“My inspiration is really very simple: I'm struck by things that I want to know more about. I really do react just as a curious person: who is this person? What's the story behind this situation? Why do people like this or dislike this thing?” PeopleKnowsWantPersonsStoriesInspirationSimpleBehindsSituationCuriousDislike Author:Susan Orlean
“I approach stories as a private educational enterprise: I want to learn about something. I teach myself through research, reporting, and thinking, and then, when I feel like I know the story, I tell it to readers.” ThinkingKnowsWantFeelsStoriesTeachReaderApproachResearchEducationalEnterprise Author:Susan Orlean
“I didn't want to talk, and I didn't think dogs could solve my problems. But they were so uncritical and un-judgmental. Sometimes when you're really blue, you don't want to talk, but you want that sense of companionship. I certainly enjoy that with my beasts.” ThinkingWantSometimesProblemEnjoyDogBlueSolveBeastCompanionshipJudgmental Author:Susan Orlean
“I want a chainsaw very badly, because I think cutting down a tree would be unbelievably satisfying. I have asked for a chainsaw for my birthday, but I think I'll probably be given jewelry instead.” ThinkingWantWould BeGivenCuttingTreeBirthdaySatisfyingJewelryMy BirthdayChainsawCutting Down Author:Susan Orlean
“You can find out anything you want about a car now, and especially every bit of information about the price, without relying on the dealers.” WantBitsCarInformationDealer Author:Susan Orlean
“I want to let my friend Buster know that I would like to have dinner with him tonight. Does Buster work at home? Then how likely is he to have his cell phone on? Is he one of those people who only turns on his cell when he's in his car? I hate that.” PeopleKnowsWantDoeHomeHateTurnsCarMy FriendsI HatePhonesDinnerCellsTonightCell PhoneBusters Author:Susan Orlean
“There will always be vain, obsessive people who want to own rare and extraordinary things whatever the cost; there will always be people for whom owning beautiful, dangerous animals brings a sense of power and magic.” PeopleWantBeautifulAnimalMagicDangerousCostExtraordinaryVainObsessiveExtraordinary ThingsDangerous Animals Author:Susan Orlean
“I suppose I do have one embarrassing passion- I want to know what it feels like to care about something passionately.” KnowsWantFeelsCarePassionEmbarrassing Book:The Orchid Thief Source: The Orchid Thief
“The old orchid hunter lay back on his pillow, his body limp... 'You'll curse the insects,' he said at least, 'and you'll curse the natives... The sun will burn you by day and the cold will shrivel you by night. You'll be racked by fever and tormented by a hundred discomforts, but you'll go on. For when a man falls in love with orchids, he'll do anything to possess the one he wants. It's like chasing a green-eyed woman or taking cocaine... it's a sort of madness.” MenWantSaidBodyNightFallSunGoes OnColdHundredMadnessGreenLaysFalling In LoveCurseHuntersChasingInsectsDiscomfortPillowFeverCocaineOrchids Author:Susan Orlean
“There's a marvelous sense of mastery that comes with writing a sentence that sounds exactly as you want it to.” WantWritingSoundSentencesMasteryMarvelousTweak Author:Susan Orlean
“There's a marvelous sense of mastery that comes with writing a sentence that sounds exactly as you want it to. It's like trying to write a song, making tiny tweaks, reading it out loud, shifting things to make it sound a certain way... Sometimes it feels like digging out of a hole, but sometimes it feels like flying. When it's working and the rhythm's there, it does feel like magic to me.” WayWantFeelsWritingTryingDoeSometimesCertainSongReadingSoundMagicSentencesTinyFlyingHolesRhythmLoudMasteryMarvelousShiftingDiggingTweak Author:Susan Orlean
