Andrea Hirata Quotes

People always ask, 'How do you write so many books?' And I say, I work a lot. I work six or seven days a week.

When I'm working on a novel, I work 70-hour weeks.

You don't turn out as many books as I did then by sitting around, being cozy with the family.

The secret to being a writer is that you have to write. It's not enough to think about writing or to study literature or plan a future life as an author. You really have to lock yourself away, alone, and get to work.

I'm a workmanlike writer. I show up every day and treat it like a job. The old rule that writing is like any other job, the first rule is that you must show up. I'm at the keyboard from 9 to 4 every day.

As a writer, I've always been somebody who's been productive and hustled hard.

The main thing about writing is... writing. Sitting your butt down in the chair and doing the work.

I'm a morning person because I learned to write my novels while still practicing law. I would get to the office at 6:30 a.m. and write until other people arrived, around 9. Now I still do that. I start at 6:30 or 7, and I'll write until 11, then take an hour off, then work until about 2 p.m. By then my brain has had enough.

When I am occupied with a work that requires continuity - a novel, for example - I write every day.

It took me about three years to write About Grace. I wasn't teaching two of those years, so I was working eight-hour days, five days a week. And it would include research and reading - it wasn't just a blank page, laying down words.

I've always been a pretty hard worker. That's how I've written over a hundred books.

I'm not a person who would get up at 5 A.M. to write, but I could sacrifice my Friday night and just order in dinner, sit at home and get into it.

When you want to write well, wake up at 5 A.M.

I'm always writing, always working.

I just write from dawn to dusk.

Every day I'm not working or writing is a wasted day to me.

During the day, if I don't have any other commitments, I'm usually at my desk writing, revising, or researching anywhere from four to six hours.

I have nothing like a writing routine. I sometimes have trouble buckling down to write at home.

You won't make a living writing until you learn to write when you don't want to.

I make time to write.

The only way to learn and hone your craft is by working hard and writing regularly.

And where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. You know, while the other guy's sleeping? I'm working.

From time to time, as if heaven-sent to annoy, someone will ask me if I'm self-disciplined when it comes to my work. I usually look witheringly at them and snarl, 'What do you think?' I mean, how do you imagine anyone writes a quarter of a million words a year for publication?

I write four books a year. I'm very fortunate that I write quickly; around 3,500 words a day. Being strict about delineating my writing time and personal life, as well as keeping distractions at bay, is the only way I can accomplish this.

On a good day I write, all day.