“Nothing detains the reader's attention more powerfully than deep involutions of distress, or sudden vicissitudes of fortune; and these might be abundantly afforded by memoirs of the sons of literature. They are entangled by contracts which they know not how to fulfill, and obliged to write on subjects which they do not understand. Every publication is a new period of time, from which some increase or declension of fame is to be reckoned. The gradations of a hero's life are from battle to battle, and of an author's from book to book.” KnowsWritingBookMightLiteratureAttentionSubjectsSonReaderHeroPeriodsBattleFameIncreaseFortuneMemoirContractsDistressObligedPublicationVicissitudes Book:The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With An Essay on His Life and Genius Source: The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With An Essay on His Life and Genius
“I believe with all my heart in delivering on my contract with my readers. They've got plenty of other things to do, so I had better give them a reason to turn every one of these 550 pages. This is my promise: I solemnly swear I'll make you laugh out loud at least once, cry a little in private, and burn whatever you left on the stove.” GivingBelieveHeartLittlesReasonTurnsLeftI BelieveLaughingCryReaderMy HeartPromisePagesPlentyLoudThings To DoContractsSwearDeliveringMake You LaughStovesLaugh Out Loud Author:Barbara Kingsolver
“A novel can educate to some extent, but first a novel has to entertain. That's the contract with the reader: you give me ten hours and I'll give you a reason to turn every page. I have a commitment to accessibility. I believe in plot. I want an English professor to understand the symbolism while at the same time I want the people I grew up with - who may not often read anything but the Sears catalog - to read my books.” PeopleWantGivingFirstsBelieveMayBookReasonTurnsI BelieveHoursNovelGrewReaderTenGrew UpPagesCommitmentGive MeI Believe InPlotContractsProfessorsEducateSymbolismAccessibilitySears Author:Barbara Kingsolver
“For an author just starting out, you've got to deliver the goods every year or sooner or people will forget you or you will lose momentum. There is a contract that exists between author and reader.” PeopleYearsLosesForgetReaderStartingGoodsContractsMomentumForget YouStarting Out Author:Jasper Fforde
“There's a contract that I make between myself, the author, and the reader. I have to figure out how to give the reader certain powers of recognition, or his own knowledge, his own feelings, but I provide them, so we're working together.” GivingFeelingsTogetherCertainFiguresReaderRecognitionWorking TogetherContracts Author:Toni Morrison