Sixteen years as a freelance features journalist taught me that neither the absence of 'the Muse' nor the presence of 'the block' should be allowed to hinder the orderly progress of a book. Jim Crace absenceallowblock Change image and share on social
I don't have a constituency, and I'm not autobiographical in any way. I write these deeply moral books in a country which would prefer irony to anything with a moral tone. Jim Crace autobiographicalbookconstituency Change image and share on social
English politics is so much more concerned with the proprieties than with defending dogmas. Jim Crace concerndefenddogma Change image and share on social
All the uncontrollable and unpredictable parts of my life - from the actual creation to my emotional responses to the finished book - I've succeeded in banishing to the office. And I think I'm happier for it. Jim Crace actualbanishbook share on social
When you start a novel, it is always like pushing a boulder uphill. Then, after a while, to mangle the metaphor, the boulder fills with helium and becomes a balloon that carries you the rest of the way to the top. You just have to hold your nerve and trust to narrative. Jim Crace balloonbouldercarry share on social
There's a convention that books are mirrors of the real world, but our fact-obsessed age also wants fiction to be factually based and trustworthy. Jim Crace agebasebook Change image and share on social
As a natural historian, I don't believe in the consciousness of rocks or the opinions of rainbows or the convictions of slugs. Jim Crace consciousnessconvictionhistorian Change image and share on social
I don't have any sense of an audience when I'm writing. I don't consider the audience. Because all I'm interested in is the problem on the page. Jim Crace audienceinterestpage Change image and share on social
There is no reason why the Louvre should be your favourite gallery just because it has the grandest collections in France, any more than Kew should necessarily be a favourite garden because it has the largest assemblage of plants, or Tesco your chosen shop because it has the widest variety of canned beans. Jim Crace assemblagebeancanned share on social
For 'The Gift of Stones,' I spent an afternoon chasing a flock of Canadian geese. Jim Crace afternooncanadianchase Change image and share on social