Humans The Book Thief Want Thinking Death Writing People Feels Heart Sky World Eye Liesel Looks Stories Way Faces

Popular Topics

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

Books & Sources

The Book ThiefRelated source material

The Book Thief: Enhanced Movie Tie-in EditionRelated source material

I Am the MessengerRelated source material

Markus Zusak: The Book Thief & I Am the MessengerRelated source material

The Book Thief: 10th Anniversary EditionRelated source material

Getting The GirlRelated source material

UnderdogsRelated source material

UnderdogRelated source material

Fighting Ruben WolfeRelated source material

Bridge of ClayRelated source material

Similar Authors

David LevithanBrowse related quotes
Stephen KingBrowse related quotes
Sarah DessenBrowse related quotes
Margaret AtwoodBrowse related quotes
Neil GaimanBrowse related quotes
Paul AusterBrowse related quotes
Nora RobertsBrowse related quotes
Ray BradburyBrowse related quotes
Libba BrayBrowse related quotes
Jodi PicoultBrowse related quotes