My strength as a TV writer was my total lack of interest in television. Maria Semple interestlackstrength Change image and share on social
I just feel like there's this illicit thrill in reading other people's mail and spying on their lives. Maria Semple feelillicitlive Change image and share on social
My favorite kind of book is a domestic drama that's grounded in reality yet slightly unhinged. Maria Semple bookdomesticdrama Change image and share on social
This is Seattle. We're supposed to have superior taste. Maria Semple seattlesuperiorsuppose Change image and share on social
The one constant in my life has been my love of books: reading them, thinking about them, talking about them, holding them, turning people on to new ones. Maria Semple bookconstanthold Change image and share on social
Writing a novel is so hard, and there are so many problems that the last thing you're thinking about is adapting this mess you have on your hands as a movie. You just want to get it to work as a novel. That's your main focus. Maria Semple adaptfocushand share on social
In my high-minded and naive way, I believed the only books worth reading were the classics. Maria Semple believebookclassic Change image and share on social
Much of the time in the writer's room is spent working on story, and I was always challenging myself to make it more interesting, tighter and more surprising: to come at it sideways in a way that the audience wasn't expecting. Maria Semple audiencechallengeexpect share on social
On Jan. 1, 2012, I resolved to not buy anything from Amazon for a year. Maria Semple amazonbuyjan 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
