I naively thought I would quit television writing, move up to Seattle, my novel would come out, and then I'd have a novel writing career, and so I found myself really stuck in this very poisonous self-pitying state and felt like I'd never write again. And I blamed Seattle for that. Maria Semple blamecareerfelt share on social
Creating art is painful. It takes time, practice, and the courage to stand alone. Maria Semple artcouragecreate Change image and share on social
Some people, especially literary people, they think, 'I'll write this original script, and it will be full of ideas. I'll submit it, and they'll hire me for television.' That's not the case. Maria Semple casefullhire Change image and share on social
I know what it's like to feel snobby; I know what it's like to feel anxiety; I know what it's like to feel like busted because you're crazy. Maria Semple anxietybustcrazy Change image and share on social
I must say, it was a lot easier writing novels than I thought it would be. I think it's because I'm a novelist at heart, and it took me a while to figure that out. Maria Semple easyfigureheart Change image and share on social
If I had written something, and I had written myself into a corner, I didn't abandon it. Because I remembered: There's always more. Maria Semple abandoncornerremember Change image and share on social
I'm not the comedy police, but you watch a movie, and everyone's laughing, and then you shake it out, and you realize, 'There's no joke there!' Maria Semple comedyjokelaugh Change image and share on social
I can only do really serious writing for a couple of hours. And then I always go on a walk. I do a one-to-two-hour walk; I don't go running or hard hiking. Maria Semple couplehardhike Change image and share on social
'Mad About You' fit my sensibility the most of any show that I worked on, and as a result, it was really fun. It felt like a very natural fit. Maria Semple feltfitfun Change image and share on social
My talent isn't so much in traditional research as in finding really smart people and badgering them with questions. Maria Semple badgerfindpeople Change image and share on social
