#co

Life and people are complex. A writer as an artist doesn't have the personality of a politician. We don't see the world that simply. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#complex #life #people #personality #politician

A lot of widows feel that they have betrayed their spouse by continuing to live. It's deranged thinking. I know that, but that doesn't stop you feeling it. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#continuing #deranged #feel #feeling #i

A typical biography relying upon individuals' notorious memories and the anecdotes they've invented contains a high degree of fiction, yet is considered 'nonfiction.' ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#biography #considered #contains #degree #fiction

Before you can write a novel you have to have a number of ideas that come together. One idea is not enough. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#come #enough #idea #ideas #novel

Criticism is, for me, like essay writing, a wonderful way of relaxation; it doesn't require a heightened and mediated voice, like prose fiction, but rather a calm, rational, even conversational voice. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#conversational #criticism #essay #even #fiction

Except that awards are competitive, which is a negative thing, they are wonderful for singling out deserving individuals and bringing their work to the attention of many potential readers who might otherwise have been totally unaware of them. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#awards #been #bringing #competitive #deserving

Honorary degrees and lifetime achievement awards are very encouraging. I know that it might sound strange that a writer who has published many books still needs encouragement, but this is true. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#awards #books #degrees #encouragement #encouraging

I consider tragedy the highest form of art. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#consider #form #highest #highest form #i

I could never take the idea of religion very seriously. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#i #idea #never #never take #religion

I think all art comes out of conflict. When I write I am always looking for the dramatic kernel of an event, the junctures of people's lives when they go in one direction, not another. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#am #another #art #comes #conflict