“It is a little out of touch to presume that someone wants to follow your every observation and insight over the course of hundreds of pages without any sort of payoff. That's why writing isn't a one-way street. You have to give something back: an interesting plot, a surprise, a laugh, a moment of tenderness, a mystery for the reader to piece together.” WayWantGivingWritingLittlesMomentsTogetherCoursesInterestingLaughingPiecesMysteryStreetsReaderPagesSurpriseInsightObservationOne WayPlotTendernessPayoff Author:Christopher Bollen
“Another thing about creation is that every day it is like it gave birth, and it's always kind of an innocent and refreshing. So it's always virginal to me, and it's always a surprise. ... Each piece seems to have a life of its own. Every little piece or every big piece that I make becomes a very living thing to me, very living. I could make a million pieces; the next piece gives me a whole new thing. It is a new center. Life is total at that particular time. And that's why it's right. That reaffirms my life.” GivingKindLittlesWholeBigsSeemsLife IsArtistNextMillionsPiecesCreationParticularBirthGive MeSurpriseInnocentNew ThingsLiving ThingsRefreshing Author:Louise Berliawsky Nevelson
“There were two unpleasant surprises [about Washington]. One was the inertia of Congress, the length of time it takes to get a complicated piece of legislation through ... and the other was the irresponsibility of the press.” TwoPiecesPressesSurpriseCongressComplicatedLengthLegislationInertiaIrresponsibility Author:Jimmy Carter
“If there's anything I know about directing, it's how to make actors comfortable. It's where I started and it's what I know, and it's what I love. I like when the actors are really partners and I want them to be excited and I want them to surprise me. I don't want them to be puzzle pieces.” IfsKnowsWantActorsPiecesComfortableSurpriseExcitedPartnersPuzzlesSurprise MePuzzle Piece Author:John Cameron Mitchell
“Today Monopoly added a new game piece: the cat. The new piece was chosen after weeks of online voting. Is that a surprise? Whenever there's a vote for something on the Internet, the cat always wins.” TodayGamesWinningPiecesWeekInternetCatVoteSurpriseChosenVotingOnlineMonopoly Author:Craig Ferguson