Robert Penn Warren Quotes

'M Train' is as close to knowing what I'm like as anything. I don't know exactly what the book is about. All and nothing, I suppose.

We write about ourselves because we know about ourselves.

All of my plays are deeply autobiographical. But it's not straight autobiography.

The portrait I do best is of the person I know best.

My work is not about my life history. It's not about the story of my neurosis.

I believe there's only one autobiography you can do.

Heaven knows, I've exposed myself in my novels through the use of fantasy and imagination... now my new book is about what really happened to me... not my heroines.

I write - though perhaps it sounds pretentious to say so - to make a clearing in the wilderness, to find out what I care about and what exactly to make of it.

My experience with songwriting is usually so confessional, it's so drawn from my own life and my own stories.

Everything is autobiography, even if one writes something that is totally objective. The fact that it's a subject that seizes you makes it autobiographical.

First novels tend to be blood-lettings, and they're focused on you, not the reader.

The most deeply personal of my works are the non-fiction works, the autobiographical works, because there, I'm talking about myself very directly.

To me, writing is a personal thing; I write super-personal, autobiographically.

'Tender' is my most strongly autobiographical play.

My films are always a reflection of where I am in my life.

I like autobiographies. I wouldn't mind making one of those.

When you're writing, I think a big part of writing comes out of an attempt to understand yourself. You're dealing with emotions and thoughts that are native to you. So that probably winds up in your characters.

I always find another version of myself in each of my films.

I went into acting as psychotherapy, and it's still a work in progress.

Before I wasn't sure what I wanted to say, but now, I have had so many different experiences that they have given me what I want to get across in my music.

My personality doesn't interest me.

Everyone eventually winds up writing about themselves - the problem is finding the best way to go about it. To write about oneself literally, in the first person, presumes a more interesting personal life and philosophy than most rock lyricists possess. John Lennon was good for one great album based on musical direct address, 'Plastic Ono Band.'

What you are is a question only you can answer.

If you really want to know yourself, start by writing a book.

I write from my life, my experience. I'm selfish that way.