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We permit bad taste in this country. In fact, we even encourage it – and reward it in all manner of ways.

John Irving

I have always believed that, in a story, if something traumatic or calamitous enough happens to a kid at a formative age, that will make him or her the adult they become.
JOHN IRVING

Adults Age Kids
I’m not afraid, but I’m very nervous.
JOHN IRVING

Nervous Not Afraid People
In an episodic treatment, such as a teleplay is, you have the ability to do what you can do in a novel, which is flash back and flash forward in the same instant, in the same scene, in the same voice.
JOHN IRVING

Scene Treatment Voice
You’ve got to get obsessed and stay obsessed.
JOHN IRVING

Obsessed Obsession Psychology
I’ve always been slow but I’m even slower now. I’m more into the waiting, or I guess I’m more patient about the waiting.
JOHN IRVING

Change More Patient Waiting
There’s nothing as scary as the future.
JOHN IRVING

Future Nothing Scary
I don’t begin a novel until I have written, not just the last sentence, but usually, as a result thereof, many of the surrounding final paragraphs, so that in addition to knowing what happens, I know what the voice is.
JOHN IRVING

Finals Knowing Usually Voice
…every study of the gods, of everyone’s gods, is a revelation of vengeance towards the innocent.
JOHN IRVING

Innocent Study Vengeance
My brain is sending poison to my heart.
JOHN IRVING

Brain Heart Poison
Life is serious but art is fun!
JOHN IRVING

Art Fun Life
People only ask questions when they’re ready to hear the answers.
JOHN IRVING

Answers People Ready
In the world according to Garp, we are all terminal cases
JOHN IRVING

Cases Meany Owen World
It’s a no-win argument – that business of what we’re born with and what our environment does to us. And it’s a boring argument, because it simplifies the mysteries that attend both our birth and our growth.
JOHN IRVING

Environment Growth Winning
If you presume to love something, you must love the process of it much more than you love the finished product.
JOHN IRVING

Finished Process Product
YOU LET ME DROWN!” Owen said. “YOU DIDN’T DO ANYTHING! YOU JUST WATCHED ME DROWN! I’M ALREADY DEAD!” he told us. “REMEMBER THAT: YOU LET ME DIE.
JOHN IRVING

Anything Dead Remember Watched
The main character and the most important character are not always the same person – you have to know the difference.
JOHN IRVING

Character Differences Important

We permit bad taste in this country. In fact, we even encourage it – and reward it in all manner of ways.

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We permit bad taste in this country. In fact, we even encourage it – and reward it in all manner of ways.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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