“Write a nonfiction book, and be prepared for the legion of readers who are going to doubt your fact. But write a novel, and get ready for the world to assume every word is true.” WorldWritingBookFactsNovelDoubtReadyReaderAssumingPreparedNonfictionBe PreparedLegion Book:High Tide in Tucson Source: High Tide in Tucson
“It is a fallacy to think that carping is the strongest form of criticism: the important work begins after the artist's mistakes have been pointed out, and the reviewer can't put it off indefinitely with sneers, although some neophytes might be tempted to try: "When in doubt, stick out your tongue" is a safe rule that never cost one any readers. But there's nothing strong about it, and it has nothing to do with the real business of criticism, which is to do justice to the best work of one's time, so that nothing gets lost.” ThinkingTryingHas BeensImportantRealMightFormArtistLostStrongJusticeMistakeDoubtReaderCostSafeCriticismSticksTongueStrongestTemptedBest WorkFallacyReviewersWhen In DoubtSneerImportant Work Author:Wilfrid Sheed
“There are some good things and some fantastic ones in Auden's early attitude; if the reader calls it a muddle I shall acquiesce, with the remark that the later position might be considered a more rarefied muddle. But poets rather specialize in muddles and I have no doubt which of the muddles was better for Auden's poetry: one was fertile and usable, the other decidedly is not. Auden sometimes seems to be saying with Henry Clay, "I had rather be right than poetry"; but I am not sure, then, that he is either.” IfsSometimesSeemsMightAttitudeDoubtPositionPoetReaderGood ThingsFantasticNot SureNo DoubtClayRemarksFertileMuddleAuden Author:Randall Jarrell
“Readers have no doubt noticed how seldom builders live in houses of their own construction. You will find a town or village expanding in all directions with their masterpieces of modernity in the way of houses and bungalows; but the builder himself you will usually find living nearer the heart of things, snugly and comfortably housed in some more substantial, if less convenient, building of less recent date.” IfsWayHeartHouseDoubtBuildingReaderTownsNo DoubtVillageConstructionMasterpieceExpandingConvenientModernityBuilder Book:Lark Rise to Candleford Source: Lark Rise to Candleford
“Of course, it may be that the arts of writing and photography are antithetical. The hope and aim of a word-handler is that he maycommunicate a thought or an impression to his reader without the reader's realizing that he has been dragged through a series of hazardous or grotesque syntactical situations. In photography the goal seems to be to prove beyond a doubt that the cameraman, in his great moment of creation, was either hanging by his heels from the rafters or was wedged under the floor with his lens in a knothole.” WritingMayHas BeensArtMomentsSeemsCoursesGoalRealizingSituationDoubtCreationReaderProvePhotographyAimSeriesImpressionHeelsLensesGrotesqueGreat MomentsCameramanArt Of WritingRafters Author:E. B. White
“I like to think I'm generally accessible, but I give readers the benefit of the doubt of being reasonably culturally-literate.” ThinkingGivingDoubtReaderBenefitsBenefit Of The Doubt Author:Alonso Duralde
“Well, the fact is, we can never know what people do in the privacy of their own rooms. The door is closed. The blinds are drawn. We don't know. I leave it up to the reader. But there's no doubt in my mind that they loved each other, and this was an ardent, loving relationship between two adult women.” PeopleKnowsMindWellsTwoFactsRoomsDoubtDoorsReaderAdultsNo DoubtPrivacyArdentLoving Relationships Author:Blanche Wiesen Cook
“I believe the personal essay is underrated for both writer and reader. It affords the writer great freedom: to speak personally yet invoke others' ideas, to be rational and/or emotional, to be confident or admit doubt.” BelieveIdeasSpeakI BelieveDoubtEmotionalReaderRationalEssaysBe ConfidentInvokeUnderratedPersonal EssaysGreat Freedom Author:Marty Nemko