My short stories have always pushed twenty pages. That's no length for a short story to be. You either do them short like Carver or you stop trying. Zadie Smith carverlengthpage Change image and share on social
I just realized quite early on that I'm not going to be the type who can write a novel every two years. I think you need to feel an urgency about the act. Otherwise, when you read it, you feel no urgency, either. So I don't write unless I really feel I need to, and that's a luxury. Zadie Smith actearlyfeel share on social
Don't we all know why nerds do what they do? To get money, which leads to popularity, which leads to girls. Zadie Smith girlleadmoney Change image and share on social
Books are not brands. Some people are very willing to see themselves as a brand, but you can't be a certain type of writer to a certain type of person all the time. It will kill you. Zadie Smith bookbrandkill Change image and share on social
I suppose I often think of my writing as quite impersonal. But it turned out, when my father died, writing was exactly what I wanted to do. Zadie Smith diefatherimpersonal Change image and share on social
I have an ambition to write a great book, but that's really a competition with myself. I've noticed that a lot of young writers, people in all media, want to be famous but they don't really want to do anything. I can't think of anything less worth striving for than fame. Zadie Smith ambitionbookcompetition share on social
You become a different writer when you approach a short story. When things are not always having to represent other things, you find real human beings begin to cautiously appear on your pages. Zadie Smith approachbeginbeing Change image and share on social
I'm most honest about writing when I'm talking to family or friends, not to newspapers. Zadie Smith familyfriendhonest Change image and share on social
Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you. Zadie Smith importantpeopleprotect Change image and share on social
I'm always a bit suspicious of writers who have the gift of the gab. Zadie Smith bitegabgift Change image and share on social
