I have these habits. I'm not a crazy artist. Or am I? Ron Carlson artistcrazyhabit Change image and share on social
I don't live in books, but, boy, have books amplified my life. Ron Carlson amplifybookboy Change image and share on social
I believe in teaching as a real job. I don't think it's a substitute for anything else. It's been shown to me that teachers can help, and the writing today is just as good as it was when I started out. Technology hasn't changed that. Ron Carlson changegoodjob share on social
My parents were farmers' kids from South Dakota. My dad was an engineer. I wanted to be responsible and major in something pragmatic. Ron Carlson daddakotaengineer Change image and share on social
If we're really writing, we are exploring the unnamed emotional facets of the human heart. Not all emotions, not all states of mind have been named. Nor are all the names we have been given always accurate. Ron Carlson accurateemotionemotional share on social
Our pasts so many times determine the value of what is happening today. Everybody is midway in their story. Ron Carlson determinehappenmidway Change image and share on social
Writing a book is very personal. It's a very personal relationship. A book will start with something as simple as two men talking about work. That gets the fire going. Sustaining that fire is the hard work. It takes attention and empathy to hone the characters. Ron Carlson attentionbookcharacter share on social
I don't write for theme, but if you work closely on some guy fixing a sandwich or a window or a table or trying to visit an old teacher or walking down the street on which he was a boy, a theme, a human hope, will emerge. Ron Carlson boycloselyemerge share on social
I was writing a third novel when my kids arrived. And I looked at that book about whether these two people would get together, and I thought, 'I don't care! I've got kids!' Ron Carlson arrivebookcare Change image and share on social
The literary story is a story that deals with the complicated human heart with an honest tolerance for the ambiguity in which we live. No good guys, no bad guys, just guys: that is, people bearing up in the crucible of their days and certainly not always - if ever - capable of articulating their condition. Ron Carlson ambiguityarticulatebad share on social