The effect of prizes on one's career - if that is what to call it - is considerable, since they give one more clout with publishers and more notoriety among journalists. The effect on one's writing, however, is nil - otherwise, one would be in deep trouble. John Banville callcareerclout share on social
When fans of mine meet me, I can see the disappointment in their eyes. Every artist knows of this phenomenon. John Banville artistdisappointmenteye Change image and share on social
I'm full of self-doubt. I doubt everything I do. Everything I do is a failure. John Banville doubtfailurefull Change image and share on social
Writers are just like other people, except slightly more obsessed. John Banville obsesspeopleslightly Change image and share on social
Office life is very, very strange. It's like no other way of living. You have an intimacy with people who you work with in the office, yet if you meet them on the streets, you both look the other way because you're embarrassed. John Banville embarrassintimacylife share on social
I'd given up Catholicism in my teens but something of it stays with me. I try to create the perfect sentence - that's as close to godliness as I can get. John Banville catholicismclosecreate Change image and share on social
When I say I don't like my own work, that doesn't mean it isn't better than everyone else's. John Banville work Change image and share on social
I'm a hopeless 19th-century romantic. John Banville 19thcenturyhopeless Change image and share on social
When you're writing there's a deep, deep level of concentration way below your normal self. This strange voice, these strange sentences come out of you. John Banville concentrationdeeplevel Change image and share on social
All novels must be autobiographical because I am the only material that I know. All of the characters are me. But at the same time, a novel is never autobiographical even if it describes the life of the author. Literary writing is a completely different medium. John Banville authorautobiographicalcharacter share on social
