A novel's whole pattern is rarely apparent at the outset of writing, or even at the end; that is when the writer finds out what a novel is about, and the job becomes one of understanding and deepening or sharpening… — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
But novels are never about what they are about; that is, there is always deeper, or more general, significance. The author may not be aware of this till she is pretty far along with it. A novel's whole pattern is… — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
Statuettes of drunken sailors, velvet pictures of island maidens, plastic seashell lamps made in Taiwan. What contempt the people who think up souvenirs have… — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
A novel's whole pattern is rarely apparent at the outset of writing, or even at the end; that is when the writer finds out… — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
In what we think of as bad dialogue, the characters talk directly to each other. — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
Not having to own a car has made me realize what a waste of time the automobile is. — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
The Novelist, afraid his ideas may be foolish, slyly puts them in the mouth of some other fool and reserves the right to disavow… — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
...is this not in fact the purpose of young Americans going abroad? To make them think of things they never thought of? — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
“Men are generally more law-abiding than women. Women have the feeling that since they didn't make the rules, the rules have nothing to do… — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
“Well, their piety is more evolved,” said Mrs. Pace. “In America we have only two forms, as Matthew Arnold said: the bitter and the… — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
Any essayist setting out on a frail apparatus of notings and jottings is a brave person. — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
“Yet—some Frenchman had written—“absence diminishes commonplace passions and enhances great ones.” — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
The whole process of writing a novel is having this great, beautiful idea and then spoiling it. — Diane Johnson Copy Share Image
