One the other hand, the publishing trend is ghastly, isn't it? Two hundred and something distributors are now down to 10 or 12? And what's the recruiting drive?

Quote by Jerry Pournelle

Topics: Jerry Pournelle Quotes

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...

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...

To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with...

To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with...

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...

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...

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...

And in down times it shakes a lot of the bad SF out, a lot...

And in down times it shakes a lot of the bad SF out, a lot...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 importance of information is directly proportional to its improbability.

The importance of information is directly proportional to its improbability.

Asimov was the reason why we changed some rules in the SFWA, and I'm not...

Asimov was the reason why we changed some rules in the SFWA, and I'm not...

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...

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...