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Quote by Joyce Carol Oates

“Henry James's later works would have been better had he resisted that curious sort of self-indulgence, dictating to a secretary. The roaming garrulousness of ordinary speech is usually corrected when it's transcribed into written prose.”

Quote by Joyce Carol Oates

Book:Conversations with Joyce Carol Oates

Work

Conversations with Joyce Carol Oates

Conversations with Joyce Carol Oates is a compilation of insightful discussions with the celebrated American author. The book offers a glimpse into Oates' creative mind, exploring her perspectives on literature, her writing techniques, and the evolution of her career. It provides a comprehensive look at her life and work, offering readers a deeper understanding of the author's thoughts and influences. more

Author

Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates is a renowned American author born on June 16, 1938. Her works span various literary forms such as novels, poetry, and drama, known for her unique narrative techniques and profound thematic explorations. more

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“Honorary degrees and lifetime achievement awards are very encouraging. I know that it might sound strange that a writer who has published many books still needs encouragement, but this is true.”

Knows Needs Stills Book Might Sound Strange Degrees Achievement Encouragement Lifetime Awards Encouraging Honorary Lifetime Achievement Need Encouragement

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I always rewrite the very beginning of a novel. I rewrite the beginning as I write the ending, so I may spend part of morning writing the ending, the last 100 pages approximately, and then part of the morning revising the beginning. So the style of the novel has a consistency.”

Writing May Lasts Morning Novel Style Pages Consistency Revising

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I am not conscious of working especially hard, or of 'working' at all. Writing and teaching have always been, for me, so richly rewarding that I don't think of them as work in the usual sense of the word.”

Thinking Writing Hard Teaching Conscious Usual

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I compose most of my tweets with care, as if they were aphorisms - they are not usually dashed-off. Sometimes I'm surprised by the high, poetic quality of Twitter - it lends itself to a surreal sort of self-expression.”

Ifs Self Sometimes Care Quality Expression Poetic Aphorism Surreal Tweet Self Expression

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I don't feel I write fast. I write in longhand and do so much revision. On the page, it's so old-fashioned. I could write a whole novel on scrap paper, scribbles and things. I keep looking at it and something develops. For me, using a word processor would mean staring at a screen for too many hours.”

Feels Writing Mean Whole Hours Novel Paper Pages Screens Staring Old Fashioned Scrap Revision Scribbles Processors

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I don't know what marriages are like in general, but there are many things which I don't talk about with my husband. We discuss practical problems, but I wouldn't sit down with him and talk about the distant past. It's somewhat in contrast to other Americans, who feel that they have to confess things, but I'm really not like that.”

Knows Feels Problem Past Husband Practicals My Husband Contrast

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I don't read for amusement, I read for enlightenment. I do a lot of reviewing, so I have a steady assignment of reading. I'm also a judge for the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, which gives awards to literature and nonfiction.”

Giving Book Reading Literature Judging Enlightenment Awards Steady Nonfiction Amusement Assignments

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I don't teach literature from my perspective as 'Joyce Carol Oates.' I try to teach fiction from the perspective of each writer. If I'm teaching a story by Hemingway, my endeavor is to present the story that Hemingway wrote in its fullest realization.”

Ifs Trying Stories Literature Fiction Teach Teaching Perspective Realization Endeavor Carols Joyce

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I don't think I'm morbid by nature. Serious writers have always written about serious subjects. Lighthearted material doesn't appeal to me, and I don't read it. I think I'm a realist, with a realistic sensibility of history and the tragedy of history.”

Thinking Written Subjects Serious Materials Tragedy Appeals Realistic Sensibility Realist Morbid Serious Subjects

Author:Joyce Carol Oates

“I haven't any formal schedule, but I love to write in the morning, before breakfast. Sometimes the writing goes so smoothly that I don't take a break for many hours - and consequently have breakfast at two or three in the afternoon on good days.”

Writing Two Sometimes Three Hours Break Morning Havens Breakfast Afternoon Formal Schedules Good Day

Book:Conversations with Joyce Carol Oates

Source: Conversations with Joyce Carol Oates