“Sometimes life kicks you in the teeth with an irony that a self-respecting fiction writer would be ashamed to invent.” — David Morrell Copy Share Image
Writers need to be tough. This is not for the weak of will. And we have to realize that, yeah, it's never… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
When I teach writing, I have a mantra: 'Be a first-rate version of yourself, and not a second-rate version of another writer.' — David Morrell Copy Share Image
You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, 'This… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
Anybody who sits down to write, and they think 'thriller,' maybe shouldn't be thinking that way. Maybe we should be thinking 'novel,'… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
“Don't give in to doubt. Never be discouraged if your first draft isn't what you thought it would be. Given skill and… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
“If the passage absolutely demands cursing, be moderate. A little of it goes a long way. I've seen beginning writers pepper curse… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
“On every page, confidence fights with self-doubt. Every sentence is an act of faith. Why would anybody want to do it?” — David Morrell Copy Share Image
As much as I like it when a book I'm writing speeds along, the downside can be that an author becomes too… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
Your obligation as writers is to distinguish yourself. … The ultimate result should be a book that you write that no one… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
Some people might be surprised that 'Rambo's creator has a doctorate in American literature. One of my influences is Henry James, whose… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
“So they spread the paintings on the lawn, and the boy explained each of them. "This is the school, and this is… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
My son died from cancer. My granddaughter died from cancer. I have a lot of reasons to think that reality is not a friendly… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
Before I start a project, I always ask myself the following question. Why is this book worth a year of my life? There needs… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
“Just because somebody smiles when he hands me a bag of shit, that doesn't mean I have to take it. I don't give a… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
If you chase the market, it's not going to come to you. You have to have faith in yourself. I think one of the… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
I have a graduate degree from Penn State. I studied at Penn State under a noted Hemingway scholar, Philip Young. I had an interest… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
“the anxiety of the unpredictable came only when you dealt with amateurs” — David Morrell Copy Share Image
One generation's idea of fast pace might be different from a later generation's. — David Morrell Copy Share Image
A thriller becomes great when it carries a feeling of reality and truth. — David Morrell Copy Share Image
Anybody who sits down to write, and they think 'thriller,' maybe shouldn't be thinking that way. Maybe we should be thinking 'novel,' maybe 'thriller'… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
My world view is that it can all go to hell in an instant, and you have to be ready for it. That's pretty… — David Morrell Copy Share Image
When I started 'First Blood,' back in 1968, I was deeply influenced by Geoffrey Household's 'Rogue Male.' — David Morrell Copy Share Image
