And in down times it shakes a lot of the bad SF out, a lot the stuff that was bought for literary reasons, which is neither entertaining nor great literature.

Quote by Jerry Pournelle

Topics: Jerry Pournelle Quotes

In any ethical situation, the thing you want least to do is probably the right...

In any ethical situation, the thing you want least to do is probably the right...

One the other hand, the publishing trend is ghastly, isn't it? Two hundred and something...

One the other hand, the publishing trend is ghastly, isn't it? Two hundred and something...

The importance of information is directly proportional to its improbability.

The importance of information is directly proportional to its improbability.

And meanwhile, the storytellers like me and Anderson, Silverberg... we tell stories. People like them....

And meanwhile, the storytellers like me and Anderson, Silverberg... we tell stories. People like them....

So, I guess the answer to your question is very few people can bring off...

So, I guess the answer to your question is very few people can bring off...

Heinlein never had a best-seller. Even, I think, with Stranger in a Strange Land, I...

Heinlein never had a best-seller. Even, I think, with Stranger in a Strange Land, I...

Write a lot. And finish what you write. Don't join writer's clubs and go sit...

Write a lot. And finish what you write. Don't join writer's clubs and go sit...

I started in this racket in the early '70s, and when I was president of...

I started in this racket in the early '70s, and when I was president of...

The hard part of writing at all is sitting your ass down in a chair...

The hard part of writing at all is sitting your ass down in a chair...

I think it takes about a million words to make a writer. I mean that...

I think it takes about a million words to make a writer. I mean that...

There were probably, what, 300 science-fiction members in the SFWA, of whom probably a hundred...

There were probably, what, 300 science-fiction members in the SFWA, of whom probably a hundred...

We're basically after Joe's beer money, and Joe likes his beer, so you better make...

We're basically after Joe's beer money, and Joe likes his beer, so you better make...

We do a hard fantasy as well as hard science fiction, and I think I...

We do a hard fantasy as well as hard science fiction, and I think I...

Somebody's always getting me to come lecture to their writing class, and I don't talk...

Somebody's always getting me to come lecture to their writing class, and I don't talk...

And that's another piece of advice I'll give junior writers; when you get to the...

And that's another piece of advice I'll give junior writers; when you get to the...

You see, I used to do a certain amount of market research by going to...

You see, I used to do a certain amount of market research by going to...

The Aztecs believe they started up in what's now New Mexico, and wandered for 10,000...

The Aztecs believe they started up in what's now New Mexico, and wandered for 10,000...

You no longer have much in the way of knowing what to do in a...

You no longer have much in the way of knowing what to do in a...

Because Tom Doherty and people like that are not stupid. If they could have streamlined...

Because Tom Doherty and people like that are not stupid. If they could have streamlined...

I have more information in one place than anybody in the world.

I have more information in one place than anybody in the world.