Shaun Tan Quotes

There are but two things worth living for: to do what is worthy of being written; and to write what is worthy of being read.

That is the way a great master carpenter feels, or an architect or composer or anyone who creates anything - people want to be appreciated for what they have done.

I think the fact that I created something and had an enormous influence is indisputable.

There is a big difference between No. 1 and No. 2. I don't care who wrote it. I'd love to one day have a No. 1 that I wrote, but if that ain't in the cards, whatever. My job is right now is to make the best music I can and try to get it to the people, whether it be something that I wrote or not. It's my job to be the best I can for the fans.

To change the world you'll need a pen.

When people want to see your film, you're over the moon because you've actually made real contact. That's something very special.

I wrote an article on a new Porsche for 'Automobile Magazine.' I knew the editor, and she asked me to write this article. So I'm more proud of that than anything.

It's truly an honor to get to write Superman and Batman and Wonder Woman and all those great people, but when you can take something that's not well thought of and make it something that people do think highly of, that's much more gratifying, I think.

Success is not about how much money we have in the bank, but it's about how many peoples' lives we have impacted through it. Success is experienced when we do things which are never done before.

In my proudest moments, I think I had a real hand in the creative force of making 'Star Trek.' But most of the time, I don't think about it.

My peers say I have made a difference. That means more to me than winning an Oscar.

For several days after my first book was published, I carried it about in my pocket and took surreptitious peeps at it to make sure the ink had not faded.

Writing, producing and directing, I must say, is incredibly satisfying and gratifying.

I'm insanely proud of every single one of my credits until the people who created the shows are dead.

It's always gratifying to hear that people are excited by something that you've been excited to make.

Why I have had such a huge career and why I have sold over four million books, is that people can do what I share with them to do.

I love the power of words - no music or special effects - and I want to demonstrate that power.

For me, just being published feels like success.

The books I read, if they intrude on my writing, do so as weather will pass through and touch a landscape - affecting it, yes, but only now and then leaving a permanent mark.

I love the idea of a website/blog being a catalyst for propelling people out into the world, and I enjoy it most when people write me to say that their world looked or smelled or felt a little different because of something that I wrote.

People wish to be poets more than they wish to write poetry, and that's a mistake. One should wish to celebrate more than one wishes to be celebrated.

The joy I get from winning a major championship doesn't even compare to the feeling I get when a kid writes a letter saying: 'Thank you so much. You have changed my life.'

To create something from nothing is one of the greatest feelings, and I would - I don't know, I wish it upon everybody. It's heaven.

I guess just enjoying what you do and always wanting more of that enjoyment, satisfaction, and putting something together creatively - that gives me a lot of happiness.

My daughter writes and is the editor of her school magazine.