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
So, I don't work in terms of real time. I don't work in a timely fashion. John Irving fashionrealterm Change image and share on social
My old coach used to say that if you were in it for the match, if you were in it for the trophies, you were in it for the wrong reasons. John Irving coachmatchreason Change image and share on social
Good habits are worth being fanatical about. John Irving fanaticalgoodhabit Change image and share on social
I believe that, in any novel of mine, the principal objective is the construction of the whole. John Irving constructionmineobjective Change image and share on social
I don't really set out to explore grand themes. I set out to tell a story. And one I have to be able to imagine right through. John Irving exploregrandimagine Change image and share on social
You can't learn everything you need to know legally. John Irving learnlegally Change image and share on social
When I was still in prep school - 14, 15 - I started keeping notebooks, journals. I started writing, almost like landscape drawing or life drawing. I never kept a diary, I never wrote about my day and what happened to me, but I described things. John Irving daydiarydraw share on social
I don't begin a novel or a screenplay until I know the ending. And I don't mean only that I have to know what happens. I mean that I have to hear the actual sentences. I have to know what atmosphere the words convey. John Irving actualatmospherebegin share on social
I think better of our behaviour as individuals than I do when we see ourselves as members of a group. It's when people start forming groups that we have to watch our backs. John Irving backbehaviourform Change image and share on social
