“It's hard to say which of us is luckier, the ones who go through long periods when they can't write or the ones who can write pretty easily.” WritingLongHardPeriods Author:Alice Mattison
“Inevitably we start by thinking that if our work is any good, we'll get money. It's as we would if you started up a business or if you work in another profession.” IfsThinkingProfessionGet Money Author:Alice Mattison
“Writers sometimes are paid a great deal of money, but much more frequently they're not paid or are paid only a little bit.” LittlesSometimesBitsDealsLittle BitPaid Author:Alice Mattison
“Somehow we have to detach from feeling as though money is a quick and easy standard by which we can gauge how well we're doing.” WellsFeelingsEasyStandardsGauges Author:Alice Mattison
“This is true in other fields, too, that a legal aid lawyer gets a whole lot less money than a Hollywood lawyer who handles the estates of celebrities. Maybe the legal aid lawyer is doing something better, though, and maybe they're happier. It's not a completely unheard of idea, but I do think we have to remind ourselves at times to look for satisfaction in other ways.” ThinkingWayLooksIdeasWholeFieldsHollywoodSatisfactionAidsLawyerHandleEstatesSomething BetterUnheard Author:Alice Mattison
“Being part of a community of writers is huge. I really think that's why people go to MFA programs.” PeopleThinkingCommunityHugeProgram Author:Alice Mattison
“Every once in a while someone says, 'You can't really learn anything, if you're really a writer then you wouldn't need to do it.' But I think what people need is the sense of not being alone. They go to MFA programs to be part of a community of people who care, and then you start caring about your friend who is trying to edit a magazine and your other friend who is stuck in the middle of her poem. There you have all kinds of things to worry about besides your own success.” PeopleIfsThinkingNeedsTryingKindCareCommunityWorryMiddleProgramCaringStuckAll KindsMagazinesWho CaresEditsStuck In The Middle Author:Alice Mattison
“We have to diversify, we have to find work we can do that helps other people while helping ourselves, work that has to do with writing that isn't necessarily just writing saleable novels or getting huge advances.” PeopleWritingHelpingCan DoNovelHugeHelping Others Author:Alice Mattison
“You may be somebody who writes best for a small press that doesn't pay very well, but you might have a fascinating and intricate style that might not appeal to as many readers but will be incredibly meaningful to the readers you have. Truly, that's as wonderful if not more wonderful.” IfsWritingWellsMayMightPayWonderfulStyleReaderPressesMeaningfulAppealsFascinatingIntricate Author:Alice Mattison