Richard Flanagan Quotes

You say that you hope I will be recognized as the best novelist of my generation. I want you to know now and know completely that that would mean to me absolutely nothing.

Going to so many book events keeps me connected with my readership while constantly reminding me that all the long hours at the drawing desk are worthwhile.

I don't put a great deal of stock in art trophies.

I can't do a film just for the sake of it.

A lot of people were getting million-dollar deals from music I felt was trash, because their videos were going viral. I wanted to put out music that had soul, because that's what was missing.

Success is not two cars or a swimming pool. It's the approval of your peers.

I've always believed that getting respect as an artiste is of utmost importance.

Anyone who's worked on a film would want their work to be watched and appreciated.

I am just saying people can be successful even though they might not be well known.

I think the most important thing is you need to have a very, very clear idea of who you are as an artist before you let other people tell you who you are.

I couldn't have imagined working on a film I didn't believe in.

I want to be a real artist to consumers. I want to be the real thing for them.

I don't think I can create anything of lasting value unless it comes from the heart.

I wouldn't disrespect myself or my art with any imitations.

The day the process of acting becomes something that I dread is the end. Obviously, why would you do something that you hate? I won't do that.

If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men--you may make some money and you may give someone a little joy and you may make a noise in the world, for a little while. If you write for yourself, you can read what you yourself have written and after ten minutes you will be so disgusted that you will wish that you were dead.

I thought if I was open and honest, it would help the reader to get open and honest, and they also would realize sometimes when you write a book, people think you're an expert and that's not always true.

There's something very self-conscious about a writer who's addressing his reader. Don't do that.

I'd swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I'd hate it. I wouldn't even want them to clap for me. People always clap for the wrong things. If I were a piano player, I'd play it in the goddam closet.

I find that I'm fighting to keep my energy and my passion centered on the work and not on "Will this get me an Oscar?" - which is the way people are starting to talk to me. I'm not interested in the way people are starting to talk to me. I'm not interested in looking at a role that way. That's not what I ever did, and it's not how I can continue to do my work.

I do not believe writers should read reviews of their own books, and I do not. If one is not careful one is soon writing to please reviewers and not their audience or themselves.

I hope there is something worthy in my writings and not merely the novelty of a black face associated with the power to rhyme that has attracted attention.

That's the problem. Anyone can go and buy a restaurant. I want to be at that f - ing dinner party where they say, "Hey, Bill, your food's great. You should buy yourself a restaurant." That's not right. Taking it less personally.

I think nowadays we're often sidetracked by what somebody got popular doing with all due respect to what they do, but it should be about the talent.

I think that it feels really good to be recognized in a sense of being nominated for Grammys and things like that, but part of it is, we spent a lot of time on our own making music: seven or eight years and nobody really paid attention. It feels good. We also learned to not pay too much attention to things like that, and I think it made us stronger.