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  • George Saunders Quote - As a writer I’m essentially just trying to impersonate a first-time reader, who picks up the story and has to decide, at every point, whether to keep going.
  • George Saunders Quote - As a writer I’m essentially just trying to impersonate a first-time reader, who picks up the story and has to decide, at every point, whether to keep going.
  • George Saunders Quote - As a writer I’m essentially just trying to impersonate a first-time reader, who picks up the story and has to decide, at every point, whether to keep going.
  • George Saunders Quote - As a writer I’m essentially just trying to impersonate a first-time reader, who picks up the story and has to decide, at every point, whether to keep going.
  • George Saunders Quote - As a writer I’m essentially just trying to impersonate a first-time reader, who picks up the story and has to decide, at every point, whether to keep going.
  • George Saunders Quote - As a writer I’m essentially just trying to impersonate a first-time reader, who picks up the story and has to decide, at every point, whether to keep going.
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As a writer I’m essentially just trying to impersonate a first-time reader, who picks up the story and has to decide, at every point, whether to keep going.

George Saunders

More George Saunders Quotes

  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - Early on, a story’s meaning and rationale seem pretty obvious, but then, as I write it, I realize that I know the meaning/rationale too well, which means that the reader will also know it – and so things have to be ramped up.

    Early on, a story’s meaning and rationale seem pretty obvious, but then, as I write it, I realize that I know the meaning/rationale too well, which means that the reader will also know it – and so things have to be ramped up.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - In the moment of reading, the writer comes up to the surface and the reader comes up to the surface and they kiss, like two fish. That actually does happen. Download This Image

    In the moment of reading, the writer comes up to the surface and the reader comes up to the surface and they kiss, like two fish. That actually does happen.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - One way or the other; whether you get it or don’t get it, there’s a cost. That’s just basic responsibility, to admit that there’s a cost. And the bad karma is when you pretend that the thing is free.

    One way or the other; whether you get it or don’t get it, there’s a cost. That’s just basic responsibility, to admit that there’s a cost. And the bad karma is when you pretend that the thing is free.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - And I have finally realized that, you know, it’s not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing aspirations. It could be that it would take me 12 more books at six years each to get it – which means I would have to live to be 126. Which I fully intend to do, of course.

    And I have finally realized that, you know, it’s not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing aspirations. It could be that it would take me 12 more books at six years each to get it – which means I would have to live to be 126. Which I fully intend to do, of course.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - If you think of a work of fiction as a kind of scale model of the world, then the positive valences – where things turn out better than you thought they would – ought to be in there somewhere, too.

    If you think of a work of fiction as a kind of scale model of the world, then the positive valences – where things turn out better than you thought they would – ought to be in there somewhere, too.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - I think about how I conceptualize the audience. The trick is that they’ve got to be smarter and more worldly than me. So as I’m revising, I’m keeping that in mind. I cannot condescend, even a little bit. Every single choice that I make is motivated by that.

    I think about how I conceptualize the audience. The trick is that they’ve got to be smarter and more worldly than me. So as I’m revising, I’m keeping that in mind. I cannot condescend, even a little bit. Every single choice that I make is motivated by that.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - If I can be more efficient, I’m actually being more respectful to the reader, which then implies a greater intimacy with the reader.

    If I can be more efficient, I’m actually being more respectful to the reader, which then implies a greater intimacy with the reader.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - “Kindness” can mean a lot of different things. In this case, I felt I had to present his [Donald Trump’s] supporters in as fair a light as possible – many of them hadn’t been interviewed before and that entailed some interviewer-courtesy in the editing and so on.

    “Kindness” can mean a lot of different things. In this case, I felt I had to present his [Donald Trump’s] supporters in as fair a light as possible – many of them hadn’t been interviewed before and that entailed some interviewer-courtesy in the editing and so on.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - I read Rand and thought, “I want to be one of the earth movers, the scientific people who power the world. I don’t want to be one of these lisping liberal artsy leeches.” So I was working against my actual abilities.

    I read Rand and thought, “I want to be one of the earth movers, the scientific people who power the world. I don’t want to be one of these lisping liberal artsy leeches.” So I was working against my actual abilities.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - I understand what something short should be like. I understand beauty in that form. If I start extending, somehow I kind of lose my bearings. Download This Image

    I understand what something short should be like. I understand beauty in that form. If I start extending, somehow I kind of lose my bearings.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - The book says [Lincoln in the Bardo],”I really need this sci-fi device of a ghost inhabiting another person.” You say okay kind of begrudgingly. So the structure seemed informed by need and efficiency.

    The book says [Lincoln in the Bardo],”I really need this sci-fi device of a ghost inhabiting another person.” You say okay kind of begrudgingly. So the structure seemed informed by need and efficiency.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - …smile first, then speak.

    …smile first, then speak.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - Goodbye. I’m leaving because I’m bored.

    Goodbye. I’m leaving because I’m bored.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - I think kindness is a sort of gateway virtue – having that simple aspiration can get you into deep water very quickly – in a good way. Download This Image

    I think kindness is a sort of gateway virtue – having that simple aspiration can get you into deep water very quickly – in a good way.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - I would kind of, you know, go stand next to some unlucky guy and say eventually, Hi, I’m George. You know, I’m with The New Yorker. I’m a liberal. I’m somewhat left of Gandhi. Do you want to talk? And, you know, they always did. Download This Image

    I would kind of, you know, go stand next to some unlucky guy and say eventually, Hi, I’m George. You know, I’m with The New Yorker. I’m a liberal. I’m somewhat left of Gandhi. Do you want to talk? And, you know, they always did.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS
  • Share on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Share on Telegram George Saunders Quote - I was a big and un-ironic fan of Dear Abby when I was a kid in Chicago. I think I sort of internalized her. So I have this inner Abby: cranky, proper, folksy yet scathing, with a beehive hairdo. But that’s my issue. Download This Image

    I was a big and un-ironic fan of Dear Abby when I was a kid in Chicago. I think I sort of internalized her. So I have this inner Abby: cranky, proper, folksy yet scathing, with a beehive hairdo. But that’s my issue.

    GEORGE SAUNDERS