Aaron Sorkin Quotes

I have a lot of respect for people who are great at ad-libbing, and for writers and directors who are able to create a scene in which that works.
AARON SORKIN

Able Create Director Hero People Writer
Just to clarify the division of labor on the show, I write the show and Alan [Poul] does everything else.
AARON SORKIN

Alan Clarify Division Doe Labor Show Writing
Conflict, when used as a device, makes for good television and bad journalism.
AARON SORKIN

Conflict Divide Journalism Television
There are no Asian movie stars
AARON SORKIN

Change Expect Less More Seem Should Thinking
The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one – America is not the greatest country in the world anymore.
AARON SORKIN

Disagree Look People Scene Two Written
Roxy Sorkin, your father just won the Academy Award. I’m going to have to insist on some respect from your guinea pig.
AARON SORKIN

Anything Considerable Difficult Fake Learn People Real Rule Tend
Never argue with a drunk or a fool.
AARON SORKIN

Arguing Drunk Fool never
My resting pulse as a writer is writing idealistically and romantically; aspirationally. My taste lies in quixotic heroes.
AARON SORKIN

Aspirationally Hero Lies Lying Pulse Resting Romantically Taste Writing
Decisions are made by those who show up. Don’t ever forget that you’re a citizen of this world.
AARON SORKIN

Citizen Decision Forget World
Decisions are made by those who show up. Don’t ever forget that you’re a citizen of this world.
AARON SORKIN

Citizen Decision Forget World
With a television series, there’s a hard deadline, and so you have to write even when you’re not writing well.
AARON SORKIN

Deadline Hard Not Well Series Television Write Writing
I’ll get cast occasionally as sort of the jerk version of myself, and I have fun doing that. But it’s really better for everyone if I stay behind the camera.
AARON SORKIN

Better Camera Cast Doing Everyone Fun Jerk Occasionally Really
I’ve never met anyone who has said, “My goal is to make America mediocre.” That’s a kind of hard-right conservative fallacy.
AARON SORKIN

America Conservation Conservative Goal Hard Kind Right
A news organization has a much different responsibility. I might not be telling you the whole story. I might not be telling you a story in a manner that is properly sophisticated.
AARON SORKIN

DifferentTelling might Organization Responsibility Sophisticated Stories
My preference would have been to not go back on the air after 911, at all until the time felt right but that wasn’t an option.
AARON SORKIN

Air Back Been Felt Option Preference Time
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actor. I was acting in all the school plays. I went to school for acting. I was really sure that that’s what I wanted to do.
AARON SORKIN

Actor Kid Play Really School Wanted Went
She’s a person; the doctor pronounces her dead, not the news.
AARON SORKIN

Doctor News Person Pronounce She
I’ve never met anyone who has said, “My goal is to make America mediocre.” That’s a kind of hard-right conservative fallacy.
AARON SORKIN

America Anyone Conservation Conservative Country Goal Hard Right Mediocre Met
I’m a playwright. All I care about is the play being good.
AARON SORKIN

Be Care Good Play Playwright
My resting pulse as a writer is writing idealistically and romantically; aspirationally. My taste lies in quixotic heroes.
AARON SORKIN

Aspirationally Hero Lies Lying Pulse Resting Romantically Taste Writing
I think that if I couldn’t write, I would be unemployable.
AARON SORKIN

Thinking Umemploabl e Would Write Writing
It’s populated by people who, by and large, have terrific communication skills. Every day is an extraordinary day. For me, it was just a great area for storytelling.
AARON SORKIN

Communication Large People Populated Skill Terrific
To use a basketball metaphor, West Wing cast was a group that liked to pass as much as they liked to shoot.
AARON SORKIN

Basketball Group Like Metaphor Pass West Wing
Any time you get two people in a room who disagree about anything, the time of day, there is a scene to be written. That’s what I look for.
AARON SORKIN

Disagree Look People Scene Two Written
Writing anything, it sorta starts the way you’d build a castle at the beach. You’re just taking your hands and you’re mounting up sand.
AARON SORKIN

Beach Castle Hand Sorta Stand Talking Writing
This is a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up.
AARON SORKIN

Bob Fifteen Minute People Serious Time Up
I’m terribly afraid of failure. When your identity is wrapped up in writing and you’ve written something that doesn’t work, it’s a tough pill to swallow.
AARON SORKIN

Afraid Failure Identity Tough Writing

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