Chekhov - shall I be blunt? - is the greatest short story writer who ever lived. George Saunders bluntchekhovgreat Change image and share on social
I'm finding, as I get older, that I'm not much of a believer in redemption. I mean, I believe in redemption in real life - redemption does happen, and it's cool when it does - but I find myself getting leery of my desire for it in stories (especially my own). George Saunders believercooldesire share on social
When I'm explaining something to you, if I'm being long-winded, and twisty in a non-productive way, I could make you feel vaguely insulted. And you'd have a right to be. George Saunders explainfeelinsult Change image and share on social
You don't want to be that parent - the one who dresses his kid in a cloth sack when all the other kids are in Armani cloth sacks - especially in a time like ours, when materialism is not only rampant and ascendant but is fast becoming the only game in town. George Saunders armaniascendantcloth share on social
I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character, I cleave the character in half, on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar. George Saunders birthdaybleaknesscharacter Change image and share on social
When I write I know that I'm going to have to produce 40 percent more than I need. George Saunders percentproducewrite Change image and share on social
Back in 1992, I had my first story accepted by 'The New Yorker.' George Saunders acceptbackstory Change image and share on social
I think fiction isn't so good at being for or against things in general - the rhetorical argument a short story can make is only actualized by the accretion of particular details, and the specificity of these details renders whatever conclusions the story reaches invalid for wider application. George Saunders accretionactualizeapplication share on social
You know, you can talk about race, you can talk about sex, you can talk about your biopsy. But when you get into class, people kind of clench up. George Saunders biopsyclassclench Change image and share on social
I was a big and un-ironic fan of Dear Abby when I was a kid in Chicago. I think I sort of internalized her. So I have this inner Abby: cranky, proper, folksy yet scathing, with a beehive hairdo. But that's my issue. George Saunders abbybeehivebig share on social