Haruki Murakami Quotes

In the first year, 1988, I wrote and sold 3 novels.

I've always been ambidextrous, writing short stories and novels, and I pretty much have been writing a novel and a handful of short stories every year since '91.

I'm surviving and developing as a writer. I don't know what brings you to mass attention in terms of sales. But I've gotten more and more comfortable with it. Of course if that changes, I'll be comfortable with that. All I can do is write the best books I can.

When 'The Shadow of the Wind' became a success I had already been a working writer, I'd been through the ups and downs, I'd seen how it worked.

I had no idea I'd end up writing four books when I completed 'Mortal Engines.' I didn't even think it would find a publisher.

Once I decided to write, to be published, I knew it would happen.

I was very fortunate that my first novel captivated the imaginations of so many readers who asked for a sequel. After that, one book led to another as I discovered other facets to my characters I wanted to investigate further.

Actually, the 14 novels were written over a period of just over 6 years.

I don't write a novel every two years.

I finished my first novel - it was around 300 pages long - when I was 16. Wrote one more before I got out of high school, then wrote the first Lincoln Perry novel when I was 19. It didn't sell, but I liked the character and I knew the world so I tried what was, in my mind, a sequel. Wrote that when I was 20, and that one made it.

I remain convinced that the most valuable use of time for a newly published author is to write a second book that's even better than the first, and a third that's better than the second, and on and on.

I seem to produce a novel approximately once every three years.

The idea is to become a best-selling author first and then the rest of my books will be slam dunks.

I've always been a very prolific writer.

And then I wrote my first autobiography when I - well, it was 23 years ago. And since then I've written about one book every two years.

I had a very realistic expectation of the level of success that it was possible to attain writing romance novels.

I've been able to write at least one book a year for 20 years, and I don't think I would've had that kind of drive if I hadn't come out of the journalism business.

I've only had four ideas for a novel in my life, and I've written all of them.

I never set out to be a published writer.

I always grew up with the idea that in order to be a successful writer, I should have a book published.

I published 'Rules of Civility' while I was still working. It became a best seller. I was working on this book, and then I decided to retire.

I'm a writer and I've had some success.

I'd never written a novel before, and I wrote a novel, and that turned out OK.

When I settled to writing seriously, which would be in my 30s, I did expect to be published eventually, but my aspirations weren't very high. A published book and a few appreciative readers was my idea of heaven.

I started out as a poet. I've always been a poet since I was 7 or 8. And so I feel myself to be fundamentally a poet who got into writing novels.