When you first quit your regular job and you become a full-time writer, you are paralyzed with free time. You have so… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
I think we all try to figure out ways to ignore the fact that life is about suffering. In the modern world,… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
When I'm following what a character does in a book I don't have to think about my own life. Where I am.… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
But when you read books you almost feel like you're out there in the world. Like you're going on this adventure right… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
I'm ashamed to admit this, but I didn't read a novel all the way through until after high school. Blasphemy, I know.… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
My fear is you have to be careful as a writer to not get caught up in social media and blogging, because… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
The Color Purple really floored me. That book was just incredible because I loved the language. The biggest deal of that book… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
I was really drawn to spoken-word style poetry. I loved the rhythms, and for some reason, I was just drawn to this… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
As an author, you go into the school, it gets written about in the paper. It sucks that your book was banned, but you… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
Whenever I teach writing I tell them to never revise as you go. Finish the first draft. This is my writing advice. I can't… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
When you first quit your regular job and you become a full-time writer, you are paralyzed with free time. You have so much free… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
I think the world sort of looks to the kids who have potential. These are the kids who are going to do something with… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
I think we all try to figure out ways to ignore the fact that life is about suffering. In the modern world, that's what… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
Growing up as a mixed-race kid myself, when you are in the middle of it and you're young...you don't think about it consciously. It's… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
A lot of people think that they are really cool because they don't outline. In my writing group, they would say, "I will never… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
The second book, which was probably more from a professional standpoint - when I read Junot Díaz's Drown, I was like, Oh my god,… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
When I was young, I grew up in a family of working-class people. Not just my parents, but my extended family, as well. — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
Once I got into college, I discovered literature - in particular, multicultural literature. I just started to understand the power of story and narrative,… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
The feeling it gave me was an odd combination of weightless self-pity and excitement. I understood my life was meaningless, and this knowledge freed… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
When I finish a book, I'll go to that file and look through them. And I'll say, these are three that really excite me… — Matt de la Pena Copy Share Image
