--- title: "29 Knows Quotes By Toni Morrison" description: "29 Knows quotes by Toni Morrison. Plus more from Toni Morrison and more Knows sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/toni-morrison-271_college_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_2382577.jpg" --- > [The formula for creative writing in high school or college is write what you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high-school-or-college-is-write-2/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/toni-morrison-271_college_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_2382577.jpg) > [Can't nothing heal without pain, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/can-t-nothing-heal-without-pain-you-know/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/toni-morrison-271_heal_can-t-nothing-heal-without-pain-you-know_1239669.jpg) > [I know that my books are worthy, which is separate from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-know-that-my-books-are-worthy-which-is-separate-from-me/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/112/toni-morrison-271_book_i-know-that-my-books-are-worthy-which-is_2934299.jpg) > [Write about something you don't know. And don't be scared, ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/write-about-something-you-don-t-know-and-don-t-be-scared-ever/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf3/toni-morrison-271_know_write-about-something-you-don-t-know-and_2599285.jpg) > [I don't know whether the bird you are holding is dead or alive, but what I do know is that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-don-t-know-whether-the-bird-you-are-holding-is-dead-or-alive-but/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/toni-morrison-271_alive_i-don-t-know-whether-the-bird-you-are-ho_1056547.jpg) > [When you stiffen, you know that whatever you stiffen about is very important. The stuff is important, the fear itself is information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/when-you-stiffen-you-know-that-whatever-you-stiffen-about-is-very/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/toni-morrison-271_fear_when-you-stiffen-you-know-that-whatever_2046328.jpg) > [When you know your name, you should hang on to it, for unless it is noted down and remembered, it will die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/when-you-know-your-name-you-should-hang-on-to-it-for-unless-it-is/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/toni-morrison-271_black_when-you-know-your-name-you-should-hang_2632069.jpg) > [Isolation, you know, carries the seeds of its own destruction because as times change, other things seep in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/isolation-you-know-carries-the-seeds-of-its-own-destruction-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/399/toni-morrison-271_carrie_isolation-you-know-carries-the-seeds-of_399238.jpg) > [So this is what insanity is. Not goofy behavior, but watching a sudden change in the world you used to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/so-this-is-what-insanity-is-not-goofy-behavior-but-watching-a-sudden/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/toni-morrison-271_behavior_so-this-is-what-insanity-is-not-goofy-be_719622.jpg) > [I am a writer and my faith in the world of art is intense, but not irrational, nor naïve - because art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-am-a-writer-and-my-faith-in-the-world-of-art-is-intense-but-not/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/toni-morrison-271_art_i-am-a-writer-and-my-faith-in-the-world_2999568.jpg) > [I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-know-the-world-is-bruised-and-bleeding-and-though-it-is-important/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/toni-morrison-271_art_i-know-the-world-is-bruised-and-bleeding_1171112.jpg) > [I have difficulties with contemporary language. Big difficulties. I counted, you know, something like 160 words have disappeared from the English language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-have-difficulties-with-contemporary-language-big-difficulties-i/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/toni-morrison-271_bigs_i-have-difficulties-with-contemporary-la_2210915.jpg) > [I'm a writer in the world. I translate the confusion that I might feel, the dread that I know I feel, moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-m-a-writer-in-the-world-i-translate-the-confusion-that-i-might-feel/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/toni-morrison-271_confusion_i-m-a-writer-in-the-world-i-translate-th_1184624.jpg) > [Evil is not interesting. What is it, chopping off someone's head? We used to do that as kids, you know, you tear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/evil-is-not-interesting-what-is-it-chopping-off-someone-s-head-we/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/toni-morrison-271_be-good_evil-is-not-interesting-what-is-it-chopp_2900581.jpg) > [I'm losing the definition now of politics. I sort of don't know what that is anymore. People say politically correct, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-m-losing-the-definition-now-of-politics-i-sort-of-don-t-know-what/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/toni-morrison-271_definitions_i-m-losing-the-definition-now-of-politic_253965.jpg) > [I guess I'm depressed. I don't know. I can't explain it. Part of it is the irritability of being 84, and part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-guess-i-m-depressed-i-don-t-know-i-can-t-explain-it-part-of-it-is/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/toni-morrison-271_depressed_i-guess-i-m-depressed-i-don-t-know-i-can_383874.jpg) > [I don't want you to write about what you know, because you don't know anything. I don't want to hear about your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-don-t-want-you-to-write-about-what-you-know-because-you-don-t-know/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c4/toni-morrison-271_fiction_i-don-t-want-you-to-write-about-what-you_319090.jpg) > [Some literature is knowledge, some is just data. But if I can get a "happy" ending - which is when for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/some-literature-is-knowledge-some-is-just-data-but-if-i-can-get-a/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/toni-morrison-271_book_some-literature-is-knowledge-some-is-jus_2757195.jpg) > [When you first start writing-and I think it's true for a lot of beginning writers-you're scared to death that if you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/when-you-first-start-writing-and-i-think-it-s-true-for-a-lot-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/toni-morrison-271_again-and-again_when-you-first-start-writing-and-i-think_1758127.jpg) > [Two parents can't raise a child any more than one. You need a whole community - everybody - to raise a child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more-than-one-you-need-a-whole/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/toni-morrison-271_black_two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more_2217172.jpg) > [“Do they still call it infatuation? That magic ax that chops away the world in one blow, leaving only the couple standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/do-they-still-call-it-infatuation-that-magic-ax-that-chops-away-the/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/toni-morrison-271_benefits_do-they-still-call-it-infatuation-that-m_2185370.jpg) > [All the time, I'm afraid the thing that happened that made it all right for my mother to kill my sister could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-the-time-i-m-afraid-the-thing-that-happened-that-made-it-all/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa2/toni-morrison-271_afraid_all-the-time-i-m-afraid-the-thing-that-h_3034861.jpg) > [Sometimes Joyce is hilarious. I read Finnegans Wake after graduate school and I had the great good fortune of reading it without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/sometimes-joyce-is-hilarious-i-read-finnegans-wake-after-graduate/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/toni-morrison-271_block_sometimes-joyce-is-hilarious-i-read-finn_949507.jpg) > [I remember a very important lesson that my father gave me when I was twelve or thirteen. He said, "You know, today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-remember-a-very-important-lesson-that-my-father-gave-me-when-i-was-2/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/toni-morrison-271_daddy_i-remember-a-very-important-lesson-that_2665312.jpg) > [ I know there's some poetry that sort of sounds like daisies, but most of the good poetry is also \[political\], you can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-know-there-s-some-poetry-that-sort-of-sounds-like-daisies-but-most/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/toni-morrison-271_art_i-know-there-s-some-poetry-that-sort-of_2786675.jpg) > [The formula for creative writing in high school or college is write what you know. And I said they don't know nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high-school-or-college-is-write/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/toni-morrison-271_clients_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_1333512.jpg) > [Tell us what it is to be a woman so that we may know what it is to be a man. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/tell-us-what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-so-that-we-may-know-what-it-is-to-be/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/toni-morrison-271_adrift_tell-us-what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-so-that_239801.jpg) > [I tell my students one of the most important things they need to know is when they are at their best, creatively.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-tell-my-students-one-of-the-most-important-things-they-need-to-know/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/toni-morrison-271_asks_i-tell-my-students-one-of-the-most-impor_469811.jpg) > [Did you ever see the way the clouds love a mountain? They circle all around it; sometimes you can't even see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/did-you-ever-see-the-way-the-clouds-love-a-mountain-they-circle-all/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/toni-morrison-271_breakup_did-you-ever-see-the-way-the-clouds-love_2502234.jpg) ## Other authors on Knows ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/toni-morrison/#itemlist", "name": "29 Knows Quotes By Toni Morrison", "numberOfItems": 29, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The formula for creative writing in high school or college is write what you know.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high-school-or-college-is-write-2/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/toni-morrison-271_college_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_2382577.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/toni-morrison-271_college_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_2382577.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/toni-morrison-271_college_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_2382577.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The formula for creative writing in high school or college is write what you know.” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Can't nothing heal without pain, you know.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/can-t-nothing-heal-without-pain-you-know/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/toni-morrison-271_heal_can-t-nothing-heal-without-pain-you-know_1239669.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/toni-morrison-271_heal_can-t-nothing-heal-without-pain-you-know_1239669.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/toni-morrison-271_heal_can-t-nothing-heal-without-pain-you-know_1239669.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Can't nothing heal without pain, you know.” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know that my books are worthy, which is separate from me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-know-that-my-books-are-worthy-which-is-separate-from-me/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/112/toni-morrison-271_book_i-know-that-my-books-are-worthy-which-is_2934299.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/112/toni-morrison-271_book_i-know-that-my-books-are-worthy-which-is_2934299.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/112/toni-morrison-271_book_i-know-that-my-books-are-worthy-which-is_2934299.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know that my books are worthy, which is separate from me.” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Write about something you don't know. And don't be scared, ever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/write-about-something-you-don-t-know-and-don-t-be-scared-ever/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf3/toni-morrison-271_know_write-about-something-you-don-t-know-and_2599285.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf3/toni-morrison-271_know_write-about-something-you-don-t-know-and_2599285.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf3/toni-morrison-271_know_write-about-something-you-don-t-know-and_2599285.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Write about something you don't know. And don't be scared, ever.” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't know whether the bird you are holding is dead or alive, but what I do know is that it is in your hands. It is in your hands.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-don-t-know-whether-the-bird-you-are-holding-is-dead-or-alive-but/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/toni-morrison-271_alive_i-don-t-know-whether-the-bird-you-are-ho_1056547.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/toni-morrison-271_alive_i-don-t-know-whether-the-bird-you-are-ho_1056547.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/toni-morrison-271_alive_i-don-t-know-whether-the-bird-you-are-ho_1056547.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't know whether the bird you are holding is dead or alive, but what I do know is that it is in your…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you stiffen, you know that whatever you stiffen about is very important. The stuff is important, the fear itself is information.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/when-you-stiffen-you-know-that-whatever-you-stiffen-about-is-very/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/toni-morrison-271_fear_when-you-stiffen-you-know-that-whatever_2046328.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/toni-morrison-271_fear_when-you-stiffen-you-know-that-whatever_2046328.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/toni-morrison-271_fear_when-you-stiffen-you-know-that-whatever_2046328.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you stiffen, you know that whatever you stiffen about is very important. The stuff is important, the…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you know your name, you should hang on to it, for unless it is noted down and remembered, it will die when you do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/when-you-know-your-name-you-should-hang-on-to-it-for-unless-it-is/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/toni-morrison-271_black_when-you-know-your-name-you-should-hang_2632069.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/toni-morrison-271_black_when-you-know-your-name-you-should-hang_2632069.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/toni-morrison-271_black_when-you-know-your-name-you-should-hang_2632069.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you know your name, you should hang on to it, for unless it is noted down and remembered, it will die…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Isolation, you know, carries the seeds of its own destruction because as times change, other things seep in.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/isolation-you-know-carries-the-seeds-of-its-own-destruction-because/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/399/toni-morrison-271_carrie_isolation-you-know-carries-the-seeds-of_399238.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/399/toni-morrison-271_carrie_isolation-you-know-carries-the-seeds-of_399238.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/399/toni-morrison-271_carrie_isolation-you-know-carries-the-seeds-of_399238.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Isolation, you know, carries the seeds of its own destruction because as times change, other things seep in.” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So this is what insanity is. Not goofy behavior, but watching a sudden change in the world you used to know.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/so-this-is-what-insanity-is-not-goofy-behavior-but-watching-a-sudden/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/toni-morrison-271_behavior_so-this-is-what-insanity-is-not-goofy-be_719622.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/toni-morrison-271_behavior_so-this-is-what-insanity-is-not-goofy-be_719622.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/toni-morrison-271_behavior_so-this-is-what-insanity-is-not-goofy-be_719622.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So this is what insanity is. Not goofy behavior, but watching a sudden change in the world you used to know.” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a writer and my faith in the world of art is intense, but not irrational, nor naïve - because art takes us and makes us take a journey beyond price, beyond cost, into bearing witness to the world as it is and as it should be. Art invites us to know beauty and to solicit it, summon it, from even the most tragic of circumstances.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-am-a-writer-and-my-faith-in-the-world-of-art-is-intense-but-not/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/toni-morrison-271_art_i-am-a-writer-and-my-faith-in-the-world_2999568.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/toni-morrison-271_art_i-am-a-writer-and-my-faith-in-the-world_2999568.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/toni-morrison-271_art_i-am-a-writer-and-my-faith-in-the-world_2999568.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am a writer and my faith in the world of art is intense, but not irrational, nor naïve - because art takes…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 11, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge-even wisdom. Like art.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-know-the-world-is-bruised-and-bleeding-and-though-it-is-important/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/toni-morrison-271_art_i-know-the-world-is-bruised-and-bleeding_1171112.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/toni-morrison-271_art_i-know-the-world-is-bruised-and-bleeding_1171112.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/toni-morrison-271_art_i-know-the-world-is-bruised-and-bleeding_1171112.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have difficulties with contemporary language. Big difficulties. I counted, you know, something like 160 words have disappeared from the English language because of the use of the word \"like.\" \"I'm like, he's like\" - not \"thought,\" not \"as if .\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-have-difficulties-with-contemporary-language-big-difficulties-i/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/toni-morrison-271_bigs_i-have-difficulties-with-contemporary-la_2210915.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/toni-morrison-271_bigs_i-have-difficulties-with-contemporary-la_2210915.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/toni-morrison-271_bigs_i-have-difficulties-with-contemporary-la_2210915.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have difficulties with contemporary language. Big difficulties. I counted, you know, something like 160…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 13, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a writer in the world. I translate the confusion that I might feel, the dread that I know I feel, moving towards some other place, moving away from puny language, from all that dread into some other kind of language.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-m-a-writer-in-the-world-i-translate-the-confusion-that-i-might-feel/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/toni-morrison-271_confusion_i-m-a-writer-in-the-world-i-translate-th_1184624.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/toni-morrison-271_confusion_i-m-a-writer-in-the-world-i-translate-th_1184624.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/toni-morrison-271_confusion_i-m-a-writer-in-the-world-i-translate-th_1184624.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a writer in the world. I translate the confusion that I might feel, the dread that I know I feel, moving…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 14, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Evil is not interesting. What is it, chopping off someone's head? We used to do that as kids, you know, you tear up paper dolls and stuff. I know everyone's done it in the history of the world, but maybe everybody was dumb and they were just looking for something interesting to do. What's really interesting and hard is being good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/evil-is-not-interesting-what-is-it-chopping-off-someone-s-head-we/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/toni-morrison-271_be-good_evil-is-not-interesting-what-is-it-chopp_2900581.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/toni-morrison-271_be-good_evil-is-not-interesting-what-is-it-chopp_2900581.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/toni-morrison-271_be-good_evil-is-not-interesting-what-is-it-chopp_2900581.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Evil is not interesting. What is it, chopping off someone's head? We used to do that as kids, you know, you…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 15, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm losing the definition now of politics. I sort of don't know what that is anymore. People say politically correct, I don't know what that means. I know what they think they mean.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-m-losing-the-definition-now-of-politics-i-sort-of-don-t-know-what/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/toni-morrison-271_definitions_i-m-losing-the-definition-now-of-politic_253965.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/toni-morrison-271_definitions_i-m-losing-the-definition-now-of-politic_253965.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/toni-morrison-271_definitions_i-m-losing-the-definition-now-of-politic_253965.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm losing the definition now of politics. I sort of don't know what that is anymore. People say politically…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 16, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I guess I'm depressed. I don't know. I can't explain it. Part of it is the irritability of being 84, and part of it is being not as physically strong as I once was. And part of it is my misunderstanding, I think, of what's going on in the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-guess-i-m-depressed-i-don-t-know-i-can-t-explain-it-part-of-it-is/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/toni-morrison-271_depressed_i-guess-i-m-depressed-i-don-t-know-i-can_383874.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/toni-morrison-271_depressed_i-guess-i-m-depressed-i-don-t-know-i-can_383874.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/toni-morrison-271_depressed_i-guess-i-m-depressed-i-don-t-know-i-can_383874.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I guess I'm depressed. I don't know. I can't explain it. Part of it is the irritability of being 84, and…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 17, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't want you to write about what you know, because you don't know anything. I don't want to hear about your boyfriend or your grandma... I'm getting a little tired of 'my life story as fiction'. Please don't tell me about your little life - is there nothing larger? More important?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-don-t-want-you-to-write-about-what-you-know-because-you-don-t-know/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c4/toni-morrison-271_fiction_i-don-t-want-you-to-write-about-what-you_319090.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c4/toni-morrison-271_fiction_i-don-t-want-you-to-write-about-what-you_319090.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c4/toni-morrison-271_fiction_i-don-t-want-you-to-write-about-what-you_319090.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't want you to write about what you know, because you don't know anything. I don't want to hear about…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 18, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some literature is knowledge, some is just data. But if I can get a \"happy\" ending - which is when for the characters I'm writing about, something happens that they move from wherever they are in the beginning to knowledge or wisdom, they know something they never would have acknowledged or realized if it hadn't been for my book - that for me is what literature does.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/some-literature-is-knowledge-some-is-just-data-but-if-i-can-get-a/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/toni-morrison-271_book_some-literature-is-knowledge-some-is-jus_2757195.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/toni-morrison-271_book_some-literature-is-knowledge-some-is-jus_2757195.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/toni-morrison-271_book_some-literature-is-knowledge-some-is-jus_2757195.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some literature is knowledge, some is just data. But if I can get a \"happy\" ending - which is when for the…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 19, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you first start writing-and I think it's true for a lot of beginning writers-you're scared to death that if you don't get that sentence right that minute it's never going to show up again. And it isn't. But it doesn't matter-another one will, and it'll probably be better. And I don't mind writing badly for a couple of days because I know I can fix it-and fix it again and again and again, and it will be better.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/when-you-first-start-writing-and-i-think-it-s-true-for-a-lot-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/toni-morrison-271_again-and-again_when-you-first-start-writing-and-i-think_1758127.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/toni-morrison-271_again-and-again_when-you-first-start-writing-and-i-think_1758127.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/toni-morrison-271_again-and-again_when-you-first-start-writing-and-i-think_1758127.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you first start writing-and I think it's true for a lot of beginning writers-you're scared to death…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 20, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Two parents can't raise a child any more than one. You need a whole community - everybody - to raise a child. And the little nuclear family is a paradigm that just doesn't work. It doesn't work for white people or for black people. Why are we hanging onto it, I don't know. It isolates people into little units - people need a larger unit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more-than-one-you-need-a-whole/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/toni-morrison-271_black_two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more_2217172.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/toni-morrison-271_black_two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more_2217172.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/toni-morrison-271_black_two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more_2217172.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Two parents can't raise a child any more than one. You need a whole community - everybody - to raise a…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 21, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Do they still call it infatuation? That magic ax that chops away the world in one blow, leaving only the couple standing there trembling? Whatever they call it, it leaps over anything, takes the biggest chair, the largest slice, rules the ground wherever it walks, from a mansion to a swamp, and its selfishness is its beauty… People with no imagination feed it with sex -- the clown of love. They don't know the real kinds, the better kinds, where losses are cut and everybody benefits. It takes a certain intelligence to love like that -- softly, without props.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/do-they-still-call-it-infatuation-that-magic-ax-that-chops-away-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/toni-morrison-271_benefits_do-they-still-call-it-infatuation-that-m_2185370.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/toni-morrison-271_benefits_do-they-still-call-it-infatuation-that-m_2185370.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/toni-morrison-271_benefits_do-they-still-call-it-infatuation-that-m_2185370.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do they still call it infatuation? That magic ax that chops away the world in one blow, leaving only the…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 22, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All the time, I'm afraid the thing that happened that made it all right for my mother to kill my sister could happen again. I don't know what it is, I don't know who it is, but maybe there is something else terrible enough to make her do it again. I need to know what that thing might be, but I don't want to. Whatever it is, it comes from outside this house, outside the yard, and it can come right on in the yard if it wants to. So I never leave this house and I watch over the yard, so it can't happen again and my mother won't have to kill me too.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-the-time-i-m-afraid-the-thing-that-happened-that-made-it-all/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa2/toni-morrison-271_afraid_all-the-time-i-m-afraid-the-thing-that-h_3034861.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa2/toni-morrison-271_afraid_all-the-time-i-m-afraid-the-thing-that-h_3034861.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa2/toni-morrison-271_afraid_all-the-time-i-m-afraid-the-thing-that-h_3034861.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All the time, I'm afraid the thing that happened that made it all right for my mother to kill my sister…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 23, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes Joyce is hilarious. I read Finnegans Wake after graduate school and I had the great good fortune of reading it without any help. I don't know if I read it right, but it was hilarious! I laughed constantly! I didn't know what was going on for whole blocks but it didn't matter because I wasn't going to be graded on it. I think the reason why everyone still has so much fun with Shakespeare is because he didn't have any literary critic. He was just doing it; and there were no reviews except for people throwing stuff on stage. He could just do it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/sometimes-joyce-is-hilarious-i-read-finnegans-wake-after-graduate/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/toni-morrison-271_block_sometimes-joyce-is-hilarious-i-read-finn_949507.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/toni-morrison-271_block_sometimes-joyce-is-hilarious-i-read-finn_949507.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/toni-morrison-271_block_sometimes-joyce-is-hilarious-i-read-finn_949507.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes Joyce is hilarious. I read Finnegans Wake after graduate school and I had the great good fortune…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 24, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I remember a very important lesson that my father gave me when I was twelve or thirteen. He said, \"You know, today I welded a perfect seam and I signed my name to it.\" And I said, \"But, Daddy, no one's going to see it!\" And he said, \"Yeah, but I know it's there.\" So when I was working in kitchens, I did good work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-remember-a-very-important-lesson-that-my-father-gave-me-when-i-was-2/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/toni-morrison-271_daddy_i-remember-a-very-important-lesson-that_2665312.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/toni-morrison-271_daddy_i-remember-a-very-important-lesson-that_2665312.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/toni-morrison-271_daddy_i-remember-a-very-important-lesson-that_2665312.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I remember a very important lesson that my father gave me when I was twelve or thirteen. He said, \"You know…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 25, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know there's some poetry that sort of sounds like daisies, but most of the good poetry is also [political], you can feel the heartbeat; it's about some situation that concerns human beings under duress. It's suggesting a solution, or just acknowledging that [the situation] exists. Art does that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-know-there-s-some-poetry-that-sort-of-sounds-like-daisies-but-most/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/toni-morrison-271_art_i-know-there-s-some-poetry-that-sort-of_2786675.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/toni-morrison-271_art_i-know-there-s-some-poetry-that-sort-of_2786675.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/toni-morrison-271_art_i-know-there-s-some-poetry-that-sort-of_2786675.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know there's some poetry that sort of sounds like daisies, but most of the good poetry is also…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 26, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The formula for creative writing in high school or college is write what you know. And I said they don't know nothing. Imagine something. Do you know what it's like to be a Madame in Paris, when you're too old to have any clients. No, you don't. I don't either. Write about it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high-school-or-college-is-write/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/toni-morrison-271_clients_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_1333512.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/toni-morrison-271_clients_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_1333512.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/toni-morrison-271_clients_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_1333512.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The formula for creative writing in high school or college is write what you know. And I said they don't…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 27, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Tell us what it is to be a woman so that we may know what it is to be a man. What moves at the margin. What it is to have no home in this place. To be set adrift from the one you knew. What it is to live at the edge of towns that cannot bear your company.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/tell-us-what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-so-that-we-may-know-what-it-is-to-be/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/toni-morrison-271_adrift_tell-us-what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-so-that_239801.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/toni-morrison-271_adrift_tell-us-what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-so-that_239801.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/toni-morrison-271_adrift_tell-us-what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-so-that_239801.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Tell us what it is to be a woman so that we may know what it is to be a man. What moves at the margin. What…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 28, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tell my students one of the most important things they need to know is when they are at their best, creatively. They need to ask themselves, What does the ideal room look like? Is there music? Is there silence? Is there chaos outside or is there serenity outside? What do I need in order to release my imagination?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-tell-my-students-one-of-the-most-important-things-they-need-to-know/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/toni-morrison-271_asks_i-tell-my-students-one-of-the-most-impor_469811.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/toni-morrison-271_asks_i-tell-my-students-one-of-the-most-impor_469811.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/toni-morrison-271_asks_i-tell-my-students-one-of-the-most-impor_469811.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I tell my students one of the most important things they need to know is when they are at their best…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 29, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Did you ever see the way the clouds love a mountain? They circle all around it; sometimes you can't even see the mountain for the clouds. But you know what? ... The clouds never cover the head. His head pokes through, because the clouds let him; they don't wrap him up. They let him keep his head high, free.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/did-you-ever-see-the-way-the-clouds-love-a-mountain-they-circle-all/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/toni-morrison-271_breakup_did-you-ever-see-the-way-the-clouds-love_2502234.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/toni-morrison-271_breakup_did-you-ever-see-the-way-the-clouds-love_2502234.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/toni-morrison-271_breakup_did-you-ever-see-the-way-the-clouds-love_2502234.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Did you ever see the way the clouds love a mountain? They circle all around it; sometimes you can't even see…” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/toni-morrison/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/toni-morrison/", "name": "Knows Quotes by Toni Morrison", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/toni-morrison/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/toni-morrison-271_college_the-formula-for-creative-writing-in-high_2382577.jpg" }, "description": "29 Knows quotes by Toni Morrison. 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