Tag: Quotations

Robert B. Parker on Writing

Plumber Cracks & Other Words of Wisdom Robert B. Parker was some kinda guy. By all reports he was a friendly guy, but he didn't suffer fools or pretensions gladly, and delighted in taking the piss out of both. On writing "Writer's block? You never hear a plumber complaining about plumber's block, do you?" "If … Continue reading Robert B. Parker on Writing →

Writers Say the Darnedest Things

"They're fancy talkers about themselves, writers. If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don't listen to writers talk about writing or themselves." -- Lillian Hellman "All writers are vain, selfish and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives lies a mystery. Writing a book is a long, exhausting struggle, … Continue reading Writers Say the Darnedest Things →

I Hear Voices

Quotations from the Work of Raymond Chandler Raymond Chandler brought one of the most singular and influential voices not just to crime fiction, but arguably to American literature itself. Chandler may have come out of the crime pulps of the thirties, but what he created was literature of the finest kind. He imbued what was … Continue reading I Hear Voices →

Lighten Up, Ray!

Directives from Chairman Chandler "You know Chandler. Always griping about something." -- Chandler himself, in a letter to Edward Carter, 1950 Raymond Chandler was not a happy camper. In fact, he may have been about the crankiest writer who ever lived. He would have burned through the mumble-mouthed the murky, puff-headed cyber forest of discussion … Continue reading Lighten Up, Ray! →

When You’re Quoted, You’ll Take It and Like It!

Private Dicks Say the Darnedest Things... "We work in the dark, We do what we can, We give what we have, Our doubt is our passion, And our passion is our task" -- Henry James, "The Middle Years" (1893) "Let me explain something to you, Walsh. This business requires a certain amount of finesse. " … Continue reading When You’re Quoted, You’ll Take It and Like It! →