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Writer Quotes by Chang-Rae Lee

22 Writer quotes by Chang-Rae Lee

All Writer quotes Chang-Rae Lee’s page

If you’re curious about how a seasoned novelist thinks about the act of putting words on a page, these 22 snippets from Chang‑Rae Lee give you a concise, yet thoughtful, look. He touches on the discipline, the moments of doubt, and the quiet triumphs that shape a writer’s journey, making it a handy reference for anyone who loves the written word.

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It's not that I don't enjoy other people, but what I find with writers is this back and forth. And also, there's…

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My writing day follows my family's day. I get a good few hours in the mornings when the kids are out of…

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I think my parents recognised that I'd always wanted to be a writer, and so they didn't think that this was some…

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To be honest, I'm not that much of a reader of Korean fiction, since so little is translated.

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I'm not the sort of writer who can plan out things. Mostly I have no idea where I'm going.

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I have a hard time revising sentences, because I spend an inordinate amount of time on each sentence, and the sentence before…

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I think that's great - I just try not to be one of those people. I find the more I think about…

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So my first book I had no experience having written a book, but each book is a little snapshot of who you…

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We read and remember certain writers because they offer distinctive voices and perspectives, because they've given themselves over completely and passionately to…

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I rarely talk about work with writers, and I love getting together with writers. I think writers are great to get together…

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I don't like to use writing assignments, exercises. I think too often people get comfortable writing in that vein, but you can't…

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A novel, even a social realist one, can't simply be a comprehensive rendering of what is. A novel requires a special angle…

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I try to be aware of what I'm concerned about, aware of how I feel about myself in the world, aware of…

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After college, I was living in New York and wrote furiously, a huge novel that I knew was a failure. I hoped…

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Maybe someone's who's a different kind of writer [would think otherwise] - someone who'd be just as comfortable writing essays on what…

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Yeah, and the language the "we" has, and the character the "we" has. Because that was the part of the book that…

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Some writers are writing one great, big book and just taking all these different avenues towards it. They might seem on the…

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Part of writing a novel is being willing to leap into the blackness. You have very little idea, really, of what's going…

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One of the things my friends would tell you is that I hang out with a lot of non-writers - just regular…

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Usually, when you're talking about work with other writers it's because something seriously bad is going on with your work and you've…

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I'll read pretty much anywhere and anytime, but for a while now, I've really enjoyed reading on flights, especially the longer hauls,…

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Part of writing a novel is being willing to leap into the blackness. You have very little idea, really, of what's going…

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More by Chang-Rae Lee

The truth, finally, is who can tell it.

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I think my parents recognised that I'd always wanted to be a writer, and so they didn't think that this was some idle, faddish…

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Some writers are writing one great, big book and just taking all these different avenues towards it. They might seem on the outside to…

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I try to be aware of what I'm concerned about, aware of how I feel about myself in the world, aware of how I…

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“Behold a fire from the opposite shore.”

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“I would give most anything to hear my father's talk again, the crash and bang and stop of his language, always hurtling by. I…

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We have hopes and make plans, and if they are dashed or waylaid, we naturally rationalize and redraw the map to locate ourselves anew.…

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I remember when I was in art classes, I hated following the assignments. And I would get in trouble for doing something totally different…

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The past, as you suggest, is absolutely present at all times and the present is born from the past. I wouldn't want to suggest…

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Most people don't think about race as much as I do. They don't have to.

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Not to any really influential effect, but certainly there have been comments that have surprised me. It's surprising sometimes to get particular perspectives on…

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My family immigrated when I was 3, and our predecessors inhabited the Korean Peninsula for as long as can be recalled.

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