I pecked my stories out two-fingered on the Remington portable typewriter my mother had bought me. I had begged for it when I was ten. Octavia E. Butler begbuyfinger Change image and share on social
I took classes taught by an elderly woman who wrote children's stories. She was polite about the science fiction and fantasy that I kept handing in, but she finally asked in exasperation, 'Can't you write anything normal?' Octavia E. Butler askchildclass share on social
Getting your writing criticized can be a lot like getting skinned, and you respond to it just as enthusiastically. Octavia E. Butler criticizeenthusiasticallylot Change image and share on social
I don't write about good and evil with this enormous dichotomy. I write about people. I write about people doing the kinds of things that people do. Octavia E. Butler dichotomyenormousevil Change image and share on social
The norm is white, apparently, in the view of people who see things in that way. For them, the only reason you would introduce a black character is to introduce this kind of abnormality. Usually, it's because you're telling a story about racism or at least about race. Octavia E. Butler abnormalityapparentlyblack share on social
I don't know how much of a market there is for space opera. Just because it's in the movies doesn't mean magazines are buying it. Octavia E. Butler buymagazinemarket Change image and share on social
The big talent is persistence. Octavia E. Butler bigpersistencetalent Change image and share on social
Science fiction frees you to go anyplace and examine anything. Octavia E. Butler anyplaceexaminefiction Change image and share on social
People who think about time travel stories sometimes think that going back in time would be fun because you would have all the information you needed to be much more astute than the people there, when the truth is of course you wouldn't. Octavia E. Butler astutebackfun share on social
The major tragedies in life, there's just no compensation. But the minor ones you can always write about. It's my way of dealing, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than psychiatrists. The story, you see, will get you through. Octavia E. Butler cheapcompensationdeal share on social
