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A writer has to surprise himself to be worth reading.

Bernard Malamud

First drafts are for learning what your novel or story is about. Revision is working with that knowledge to enlarge and enhance an idea, to re-form it….
BERNARD MALAMUD

Book Firsts Ideas
When I don’t feel hurt, I hope they bury me.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Bury Feels Hope Hurt
We have in my country (Russia) a quotation: “It is impossible to make out of apology a fur coat.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Apology Country Russia
We didn’t starve but nobody ate chicken unless we were sick or the chicken was.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Poor Poverty Sick
You can’t eat language but it eases thirst.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Ease Language Thirst
If your train’s on the wrong track every station you come to is the wrong station.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Stations Track Train
One’s fantasy goes for a walk and returns with a bride.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Fantasy Funn Marriage Return
One often feels helpless in the face of the confusion of these times, such a mass of apparently uncontrollable events and experiences to live through, attempt to understand.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Apparteally Attempt Confusion Experience Time Uncontrolled
We’re persecuted in the most civilized languages.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Civilized Language Persecuted
To any writer: Teach yourself to work in uncertainty. Many writers are anxious when they begin, or try something new.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Character Discipline Writing
How can we be strangers if we both believe in God?
BERNARD MALAMUD

Believe Both God Stranger
Teach yourself to work in uncertainty.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Teaching Uncertainty Writing
Writing is a mode of being. If I write I live.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Boring Live Mode Writing
A man is an island in the only sense that matters, not an easy way to be. We live in mystery, a cosmos of separate lonely bodies, men, insects, stars. It is all loneliness and men know it best.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Insects Loneliness Lonely Matter Men Stars
Politics isn’t in my nature.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Nature Politics Work
Comedy, I imagine, is harder to do consistently than tragedy, but I like it spiced in the wine of sadness.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Sadness Tragedy Wine

A writer has to surprise himself to be worth reading.

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A writer has to surprise himself to be worth reading.

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