I approach writing female characters the same why I approach writing male characters. I never think I'm writing about women, I think I'm writing about one woman, one person. And I try to imagine what she is like, and endow her with a lot of my own thoughts and history. Jeffrey Eugenides approachcharacterendow share on social
I was unemployable when I got out of college. Jeffrey Eugenides collegeunemployable Change image and share on social
I think, especially when you're in college, each book that you're reading tends to tell you who you are. Jeffrey Eugenides bookcollegeread Change image and share on social
I know that attaching memories to books may be going out of the world, but while it lasts, it's a strong record of your life. Jeffrey Eugenides attachbooklast Change image and share on social
I have a good memory for early life. My visual memory is good about childhood and adolescence, and less good in the last 10 years. I could probably tell you less what happened in the last 10 years. I remember what houses looked like, sometimes they just pop into my head. Jeffrey Eugenides adolescencechildhoodearly share on social
One of the reasons I like Barthes more than other writers of that ilk is because he had a literary quality. Jeffrey Eugenides barthesilkliterary Change image and share on social
I studied English literature in the honors program, which means that you had to take courses in various centuries. You had to start with Old English, Middle English, and work your way toward the modern. I figured if I did that it would force me to read some of the things I might not read on my own. Jeffrey Eugenides centurycourseenglish share on social
It was painful, but sometimes you must have these painful moments where you tear yourself away from something that isn't working. Jeffrey Eugenides momentpainfultear Change image and share on social
I'm aware of cliches and I'm aware of experiments that have been done and I'm aware of a kind of deadness to a lot of realism both in the language and in the structure of a book. Jeffrey Eugenides awarebookcliche Change image and share on social
What I do when I create a character is put in details from all the people I know who might be like that person, and then put in a huge amount of myself. Jeffrey Eugenides amountcharactercreate Change image and share on social