#he

A writer can't subtract or excise any of his/her past because doing so would erase the work produced during that time. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#because #doing #during #erase #her

As a teacher at Princeton, I'm surrounded by people who work hard so I just make good use of my time. And I don't really think of it as work - writing a novel, in one sense, is a problem-solving exercise. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#good #hard #i #just #make

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 have read on a Kindle. But the Kindle we had only worked for about eight months then it stopped working. You don't have to get books repaired. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#books #eight #get #had #i

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

I was brought up to be sympathetic toward others. ↗

— Joyce Carol Oates

#i #others #sympathetic #toward #up