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Quote by Mary J. Miller

“Making all of those words work together is difficult. It took a lot of cleaning up, a lot of rewriting scenes in order to make them more vivid. I used everything - every oddity I've ever seen on the side of the road, every interesting memory I could make relevant.”

Quote by Mary J. Miller

Author

Mary J. Miller is an individual whose profession and category are unknown. Detailed information about her is limited. more

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“I can't remember who said it - I think it was Allan Gurganus when he was visiting the Michener Center - but he told us to "spend [our] gold," meaning, put everything you have into a story. Other "gold" will be waiting for you for your next project.”

Thinking Said I Can Stories Remember Next Waiting Projects Gold Visiting Waiting For You

Author:Mary J. Miller

“It's difficult for me to imagine any scene differently because I've read the book so many times. The book, as a whole, seems like a document that wouldn't withstand any changes at this point. Or perhaps I simply can't imagine having to revise it again.”

Book Whole Seems Difficult Imagine Scene Documents

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“We need a strong, bold constitutional conservative who won't back down and who will fight for the values we believe in. That's what we need for our nominee, whether it is me or whether it is someone else.”

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“There were definitely scenes I struggled with more than others: the car accident and the thunderstorm are two that come to mind. It's difficult to write about a thunderstorm. There are only so many ways to describe it and our vocabulary is so limited. And the car accident scene required a tense, manic quality that had to be conveyed in the language, as well as the character's dialogue and actions. I was editing these scenes long after I thought I was finished with them.”

Way Writing Mind Wells Long Two Character Action Language Difficult Quality Car Scene Finished Accidents Dialogue Editing Vocabulary Tense Manic Car Accident Thunderstorm

Author:Mary J. Miller

“It's something that's difficult to explain but I think all writers work this way to some extent, whether we're aware of it or not. For me, writing has little to do with thinking. I don't want to control the narrative. I listen to the rhythm of the words and dialogue and try to give the characters the space in which to say and do what they want without intervening too much.”

Thinking Way Want Giving Writing Trying Littles Character Difficult Space Too Much Dialogue Rhythm Narrative Intervening

Author:Mary J. Miller

“It's definitely about the rhythm of the words and how they sound together, writing one sentence and then another and another and cutting something immediately if it doesn't feel true. I come from a family of musicians and - while I have no musical abilities of my own - I think I inherited a good ear.”

Ifs Thinking Feels Writing Together Sound My Own Ability Cutting Musician Ears Musical Sentences Rhythm One Sentence Musical Ability

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“It's also obsessiveness. I'll spend a lot of time working on a single sentence, debating over a dash or a colon, etc. I want things to be perfect. I know nothing will ever be as perfect as I want it, and this is very sad, but sometimes I can get close.”

Knows Want I Can Sometimes Perfect Sentences Etc Very Sad Single Sentence

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“I try to think as little as possible, at least while working. I look at some of my early stories and can see the machination behind them, like a gear slowly moving. For example, sticking a dead father into the story to explain a character's sadness and bad decisions, or trying to impress myself with my own cleverness.”

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“You don't need a dead father to explain a character's sadness. And impressing yourself with wit/cleverness often feels like what it is - authorial intrusion.”

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Author:Mary J. Miller