--- title: "18 William Burroughs Quotes by 14 authors" description: "Browse 18 William Burroughs quotes by 14 authors. Discover the best William Burroughs sayings and thoughts." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/william-s-burroughs-528_beat-generation_like-many-nonconformist-and-beat-generat_2930675.png" --- > [Like many nonconformist and beat generation writers, William S. Burroughs takes the outcasts of society as his theme.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/like-many-nonconformist-and-beat-generation-writers-william-s/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/william-s-burroughs-528_beat-generation_like-many-nonconformist-and-beat-generat_2930675.png) > [When I was young, I knew William Burroughs really well. And William's secret desire, which he never quite did, was to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/when-i-was-young-i-knew-william-burroughs-really-well-and-william-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/patti-smith-394_books_when-i-was-young-i-knew-william-burrough_3152920.jpg) > [I met William Burroughs in 1971. I got his address through a magazine and went to London to spend time with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-p-orridge/i-met-william-burroughs-in-1971-i-got-his-address-through-a-magazine/) [Genesis P-Orridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-p-orridge/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8db/genesis-p-orridge-4378_burroughs_i-met-william-burroughs-in-1971-i-got-hi_1703686.png) > [ Authors and artists are still afraid of breaking away as far as \[William Burroughs\] did... And he did it in the 50s! ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yony-leyser/authors-and-artists-are-still-afraid-of-breaking-away-as-far-as/) [Yony Leyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yony-leyser/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/yony-leyser-42212_art_authors-and-artists-are-still-afraid-of_1517837.jpg) > [ I was suckered in by the myth of the man \[ William Burroughs\] as much as by his work. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-harris/i-was-suckered-in-by-the-myth-of-the-man-william-burroughs-as-much-as/) [Oliver Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-harris/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/oliver-harris-41940_burroughs_i-was-suckered-in-by-the-myth-of-the-man_3219494.jpg) > [All of William S. Burroughs friends pushed it forward and introduced me to one another. I was able to enter into that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yony-leyser/all-of-william-s-burroughs-friends-pushed-it-forward-and-introduced/) [Yony Leyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yony-leyser/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/yony-leyser-42212_able_all-of-william-s-burroughs-friends-pushe_2455403.jpg) > [Norman Mailer thinks William Burroughs is a genius, which I think is ludicrous beyond words. I don't think William Burroughs has an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/norman-mailer-thinks-william-burroughs-is-a-genius-which-i-think-is/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/truman-capote-376_burroughs_norman-mailer-thinks-william-burroughs-i_1449831.jpg) > [ I really think \[William\] Burroughs was onto something here, when he said, "Dreams are a biologic necessity and your lifeline into space." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-onto-something-here-when-he-said/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4b/quentin-s-crisp-4149_burroughs_i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-ont_464032.jpg) > [“Flannery O'Connor had a certain genius. I don't think John Updike has, or Norman Mailer or William Styron, all of whom are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/flannery-o-connor-had-a-certain-genius-i-don-t-think-john-updike-has/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/truman-capote-376_flannery-o-connor_flannery-o-connor-had-a-certain-genius-i_2017450.jpg) > [Hollis thought he looked like William Burroughs, minus the bohemian substrate (or perhaps the methadone). Like someone who'd be invited quail shooting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/hollis-thought-he-looked-like-william-burroughs-minus-the-bohemian/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/william-gibson-642_bohemian_hollis-thought-he-looked-like-william-bu_31537.png) > [“The thing is, all my heroes were junkies. Lenny Bruce, Keith Richards, William Burroughs, Miles Davis, Hubert Selby, Jr... These guys were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/the-thing-is-all-my-heroes-were-junkies-lenny-bruce-keith-richards/) [Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jerry-stahl-4491_junkies_the-thing-is-all-my-heroes-were-junkies_1858087.png) > [Skullcrack City messes with your mind the way William Burroughs or a bellyful of hallucinogens will do. I'm a longtime fan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-barron/skullcrack-city-messes-with-your-mind-the-way-william-burroughs-or-a/) [Laird Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-barron/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/laird-barron-17739_burroughs_skullcrack-city-messes-with-your-mind-th_3033713.jpg) > [People talk about this often in the art world. The press releases have reached a level of absurdity and creativity - creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-salle/people-talk-about-this-often-in-the-art-world-the-press-releases-have/) [David Salle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-salle/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/david-salle-11131_absurdity_people-talk-about-this-often-in-the-art_878127.jpg) > [For a while, the gay thing seemed like such a big deal. But now, I don't think it is. It's just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-harold/for-a-while-the-gay-thing-seemed-like-such-a-big-deal-but-now-i-don-t/) [Gale Harold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-harold/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/gale-harold-25377_big-deal_for-a-while-the-gay-thing-seemed-like-su_1395749.jpg) > [I was taken by William Burroughs’ presence and intelligence from the first time I was introduced to him, by Lester Bangs in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-simon/i-was-taken-by-william-burroughs-presence-and-intelligence-from-the/) [Kate Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-simon/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/kate-simon-46229_able_i-was-taken-by-william-burroughs-presenc_2233158.png) > [I tell this anecdote with tongue in cheek at the start of my book William Burroughs and the Secret of Fascination, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-harris/i-tell-this-anecdote-with-tongue-in-cheek-at-the-start-of-my-book/) [Oliver Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-harris/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/oliver-harris-41940_academic_i-tell-this-anecdote-with-tongue-in-chee_2865967.jpg) > [“A writer or any artist can’t expect to be embraced by the people. I've done records where it seemed like no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/a-writer-or-any-artist-can-t-expect-to-be-embraced-by-the-people-i-ve/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/patti-smith-394_advice_a-writer-or-any-artist-can-t-expect-to-b_172483.jpg) > [“What I've learned to do when I sit down to work on a shitty first draft is to quiet the voices in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-i-ve-learned-to-do-when-i-sit-down-to-work-on-a-shitty-first/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/anne-lamott-188_voices-in-my-head_what-i-ve-learned-to-do-when-i-sit-down_425998.jpg) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/william-burroughs/#itemlist", "name": "William Burroughs Quotes", "numberOfItems": 18, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Like many nonconformist and beat generation writers, William S. 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Burroughs friends pushed it forward and introduced me to one another. I was able to enter into that beat family for a while and document it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yony Leyser" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yony-leyser/all-of-william-s-burroughs-friends-pushed-it-forward-and-introduced/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/yony-leyser-42212_able_all-of-william-s-burroughs-friends-pushe_2455403.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/yony-leyser-42212_able_all-of-william-s-burroughs-friends-pushe_2455403.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/yony-leyser-42212_able_all-of-william-s-burroughs-friends-pushe_2455403.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All of William S. Burroughs friends pushed it forward and introduced me to one another. 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I don't think William Burroughs has an ounce of talent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Truman Capote" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/norman-mailer-thinks-william-burroughs-is-a-genius-which-i-think-is/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/truman-capote-376_burroughs_norman-mailer-thinks-william-burroughs-i_1449831.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/truman-capote-376_burroughs_norman-mailer-thinks-william-burroughs-i_1449831.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/truman-capote-376_burroughs_norman-mailer-thinks-william-burroughs-i_1449831.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Norman Mailer thinks William Burroughs is a genius, which I think is ludicrous beyond words. I don't think…” — Truman Capote", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really think [William] Burroughs was onto something here, when he said, \"Dreams are a biologic necessity and your lifeline into space.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Quentin S. Crisp" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-onto-something-here-when-he-said/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4b/quentin-s-crisp-4149_burroughs_i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-ont_464032.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4b/quentin-s-crisp-4149_burroughs_i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-ont_464032.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4b/quentin-s-crisp-4149_burroughs_i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-ont_464032.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I really think [William] Burroughs was onto something here, when he said, \"Dreams are a biologic necessity…” — Quentin S. Crisp", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Flannery O'Connor had a certain genius. I don't think John Updike has, or Norman Mailer or William Styron, all of whom are talented, but they don't exceed themselves in any way. Norman Mailer thinks William Burroughs is a genius, which I think is ludicrous beyond words. I don't think William Burroughs has an ounce of talent.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Truman Capote" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/flannery-o-connor-had-a-certain-genius-i-don-t-think-john-updike-has/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/truman-capote-376_flannery-o-connor_flannery-o-connor-had-a-certain-genius-i_2017450.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/truman-capote-376_flannery-o-connor_flannery-o-connor-had-a-certain-genius-i_2017450.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/truman-capote-376_flannery-o-connor_flannery-o-connor-had-a-certain-genius-i_2017450.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Flannery O'Connor had a certain genius. I don't think John Updike has, or Norman Mailer or William Styron…” — Truman Capote", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hollis thought he looked like William Burroughs, minus the bohemian substrate (or perhaps the methadone). Like someone who'd be invited quail shooting with the vice-president, though too careful to get himself shot.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Gibson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/hollis-thought-he-looked-like-william-burroughs-minus-the-bohemian/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/william-gibson-642_bohemian_hollis-thought-he-looked-like-william-bu_31537.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/william-gibson-642_bohemian_hollis-thought-he-looked-like-william-bu_31537.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/william-gibson-642_bohemian_hollis-thought-he-looked-like-william-bu_31537.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hollis thought he looked like William Burroughs, minus the bohemian substrate (or perhaps the methadone)…” — William Gibson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 11, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The thing is, all my heroes were junkies. Lenny Bruce, Keith Richards, William Burroughs, Miles Davis, Hubert Selby, Jr... These guys were cool. They were committed. They would not have been caught dead doing an ALF episode.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jerry Stahl" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/the-thing-is-all-my-heroes-were-junkies-lenny-bruce-keith-richards/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jerry-stahl-4491_junkies_the-thing-is-all-my-heroes-were-junkies_1858087.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jerry-stahl-4491_junkies_the-thing-is-all-my-heroes-were-junkies_1858087.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jerry-stahl-4491_junkies_the-thing-is-all-my-heroes-were-junkies_1858087.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing is, all my heroes were junkies. Lenny Bruce, Keith Richards, William Burroughs, Miles Davis…” — Jerry Stahl", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Skullcrack City messes with your mind the way William Burroughs or a bellyful of hallucinogens will do. I'm a longtime fan of Johnson. A master of derangement, he's been bringing it for years. This time, though, it's different. He's burst into the clear and is taking seven-league strides across the literary landscape.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laird Barron" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-barron/skullcrack-city-messes-with-your-mind-the-way-william-burroughs-or-a/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/laird-barron-17739_burroughs_skullcrack-city-messes-with-your-mind-th_3033713.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/laird-barron-17739_burroughs_skullcrack-city-messes-with-your-mind-th_3033713.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/laird-barron-17739_burroughs_skullcrack-city-messes-with-your-mind-th_3033713.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Skullcrack City messes with your mind the way William Burroughs or a bellyful of hallucinogens will do. I'm…” — Laird Barron", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 13, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People talk about this often in the art world. The press releases have reached a level of absurdity and creativity - creative absurdity - that has completely detached from its intended object. It's left reality behind long ago. It's like something out of William Burroughs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Salle" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-salle/people-talk-about-this-often-in-the-art-world-the-press-releases-have/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/david-salle-11131_absurdity_people-talk-about-this-often-in-the-art_878127.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/david-salle-11131_absurdity_people-talk-about-this-often-in-the-art_878127.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/david-salle-11131_absurdity_people-talk-about-this-often-in-the-art_878127.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People talk about this often in the art world. The press releases have reached a level of absurdity and…” — David Salle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 14, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a while, the gay thing seemed like such a big deal. But now, I don't think it is. It's just a comedy-drama about people who live in the United States. It's a slice-of-life. I play a character-that's it. But I was well aware of the gay lifestyle before the show. I've been hit on in a really strong way by gay men who've tried to convert me, and a lot of my heroes are gay. William Burroughs, Lou Reed. Well, I guess Lou Reed is bi. The point is, it's 2002, gay life is no longer that shocking.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gale Harold" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-harold/for-a-while-the-gay-thing-seemed-like-such-a-big-deal-but-now-i-don-t/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/gale-harold-25377_big-deal_for-a-while-the-gay-thing-seemed-like-su_1395749.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/gale-harold-25377_big-deal_for-a-while-the-gay-thing-seemed-like-su_1395749.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/gale-harold-25377_big-deal_for-a-while-the-gay-thing-seemed-like-su_1395749.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For a while, the gay thing seemed like such a big deal. But now, I don't think it is. It's just a…” — Gale Harold", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 15, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was taken by William Burroughs’ presence and intelligence from the first time I was introduced to him, by Lester Bangs in 1975. He was thrilling to listen to. When you heard him speak, you felt that you were privy to such a rare mind. Even in small-talk, he spoke with perfect economy of language. His shoots with me were very collaborative and it was an incredible opportunity to be able to photograph him over the course of twenty years.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kate Simon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-simon/i-was-taken-by-william-burroughs-presence-and-intelligence-from-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/kate-simon-46229_able_i-was-taken-by-william-burroughs-presenc_2233158.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/kate-simon-46229_able_i-was-taken-by-william-burroughs-presenc_2233158.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/kate-simon-46229_able_i-was-taken-by-william-burroughs-presenc_2233158.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was taken by William Burroughs’ presence and intelligence from the first time I was introduced to him, by…” — Kate Simon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 16, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tell this anecdote with tongue in cheek at the start of my book William Burroughs and the Secret of Fascination, but my academic involvement with Burroughs was entirely due to my tutor at Oxford, Peter Conrad. I was discussing with him the idea of staying on to do graduate work and when I tossed the name of Burroughs into the conversation - well, he let it fall loudly onto the floor, and proceeded to cross himself as if warding off an evil spirit. Since I was very ambivalent about an academic career in any case, that decided it for me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oliver Harris" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-harris/i-tell-this-anecdote-with-tongue-in-cheek-at-the-start-of-my-book/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/oliver-harris-41940_academic_i-tell-this-anecdote-with-tongue-in-chee_2865967.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/oliver-harris-41940_academic_i-tell-this-anecdote-with-tongue-in-chee_2865967.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/oliver-harris-41940_academic_i-tell-this-anecdote-with-tongue-in-chee_2865967.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I tell this anecdote with tongue in cheek at the start of my book William Burroughs and the Secret of…” — Oliver Harris", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 17, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A writer or any artist can’t expect to be embraced by the people. I've done records where it seemed like no one listened to them. You write poetry books that maybe 50 people read. And you just keep doing your work because you have to, because it’s your calling. But it’s beautiful to be embraced by the people. Some people have said to me, “Well, don’t you think that kind of success spoils one as an artist? If you’re a punk rocker, you don’t want to have a hit record…” And I say to them, “Fuck you!” One does their work for the people. And the more people you can touch, the more wonderful it is. You don’t do your work and say, “I only want the cool people to read it.” You want everyone to be transported, or hopefully inspired by it. When I was really young, William Burroughs told me, “Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises. Don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful. Be concerned with doing good work. And make the right choices and protect your work. And if you can build a good name, eventually that name will be its own currency.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patti Smith" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/a-writer-or-any-artist-can-t-expect-to-be-embraced-by-the-people-i-ve/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/patti-smith-394_advice_a-writer-or-any-artist-can-t-expect-to-b_172483.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/patti-smith-394_advice_a-writer-or-any-artist-can-t-expect-to-b_172483.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/patti-smith-394_advice_a-writer-or-any-artist-can-t-expect-to-b_172483.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A writer or any artist can’t expect to be embraced by the people. I've done records where it seemed like no…” — Patti Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 18, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What I've learned to do when I sit down to work on a shitty first draft is to quiet the voices in my head. First there's the vinegar-lipped Reader Lady, who says primly, \"Well, that's not very interesting, is it?\" And there's the emaciated German male who writes these Orwellian memos detailing your thought crimes. And there are your parents, agonizing over your lack of loyalty and discretion; and there's William Burroughs, dozing off or shooting up because he finds you as bold and articulate as a houseplant; and so on. And there are also the dogs: let's not forget the dogs, the dogs in their pen who will surely hurtle and snarl their way out if you ever stop writing, because writing is, for some of us, the latch that keeps the door of the pen closed, keeps those crazy ravenous dogs contained.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne Lamott" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-i-ve-learned-to-do-when-i-sit-down-to-work-on-a-shitty-first/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/anne-lamott-188_voices-in-my-head_what-i-ve-learned-to-do-when-i-sit-down_425998.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/anne-lamott-188_voices-in-my-head_what-i-ve-learned-to-do-when-i-sit-down_425998.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/anne-lamott-188_voices-in-my-head_what-i-ve-learned-to-do-when-i-sit-down_425998.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I've learned to do when I sit down to work on a shitty first draft is to quiet the voices in my head…” — Anne Lamott", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/william-burroughs/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/william-burroughs/", "name": "William Burroughs Quotes", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/william-burroughs/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/william-s-burroughs-528_beat-generation_like-many-nonconformist-and-beat-generat_2930675.png" }, "description": "Browse 18 William Burroughs quotes by 14 authors. 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