I sometimes think that what I do as a writer is make a kind of colouring book, where all the lines are there, and then you put in the colour. John Irving bookcolourkind Change image and share on social
I grew up without a father, who was kept a mystery to me. There was a sense of uprootedness, things being one day here and the next day not; a sense anything could happen. Then, all of a sudden, my mother met my stepfather, and her life became happier, and my life changed, my name changed. John Irving changedayfather share on social
The building of the architecture of a novel - the craft of it - is something I never tire of. John Irving architecturebuildcraft Change image and share on social
I have a very poor record at multiple choice questions. John Irving choicemultiplepoor Change image and share on social
I find screenplays easy to write, my novels being very visual. You see what people look like. The physical action is described. John Irving actioneasyfind Change image and share on social
I have pretty thick skin, and I think if you're going to be in this business, if you're going to be an actor or a writer, you better have a thick skin. John Irving actorbusinesspretty Change image and share on social
I think there is often a 'what if' proposition that gets me thinking about all my novels. John Irving novelpropositionthink Change image and share on social
I never know when I finish the novel I am writing which will be the next novel out of the station. John Irving finishstationwrite Change image and share on social
Sometimes that's a year, sometimes it's 18 months, where all I'm doing is taking notes. I'm reconstructing the story from the back to the front so that I know where the front is. John Irving backfrontmonth Change image and share on social
You know, people think you have to be dumb to skip rope for 45 minutes. No, you have to be able to imagine something else. While you're skipping rope, you have to be able to see something else. John Irving dumbimagineminute Change image and share on social