I try to help people become the best possible editors of their own work, to help them become conscious of the things they do well, of the things they need to look at again, of the wells of material they have not even begun to dip their buckets into. Tobias Wolff beginbucketconscious share on social
Like so many writers I started writing stories because I didn't have much time for anything else. Tobias Wolff startstorytime Change image and share on social
Everything has to be pulling weight in a short story for it to be really of the first order. Tobias Wolff orderpullshort Change image and share on social
There are writers who do start doing the same thing again and again and almost inevitably fall into self-parody. Tobias Wolff fallinevitablyparody Change image and share on social
Most of us don't live lives that lend themselves to novelistic expression, because our lives are so fragmented. Tobias Wolff expressionfragmentlend Change image and share on social
That, for me, is a very important test of a young writer's commitment because most of them are going to have to continue doing that when they've finished the program. Tobias Wolff commitmentcontinuefinish Change image and share on social
Because the more you write the more you're aware of the weight of your tradition and the difficulties of the form and the more you have already done that you do not want to do again. Tobias Wolff awaredifficultyform Change image and share on social
And you can tell the writers who do it - Robert Stone, for example, who with each new novel is doing something new. I appreciate that in other writers. Tobias Wolff robertstonewriter Change image and share on social
The reader really has to step up to the plate and read a short story. Tobias Wolff platereadreader Change image and share on social
I teach one semester a year, and this year I'm just teaching one course during that semester, a writing workshop for older students in their late 20s and early 30s, people in our graduate program who are already working on a manuscript and trying to bring it to completion. Tobias Wolff 20s30sbring share on social
