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Gore Vidal Quotes

Gore Vidal quotes about writing

American Novelist, Writer October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012

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Quotes

I have been reading Plotinus all evening. He has the power to sooth me; and I find his sadness curiously comforting. Even when he writes: “Life here with the things of earth is a sinking, a defeat, a failure of the wing.” The wing has indeed failed. One sinks. Defeat is certain. Even as I write these lines, the lamp wick sputters to an end, and the pool of light in which I sit contracts. Soon the room will be dark. One has always feared that death would be like this. But what else is... Gore Vidal
Constant work, constant writing and constant revision. The real writer learns nothing from life. He is more like an oyster or a sponge. What he takes in he takes in normally the way any person takes in experience. But it is what is done with it in his mind, if he is a real writer, that makes his art. Gore Vidal
Sex is. There is nothing more to be done about it. Sex builds no roads, writes no novels and sex certainly gives no meaning to anything in life but itself. Gore Vidal
The most interesting thing about writing is the way that it obliterates time. Three hours seem like three minutes. Then there is the business of surprise. I never know what is coming next. The phrase that sounds in the head changes when it appears on the page. Then I start probing it with a pen, finding new meanings. Sometimes I burst out laughing at what is happening as I twist and turn sentences. Strange business, all in all. One never gets to the end of it. That’s why I go on, I suppose.... Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal quote: "In writing and politicking, it's best not to think about it,..."
In writing and politicking, it's best not to think about it, just do it. Gore Vidal
In general, [. . .] novel-theorists have nothing very urgent or interesting to say about literature. Why then do they write when they have nothing to say? Because the ambitious teacher can only rise in the academic bureaucracy by writing at complicated length about writing that has already been much written about. The result of all this book-chat cannot interest anyone who knows literature while those who would like to learn something about books can only be mystified and discouraged by these... Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal quote: "Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries..."
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith. Gore Vidal
Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can't read them either. Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal quote: "The first TV babies are now writing with a TV mind that has no..."
The first TV babies are now writing with a TV mind that has no attention span at all. Gore Vidal
Write what you know will always be excellent advice for those who ought not to write at all. Write what you think, what you imagine, what you suspect! Gore Vidal
You can't really succeed with a novel anyway; they're too big. It's like city planning. You can't plan a perfect city because there's too much going on that you can't take into account. You can, however, write a perfect sentence now and then. I have. Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal quote: "Write something, even if it's just a suicide note."
Write something, even if it's just a suicide note. Gore Vidal
I’ve always said, ‘I have nothing to say, only to add.’ And it’s with each addition that the writing gets done. The first draft of anything is really just a track. Gore Vidal

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