The historian will tell you what happened. The novelist will tell you what it felt like. E. L. Doctorow felthappenhistorian Change image and share on social
A new reader shouldn't be able to find you in your work, though someone who's read more may begin to. E. L. Doctorow beginfindread Change image and share on social
When you're working well, you don't do research. Whatever you need comes to you. E. L. Doctorow researchwork Change image and share on social
I started on computers with 'Billy Bathgate,' a little orange screen with black letters. I thought it was really cool, but it actually slowed me up for a while because it's so easy to revise, I tended to stay on the same page. I've learned to discipline myself. E. L. Doctorow bathgatebillyblack share on social
I don't think anything I've written has been done in under six or eight drafts. Usually it takes me a few years to write a book. 'World's Fair' was an exception. It seemed to be a particularly fluent book as it came. I did it in seven months. I think what happened in that case is that God gave me a bonus book. E. L. Doctorow bonusbookcase share on social
Writing is immensely difficult. The short forms especially. E. L. Doctorow difficultformimmensely Change image and share on social
Here's how it goes: I'm up at the stroke of 10 or 10:30. I have breakfast and read the papers, and then it's lunchtime. Then maybe a little nap after lunch and out to the gym, and before I know it, it's time to have a drink. E. L. Doctorow breakfastdrinkgym share on social
In fiction, you know, there are no borders. You can go anywhere. E. L. Doctorow borderfiction Change image and share on social
The important thing is not to be too comfortable when you're writing. Noise in the street? That's good. The computer goes down? That's good. All these things are good. It has to be a little bit of a struggle. E. L. Doctorow bitecomfortablecomputer share on social