Fiction just has a lot more room for ambivalence and internal conflict, contradiction, and for me that sums up so much of what people felt after 9/11 - confusion even. And I think that's hard to capture in journalism. Amy Waldman ambivalencecaptureconflict share on social
Religious speech is extreme, emotional, and motivational. It is anti-literal, relying on metaphor, allusion, and other rhetorical devices, and it assumes knowledge within a community of believers. Amy Waldman allusionantiassume Change image and share on social
I wasted years worrying about what other people thought. Amy Waldman peoplethinkwaste Change image and share on social
I wasn't sitting around years ago thinking, 'I really want to write a novel.' Amy Waldman agositthink Change image and share on social
History is the history of human behavior, and human behavior is the raw material of fiction. Most people recognize that novelists do research to get the facts right - how a glove factory works, for example, or how courtesans in imperial Japan dressed. Amy Waldman behaviorcourtesandress share on social
Over the centuries, and even today, the Bible and Christian theology have helped justify the Crusades, slavery, violence against gays, and the murder of doctors who perform abortions. The words themselves are latent, inert, harmless - until they aren't. Amy Waldman abortionbiblecentury share on social
As a reporter you tend to seek coherence from your subject or your source - it all needs to add up and make sense. In truth, in reality, there's often a great deal of murkiness and muddiness, confusion and contradiction. Amy Waldman addcoherenceconfusion share on social
Work less than you think you should. It took me a while to realise there was a point each day when my creativity ran out and I was just producing words - usually lousy ones - for their own sake. And nap: it helps to refresh the brain, at least mine. Amy Waldman braincreativityday share on social
I'm kind of a mash-up of taste - Graham Greene and Jane Austen; W.G. Sebald and Alice Munro. Amy Waldman aliceaustengraham Change image and share on social
My children, who are almost two: watching them develop has made me pay much closer attention to how we become who we are. Amy Waldman attentionchildclose Change image and share on social
