John Lanchester Quotes

The hardest thing is the idea. Ideas come from somewhere but as far as we know they come from nowhere.

You don't actually have ideas; ideas have you.

In general, I don't know when inspiration will pop up.

You never know where inspiration is going to come from.

I don't know what idea is going to hit me when.

It's sort of a mystery where ideas come from.

Sometimes, you don't know where your inspiration's going to come from.

When you have that first flash of what you think is going to be a great idea-from the mouth, from the hands-that's an amazing feeling. I don't think anything's quite as good as that.

The creative process is mysterious; a conversation, a ride in the car, or a melody can trigger something.

I get inspired at different times and in different ways.

Imagination is the air of mind.

Ideas sometimes come from nowhere, and sometimes they take lots of thinking.

I sometimes don't try to invent something. I wait for some kind of a direction - and it happens. I get an angle, for instance, and it just appears, and I say, 'Oh my God - that's it!'

Creativity is a spark. It can be excruciating when we're rubbing two rocks together and getting nothing. And it can be intensely satisfying when the flame catches and a new idea sweeps around the world.

Ideas come from somewhere. People don't come up with these ideas from nowhere. Something triggers your thoughts.

I do not 'get' ideas; ideas get me.

My joking answer to this question is that I leave a bowl of milk out on the back porch every night for the Idea Fairy. In the morning, the milk is gone and there's a brand-new shiny idea by the bowl.

A new idea is like carbonated liquid in a bottle. You just sort of shake it until the cork pops, then you write and write.

You can't rush inspiration.

I would worry if I wasn't coming up with ideas, if I wasn't inspired.

There is no secret orchard where ideas grow. Oh my, do I wish there were.

Inspiration takes many forms, but it's rarely pure.

You never know where you're going to get inspiration.

I can't really say - if I've run out of ideas until I've had my next set of ideas.

I think it's better to have ideas.