“Why does the writer write? The writer writes to serve--hopelessly he writes in the hope that he might serve--not himself and not… — Joy Williams Writer Copy Share Image
Writers are like eremites or anchorites - natural-born eremites or anchorites - who seem puzzled as to why they went up the… — Joy Williams Copy Share Image
It's become fashionable these days to say that the writer writes because he is not whole, he has a wound, he writes… — Joy Williams Care Copy Share Image
“Sam and Elizabeth met as people usually meet. Suddenly, there was a deceptive light in the darkness. A light that reminded the… — Joy Williams Darkness Copy Share Image
“That's nice, isn't it?" Edith said. "That little kid is so trusting it's kind of holy, but if his trust were misplaced… — Joy Williams Holiness Copy Share Image
Writers when they're writing live in a spooky, clamorous silence, a state somewhat like the advanced stages of prayer but without prayer's… — Joy Williams Copy Share Image
A side benefit of the new and developing technologies is that soon we won't have to feel guilty about the suffering and… — Joy Williams Animal Copy Share Image
A writer starts out, I think, wanting to be a transfiguring agent, and ends up usually just making contact, contact with other… — Joy Williams Copy Share Image
Did the walls of the barn start to tremble With a glory they could not contain? Did anyone wake with the feeling… — Joy Williams Copy Share Image
“She was never going to seek gainful employment again, that was for certain. She'd remain outside the public sector. She'd be an… — Joy Williams Art Copy Share Image
You have never seen such animals as these who without a sound or a sign carry you off. You race with them… — Joy Williams Animal Copy Share Image
The writer trusts nothing she writes-it should be too reckless and alive for that, it should be beautiful and menacing and slightly… — Joy Williams Alive Copy Share Image
The writer doesn’t write for the reader. He doesn’t write for himself, either. He writes to serve…something. Somethingness. The somethingness that is… — Joy Williams Books Copy Share Image
Writers end up writing stories-or rather, stories' shadows-and they're grateful if they can, but it is not enough. Nothing the writer can… — Joy Williams Copy Share Image
“Alice heard a woman say, 'Before I start writing I feel affectionate, interested, and frustrated. In that order. Afterwards I feel relieved,… — Joy Williams Copy Share Image
