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Quote by E. L. Doctorow

“I thought of myself as a writer for years before I got around to writing anything.”

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E. L. Doctorow was an American author renowned for his historical novels. His works often use the backdrop of American history to delve into the complexities of human nature. Born on January 6, 1931, Doctorow passed away on July 21, 2015. more

“Books are frozen voices, in the same way that musical scores are frozen music. The score is a way of transmitting the music to someone who can play it, releasing it into the air where it can once more be heard. And the black alphabet marks on the page represent words that were once spoken, if only in the writer's head. They lie there inert until a reader comes along and transforms the letters into living sounds. The reader is the musician of the book: each reader may read the same text, just as each violinist plays the same piece, but each interpretation is different.”

Ifs Way May Book Different Play Lying Sound Black Voice Pieces Heard Air Reader Musician Pages Letters Mark Musical Score Interpretation Frozen Alphabet Violinist

Author:Margaret Atwood

“Write about the thing that frightens you most.”

Writing

Author:Marsha Norman

“To any writer: Teach yourself to work in uncertainty. Many writers are anxious when they begin, or try something new. Even Matisse painted some of his Fauvist pictures in anxiety. Maybe that helped him to simplify. Character, discipline, negative capability count. Write, complete, revise. If it doesn't work, begin something else.”

Ifs Writing Trying Character Teach Discipline Anxiety Negative Uncertainty Something New Anxious Capability Simplify Matisse

Book:Conversations with Bernard Malamud

Source: Conversations with Bernard Malamud

“Human nature is so constituted that insults sink deeper than kindnesses; the remembrance of the latter soon passes away, while that of the former is treasured in the memory.”

Humans Memories Kindness Human Nature Deeper Former Insult Latter Remembrance Passing Away Treasured

Author:Seneca the Younger

“The man who while he gives thinks of what he will get in return, deserves to be deceived.”

Thinking Men Giving He Man Return Deserve Deceived

Author:Seneca the Younger

“It is the property of a great and good mind to covet, not the fruit of good deeds, but good deeds themselves, and to seek for a good man even after having met with bad men.”

Men Mind Mets Property Fruit Deeds Good Man Good Deeds Bad Man Good Mind

Author:Seneca the Younger

“The book-keeping of benefits is simple: it is all expenditure; if any one returns it, that is clear gain; if he does not return it, it is not lost, I gave it for the sake of giving.”

Ifs Giving Doe Book Lost Simple Clear Return Benefits Gains Sake Expenditures

Author:Seneca the Younger

“The things which we hold in our hands, which we see with our eyes, and which our avarice hugs, are transitory, they may be taken from us by ill luck or by violence; but a kindness lasts even after the loss of that by means of which it was bestowed; for it is a good deed, which no violence can undo.”

May Mean Hands Eye Lasts Loss Kindness Taken Violence Luck Ill Deeds Hug Good Deeds Avarice Transitory

Author:Seneca the Younger

“A novel can educate to some extent, but first a novel has to entertain. That's the contract with the reader: you give me ten hours and I'll give you a reason to turn every page. I have a commitment to accessibility. I believe in plot. I want an English professor to understand the symbolism while at the same time I want the people I grew up with - who may not often read anything but the Sears catalog - to read my books.”

“Songs are like fish. You just gotta have your line in the water. And it's a bad idea to fish downstream from Bob Dylan.”

Ideas Song Water Lines Fishes Bob Dylan Bad Ideas

Author:Arlo Guthrie

Quote by E. L. Doctorow

Author

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