I would advise any beginning writer to write the first drafts as if no one else will ever read them - without a thought about publication - and only in the last draft to consider how the work will look…

Quote by Anne Tyler

Topics: Anne Tyler Quotes

I forget a book as soon as I finish writing it, which is not always...

I forget a book as soon as I finish writing it, which is not always...

I never think about the actual process of writing. I suppose I have a superstition...

I never think about the actual process of writing. I suppose I have a superstition...

It seems to me that good novels celebrate the mystery in ordinary life, and summing...

It seems to me that good novels celebrate the mystery in ordinary life, and summing...

I think it must be very hard to be one of the new young writers...

I think it must be very hard to be one of the new young writers...

I expect that any day now, I will have said all I have to say;...

I expect that any day now, I will have said all I have to say;...

I'm too shy for personal appearances, and I've found out that anytime I talk about...

I'm too shy for personal appearances, and I've found out that anytime I talk about...

She worded it a bit strongly, but I do find myself more and more struck...

She worded it a bit strongly, but I do find myself more and more struck...

My decision to start a new one is just that, a decision, since I never...

My decision to start a new one is just that, a decision, since I never...

When I read, I'm purely a reader.

When I read, I'm purely a reader.

My stories are never quite good enough.

My stories are never quite good enough.

When I'm working on something, I proceed as if no one else will ever read...

When I'm working on something, I proceed as if no one else will ever read...

For me, writing something down was the only road out.

For me, writing something down was the only road out.

For my own family, I would always choose the makeshift, surrogate family formed by various...

For my own family, I would always choose the makeshift, surrogate family formed by various...

I spend about a year between novels.

I spend about a year between novels.

I remember leaving the hospital - thinking, 'Wait, are they going to let me just...

I remember leaving the hospital - thinking, 'Wait, are they going to let me just...

It seems to me that since I've had children, I've grown richer and deeper. They...

It seems to me that since I've had children, I've grown richer and deeper. They...

I consciously try to end my novels at a point where I won't have to...

I consciously try to end my novels at a point where I won't have to...

I've always thought a hotel ought to offer optional small animals. I mean a cat...

I've always thought a hotel ought to offer optional small animals. I mean a cat...

My writing day has grown shorter as I've aged, although it seems to produce the...

My writing day has grown shorter as I've aged, although it seems to produce the...

While armchair travelers dream of going places, traveling armchairs dream of staying put.

While armchair travelers dream of going places, traveling armchairs dream of staying put.