Several years ago, when I was about to start a novel, I thought I might get some mileage out of the idea of a civilization in which people somehow felt - that is, they shared - all the pain and all the pleasure they caused one another. Octavia E. Butler agocausecivilization 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
The lovely thing about writing is, well, two things. One, writing fiction allows us to bring an order to our lives that doesn't exist in real life. And two, it allows us to create human characters that we know better than we will ever know anyone in real life. Octavia E. Butler bringcharactercreate share on social
My race and sex had a great deal more to do with what people believed I could do than with what I actually could do. Octavia E. Butler believedealgreat Change image and 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
Not everyone has been a bully or the victim of bullies, but everyone has seen bullying, and seeing it, has responded to it by joining in or objecting, by laughing or keeping silent, by feeling disgusted or feeling interested. Octavia E. Butler bullydisgustfelt 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
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
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
