Sara Zarr Quotes

After so many books and so many years of writing, I have a good idea of my strengths and weaknesses. I love the process of writing and, if I allowed myself, I would write far too much every day. One weakness which I've struggled to overcome is my tendency to having my characters ruminate for pages.

I think my job is to try and be as honest as I can with what is in my mind and how I feel - I think that's what you're supposed to do, if you're a good writer. So I try to do that. I know I do that. I do do that.

What is the good of experience if you do not reflect?

The good life consists in deriving happiness by using your signature strengths every day in the main realms of living. The meaningful life adds one more component: using these same strengths to forward knowledge, power or goodness.

There's a period of life when we swallow a knowledge of ourselves and it becomes either good or sour inside.

Someday I would like to be the kind of writer who barrels through a draft, but I can't even seem to barrel through an interview like this, so I imagine I have a long way to go.

I never have found out all I want to know about writing and realize I never will.

My university teacher and mentor Kenneth Arrow remembers me as a student who asked good questions. Although I had not previously thought of myself in that way, on reflection I think that Arrow was right.

Talent is required, but much of writing is a matter of craft, which develops with time, attention, patience and practice, like playing an instrument or learning to dance.

For me, any book I'm writing is also a chance to get in and research and read and learn things that I maybe only knew a little bit about before.

If you are conscious to yourself that you possess more knowledge upon some subject than others of your standing, reflect that have had greater opportunity …

Who knows most, doubts most.

We can’t be what we don’t know.

Knowledge means being in the place where we are put.

Consider your origin; you were not born to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge.

To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge.

From my own kind I only learn How foolish comfort is

I'm not a very good writer. I'm working at it.

I should probably be careful admitting this, but sometimes, when my characters are having a disagreement, it's a disagreement I'm having with myself. I can see both sides of the argument.

If I could chat with anyone, it would be Claire Messud, because I think she could tell me how to get better as a writer as I age.

I didn't start really focusing on writing until I was 24.

You are the plays you write. How on earth could you write them otherwise? They're projections of your own predilections.

Ultimately, you've got to have something to say, so a writer should continue learning things throughout life. But I don't think education makes one a writer.

I kind of do all of this writing as a way of thinking and learning. I'm sure it's similar to being a journalist: You get to learn, and that's the greatest kind of job.

It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.