Top 135 Quotes by Joyce Carol Oates

About Joyce Carol Oates

These are some quotes by American author Joyce Carol Oates Novelist, who was born on June 16, 1938.

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.

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

Before you can write a novel you have to have a number of ideas that come together. One idea is not enough.

Before you can write a novel you have to have a number of ideas that come together. One idea is not enough.

Joyce Carol Oates

My students often say, 'My roommate read this story and really liked it,' and it's hard to convince them that there are things wrong with it. I say, 'Well, people who love you want you to be happy. But I'm your professor and I'm supposed to be teaching you something.'

Joyce Carol Oates

When you are writing literary writing, you are communicating something subtextual with emotions and poetry. The prose has to have a voice; it's not just typing. It takes a while to get that voice.

When you are writing literary writing, you are communicating something subtextual with emotions and poetry. The prose has to have a voice; it's not just typing. It takes a while to get that voice.

Joyce Carol Oates

I don't know what marriages are like in general, but there are many things which I don't talk about with my husband. We discuss practical problems, but I wouldn't sit down with him and talk about the distant past. It's somewhat in contrast to other Americans, who feel that they have to confess things, but I'm really not like that.

Joyce Carol Oates

I was brought up to be sympathetic toward others.

I was brought up to be sympathetic toward others.

Joyce Carol Oates

I am what would be called a 'mainstream feminist,' not a radical feminist.

I am what would be called a 'mainstream feminist,' not a radical feminist.

Joyce Carol Oates

I always rewrite the very beginning of a novel. I rewrite the beginning as I write the ending, so I may spend part of morning writing the ending, the last 100 pages approximately, and then part of the morning revising the beginning. So the style of the novel has a consistency.

Joyce Carol Oates

It's not hard to write poorly. But to write something good, it has to be revised.

It's not hard to write poorly. But to write something good, it has to be revised.

Joyce Carol Oates

I really love to set things in places that are real to me.

I really love to set things in places that are real to me.

Joyce Carol Oates

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