I don't teach literature from my perspective as 'Joyce Carol Oates.' I try to teach fiction from the perspective of each writer. If I'm teaching a story by Hemingway, my endeavor is to present the story that Hemingway wrote in its fullest realization. Joyce Carol Oates carolendeavorfiction share on social
My role models were childless: Virginia Woolf, Jane Austen, George Eliot, the Brontes. Joyce Carol Oates austenbrontechildless Change image and share on social
'A Fair Maiden' existed in notes and sketches for perhaps a year. When I traveled, I would take along with me my folder of notes - 'ideas for stories.' Eventually, I began to write it and wrote it fairly swiftly - in perhaps two months of fairly intense writing and rewriting. Most of my time writing is really re-writing. Joyce Carol Oates begineventuallyexist share on social
One writes to memorialize, and to bring to life again that which has been lost. Joyce Carol Oates bringlifelose Change image and share on social
The domestic lives we live - which may be accidental, or not entirely of our making - help to make possible our writing lives; our imaginations are freed, or stimulated, by the very prospect of companionship, quiet, a predictable and consoling routine. Joyce Carol Oates accidentalcompanionshipconsole share on social
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 americanconfesscontrast share on social
Probably nothing serious or worthwhile can be accomplished without one's willingness to be alone for sustained periods of time, which is not to say that one must live alone, obsessively. Joyce Carol Oates accomplishliveobsessively Change image and share on social
Dust jackets are always something of an enigma to me. Joyce Carol Oates dustenigmajacket Change image and share on social
I compose most of my tweets with care, as if they were aphorisms - they are not usually dashed-off. Sometimes I'm surprised by the high, poetic quality of Twitter - it lends itself to a surreal sort of self-expression. Joyce Carol Oates aphorismcarecompose 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