11 Susan Orlean Quotes About Writing and for Writers
Enjoy 11 Susan Orlean quotes, some from her July/August 2019 WD interview, for writers about reading, libraries, and the joy of writing.
Enjoy 11 Susan Orlean quotes, some from her July/August 2019 WD interview, for writers about reading, libraries, and the joy of writing.
In the July/August 2019 issue of WD, contributor Don Vaughn spoke with author Susan Orlean about her most recent book, The Library Book, tips for writing nonfiction, and what inspires her when she chooses what to write about. In celebration of the paperback release of this book on October 1, 2019, here are 11 Susan Orlean quotes, some from that interview, about writing and libraries, and for writers. If you want to know more about Susan Orlean and The Library Book, check out the exclusive outtakes from Don's interview with Susan Orlean here.
You can write beautiful sentences, but if you don’t have a flow and a forward momentum, it doesn’t matter. – Susan Orlean, WD July/August 2019
The idea of a library is deeply connected to the idea of being a writer, and that is making a narrative that lasts for eternity. If you’re a writer and you have the impulse to put down on paper something that will survive you, you are inextricably connected to what a library means. – Susan Orlean, WD July/August 2019
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I take it on faith that my excitement is going to motivate other readers. I fall in love, essentially, with an idea. – Susan Orlean, WD July/August 2019
You have to really fall in love with storytelling. You need to understand what that means and explore it and embrace it, and it will carry you through the stories you choose for yourself and are excited about, and it will even carry you through assignments that you hate. The job is storytelling; it doesn’t matter what the nature of the story is. – Susan Orlean, WD July/August 2019
I have come to believe that books have souls—why else would I be so reluctant to throw one away. – Susan Orlean, The Library Book
The reading of the book was a journey. There was no need for souvenirs. – Susan Orlean, The Library Book
Most writing doesn’t take place on the page; it takes place in your head. – Susan Orlean
You have to simply love writing, and you have to remind yourself often that you love it. – Susan Orlean
I love convincing a reader that an unusual or seemingly ordinary subject is worth his or her time—it’s part of the fun for me as a writer. –Susan Orlean
There’s a marvelous sense of mastery that comes with writing a sentence that sounds exactly as you want it to. – Susan Orlean
Libraries are what is best about us as a society: open, exciting, rich, informative, free, inclusive, engaging. – Susan Orlean
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About Amy Jones
Amy Jones is the Editor-in-Chief of Writer’s Digest and was the managing content director for WD Books. She is the editor of the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market and Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. Prior to joining the WD team, Amy was the managing editor for North Light Books and IMPACT Books. Like most WD staffers, Amy is a voracious reader and has a particular interest in literary fiction, historical fiction, steamy romance, and page-turning mysteries. When she’s not reading, Amy can be found daydreaming about Italy or volunteering at her local no-kill cat shelter. Find Amy on Twitter @AmyMJones_5.
