You no longer have much in the way of knowing what to do in a big, epic novel about the future, because nobody knows what the hell is going to happen.

Quote by Jerry Pournelle

Topics: Jerry Pournelle Quotes

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The importance of information is directly proportional to its improbability.

The importance of information is directly proportional to its improbability.

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...

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...

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...

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 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....

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...

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...