You don’t market-research a novel; you really are writing it for yourself. It’s a hobby, in many ways. The problem becomes what you do when you’re confronted by criticism. You just don’t listen to it.
BRET EASTON ELLISHip,” I murmur, remembering last night, how I lost it completely in a stall at Nell’s—my mouth foaming, all I could think about were insects, lots of insects, and running at pigeons, foaming at the mouth and running at pigeons.
More Bret Easton Ellis Quotes
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I stare into a thin, web-like crack above the urinal’s handle and think to myself that if I were to disappear into that crack, say somehow miniaturize and slip into it, the odds are good that no one would notice I was gone.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
I totally relate to Tom Cruise. He’s not crazy, it’s just the litany of the mid-life crisis.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
I want no one to escape, but even after admitting this there is no catharsis, my punishment continues to elude me and I gain no deeper knowledge of myself; no new knowledge can be extracted from my telling. This confession has meant nothing.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
But this road doesn’t go anywhere,” I told him. “That doesn’t matter.” “What does?” I asked, after a little while. “Just that we’re on it, dude,” he said.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
I’ve never written an autobiographical novel in my life. I’ve never touched upon my life. I’ve never written a single scene that I can say took place.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
I’ve been accused of being very vain about my apathy.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
So what do I do? Toss a handful of change into the tank when none of the zookeepers are watching. It’s not the seals I hate——it’s the audience’s enjoyment of them that bothers me.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
…if you’re alone nothing bad can happen to you.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
Is evil something you are? Or is it something you do?
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
I think we’ve all lost some kind of feeling.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
On the seals’ tank a plaque warns: COINS CAN KILL–IF SWALLOWED, COINS CAN LODGE IN AN ANIMAL’S STOMACH AND CAUSE ULCERS, INFECTIONS AND DEATH. DO NOT THROW COINS IN THE POOL.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
I like the idea of a writer being haunted by his own creation, especially if the writer resents the way the character defines him.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
When I’m writing a book, I’m not thinking, “Oh, this would be a great movie.” This would be a very interesting book. And I think the books are things that cannot really be adapted into another medium.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
People can get accustomed to anything, right? Habit does things to people.
BRET EASTON ELLIS -
It’s like my characters, all my men are Dad and me in a mess; all my female characters are smart and hopeful, like Mom just trying to make the best of things.
BRET EASTON ELLIS







