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Paul Lisicky Biography

Novelist

Paul Lisicky is an American novelist born on July 9, 1959. His works are known for their unique narrative style and profound exploration of personal identity.

Related Quotes

“I wanted to dissolve the boundary between the outside world and the world of the relationships. Those events, with exception of the Mt. Saint Helens explosion, were happening in the real time of the book, as I was writing.”

World Writing Book Real Wanted Events Happenings Saint Boundaries Exception Explosions Outside World

Author:Paul Lisicky

“I think my methods are more suggestive than assertive. Check out those passages again and see what you think.”

Thinking Method Checks Passages Assertive

Author:Paul Lisicky

“I wanted to preserve the feeling of remembering her just months after her death - the raw immediacy of it, so the drafts were really about getting the language right, getting the pitch right, keeping the voice austere and plainspoken.”

Feelings Wanted Remember Language Voice Months Preserves Immediacy Remembering Her

Author:Paul Lisicky

“I think each of my books attempts to create its own voice so I'm not even sure I have a signature style, other than certain descriptive tendencies, an interest in the sound of language. Maybe an immersion in place.”

Thinking Book Certain Language Sound Voice Interest Style Tendencies Signatures Immersion

Author:Paul Lisicky

“I start with voice, maybe a sentence. That sentence might embody an image, and I go from there. One sentence to the next. Sound drives the work these days - sound before description.”

Might Next Sound Voice Sentences These Days Description One Sentence

Author:Paul Lisicky

“I talk about it a lot to my students. Musicality never came up in any of own writing education, and I can see why - we don't have the vocabulary for it. Phrasing is intuitive, and its difficult to articulate when it's on and when it's not.”

Writing I Can Difficult Students Vocabulary Intuitive Musicality

Author:Paul Lisicky

“One way to be aware of it, to teach to yourself, is simply to read work aloud. I love reading the endings of books aloud when I start nearing the end.”

Way Book Ends Reading Teach One Way Love Of Reading

Author:Paul Lisicky

“Sometimes I can listen to music - sometimes there's no choice, especially if I'm out writing at a coffee place. But sometimes it's too distracting. If I'm listening to something I really love - I have to stop and give everything over to it. I'm listening to its structures, its melodic lines, the bass. It takes up too much of my head - in a good way.”

Ifs Way Giving Writing I Can Sometimes Choices Lines Too Much Listening Structure Coffee Listening To Music Bass Good Way

Author:Paul Lisicky

“I think the most reliable way to teach it is through reading work aloud over and over. Many prose writers been encouraged to do that, but that might be changing. Denise was the one who taught me to develop my ear. I never knew how to listen to writing until she started reading her work to me.”

Thinking Way Writing Might Reading Teach Taught Ears Prose

Author:Paul Lisicky

“Sometimes I need silence; sometimes I need voices around - but not too loud or distinctive. I guess it depends on the piece in question, what stage I'm in. I think some voices can help me not to try too hard - especially at the beginning stages. Does that make sense? By some voice I mean, low chatter in the room. When there's low chatter in the room, I'm a little more relaxed, my mind might be a little more open.”

Thinking Needs Trying Mind Mean Littles Doe Sometimes Hard Helping Might Voice Rooms Silence Pieces Stage Depends Lows Make Sense Loud Help Me Relaxed Distinctive Chatter

Author:Paul Lisicky

About the Author

Born: July 9, 1959
Known for: Novelist
Quotes: 10

Books & Sources

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