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10 Quotes on Writing by David Sedaris

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David Sedaris is an American author, humorist and radio personality. He is best know for his satirical devices and analysis of societal norms. His most well-know works include Barrel Feaver and Me Talk Pretty One Day.

David Sedaris on Writing

“Writing gives you the illusion that you're in control. But it's just that: an illusion.”
#1
David Sedaris
“You need to be in the world and you need to be engaged with the world. It's my job to collect jokes. It's my job to collect startling images. And so when I'm out in the world, I'm at work. And I'm a professional.”
#144
David Sedaris
“You can't write unless you read.”
#146
David Sedaris
“I started writing when I was twenty, and my first book came out seventeen years later.”
#423
David Sedaris
“The only real advice you can give anyone is to keep writing.”
#424
David Sedaris
“I started writing one afternoon when I was twenty, and ever since then I have written every day. At first I had to force myself. Then it became part of my identity, and I did it without thinking.”
#425
David Sedaris
“It can take years. With the first draft, I just write everything. With the second draft, it becomes so depressing for me, because I realize that I was fooled into thinking I'd written the story. I hadn't — I had just typed for a long time. So then I have to carve out a story from the 25 or so pages. It's in there somewhere — but I have to find it.”
#426
David Sedaris
“I started writing when I was twenty. My first book came out when I was thirty-five. But I never expected that it would happen quickly.”
#427
David Sedaris
“I'm glad that I didn't have the Internet when I started writing. I started writing when I was 20 and didn't show a word of it to anyone until I was 28. I had the sense to keep it to myself. Now the temptation with blogs and such, they're just getting it out there; maybe it would have been best to keep it to themselves.”
#428
David Sedaris
“Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.”
#429
David Sedaris
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Focus Saved In my younger and more vulnerable years years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” He didn’t say any more, but we’ve always been unusually communicative in a reserved way, and I understood that he meant a great deal more than that. In consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores. | The Great Gatsby Chapter I Words 106 Writing Time 00:18:20 / 00:30:00 Speed 342 words/hour
In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” He didn’t say any more, but we’ve always been unusually communicative in a reserved way, and I understood that he meant a great deal more than that. In consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores. | The Great Gatsby 12:46:32 Chapter I 106 W 00:18:20