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Quote by Maggie O'Farrell

“Always, at the end of every book, there are things you will be unsatisfied with, and still more things that later on you will realize were not right. But mistakes are part of what a book is. That itchy, dissatisfied feeling at the end of a novel is useful. It's what keeps you writing and gets you writing the next one. It's what keeps you learning.”

Author

Maggie O'Farrell

Maggie O'Farrell is an Irish author born in 1972. Her works are known for their deep character development and emotionally rich storytelling. O'Farrell's writing often focuses on family relationships and women's experiences, frequently exploring themes of love, marriage, and identity. more

“You learn so much with each book, but it's what you teach yourself by writing your own books and by reading good books written by other people - that's the key. You don't want to worry too much about other people's responses to your work, not during the writing and not after. You just need to read and write, and keep going.”

People Writing Book Reading Teach Worry Response Keep Going Good Book

Author:Maggie O'Farrell

“In the course of writing a book I'll produce loads of pieces of paper to help the novel itself. Diagrams, charts, family trees. And at the end of each book I'll pack it all away. It takes me a while to do it - it's like a relationship that way; there's a period of letting - go, of grief, in a way - but then I box it up, label it, and put it in the attic.”

Writing Book Helping Grief Novel Tree Writing A Book

Author:Maggie O'Farrell

“I try not to be too precious about my writing, and I try to be willing to walk away from it for a few hours when something's not working, to let things percolate a bit. I try not to hide myself away from life too much, because I think that's a risky thing for a writer to do.”

Thinking Writing Trying Hours

Author:Maggie O'Farrell

“The Chilean novelist Isabel Allende says there's no such thing as writer's block, you just need to live a bit more. I try to bear that in mind.”

Trying Mind Block

Author:Maggie O'Farrell