One of the great things about books is you can afford to do anything.
George R. R. MartinRead
The vast majority of writers out there, they finish their books and no one cares whether their book is late or ever comes out at all. And then it comes out and two reviews are published and it sells 12 copies.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the struggles and often unnoticed efforts of writers in publishing their works.
George R. R. Martin addresses the harsh reality that many authors face: despite their hard work and dedication in writing books, the outcome often goes unrecognized by the public. The statement reflects the disappointment and loneliness that can accompany the writing journey, as many books may be released with little fanfare or readership, leading to a sense of insignificance in the literary world.
Themes
WritingAuthorsBooksLiteraturePublishing
In practice
Example use cases
A discussion panel about the challenges of self-publishing.
More from George R. R. Martin
All quotes →I hate outlines. I have a broad sense of where the story is going; I know the end, I know the end of the principal characters, and I know the major turning points and events from the books, the climaxes for each book, but I don't necessarily know each twist and turn along the way. That's something I discover in the course of writing and that's what makes writing enjoyable. I think if I outlined comprehensively and stuck to the outline the actual writing would be boring.
George R. R. MartinRead
There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: “Not today.
George R. R. MartinRead
I did not do it. Yet now I wish I had.’ He turned to face the hall, that sea of pale faces. ‘I wish I had enough poison for you all. You make me sorry that I am not the monster you would have me be, yet there it is. I am innocent, but I will get no justice here.
George R. R. MartinRead
But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. 'Life is not a song, sweetling,' he'd told her, 'You may learn that one day to your sorrow.' In life, the monsters win, she told herself.
George R. R. MartinRead
I write from this tight third-person viewpoint, where each chapter is seen through the eyes of one individual character. When I'm writing that character, I become that character and identify with that character.
George R. R. MartinRead
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