My reputation for writing quickly and effortlessly notwithstanding, I am strongly in favor of intelligent, even fastidious revision, which is, or certainly should be, an art in itself. Joyce Carol Oates arteffortlesslyfastidious Change image and share on social
The - the sort of thing that I want to do is to strike a resonant chord of universality in other people, which is best done by fiction. Joyce Carol Oates chordfictionpeople Change image and share on social
The relationship between parents and children, but especially between mothers and daughters, is tremendously powerful, scarcely to be comprehended in any rational way. Joyce Carol Oates childcomprehenddaughter Change image and share on social
I am concerned with only one thing, the moral and social conditions of my generation. Joyce Carol Oates concernconditiongeneration Change image and share on social
I think all art comes out of conflict. When I write I am always looking for the dramatic kernel of an event, the junctures of people's lives when they go in one direction, not another. Joyce Carol Oates artconflictdirection Change image and share on social
I think whenever we think of our hometowns, we tend to think of very specific people: with whom you rode on the school bus, who was your next door neighbor you were playing with, who your girlfriend was. It's always something very specific. Joyce Carol Oates busdoorgirlfriend share on social
I really love to set things in places that are real to me. Joyce Carol Oates loveplacereal Change image and share on social
It's not hard to write poorly. But to write something good, it has to be revised. Joyce Carol Oates goodhardpoorly Change image and share on social
I was writing novels in high school and apprenticed myself in a way both to Faulkner and to Hemingway. Joyce Carol Oates apprenticefaulknerhemingway Change image and share on social
Primarily, 'Black Girl/White Girl' is the story of two very different, yet somehow 'fated' girls; for Genna, her 'friendship' with Minette is the most haunting of her life, though it is one-sided and ends in tragedy. Joyce Carol Oates blackendfate share on social