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7 Quotes on Writing by Joyce Carol Oates

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Joyce Carol Oates is an American writer. She has written over 60 novels to date. Her most well-known works include We Were the Mulvaneys, Blonde and The Falls.

Joyce Carol Oates on Writing

“There's only one rule of show business, or writing. And that's don't be boring.”
“If you can tell a story as briefly as possible, it's more dramatic. If it's too long, then it has the problems of pacing, it could get a little slow. But the shorter you can make a story, the better.”
“Writing is a matter of experimentation. And all writers do a lot of revision. […] you keep rewriting to find the rhythm and the voice that's suitable for that story.”
“Writing is like a spiritual manifestation of something deep within us we don't really know is there.”
“Keeping a journal sharpens our senses. It's like an exercise in writing. If you're describing a scene, you are practicing the act of writing—which is very important—and thinking in language.”
“There is an instinct in our species to tell stories. It's a way of explaining the universe and explaining our world.”
“The only thing that's bad for writing is being interrupted. You have to have time to write. And while that seems obvious, you're probably living a life with a lot of interruptions.”
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