Ralphie May Quotes

I cite my vouchers to every passage and I have done my utmost, first to find out the truth, and then to relate it in the clearest order. I have laboured after accuracy; and yet I dare not say that I am without mistake; nor do I desire the reader to conceal any he may possibly find.

Well, one thing I'm really interested in, when I'm writing, is being accurate.

You don't want to come out with anything that's wrong, of course, in a scientific, you know, a major scientific announcement, and so you're being so careful trying to check, well maybe it's this, maybe it's that, you're looking at every possible thing.

I have to be careful. My readers are very detail-oriented, and if I make a mistake they'll call me on it.

I do as much as I can. I even drive through the chase scenes several times to make sure the details are right.

My work is very carefully researched. Sometimes I have to ditch an idea because I can't prove it.

I used to be something of an obsessive when it came to research. When I first began writing the Thorne novels, I would drive to a set of traffic lights in the early hours of the morning to make sure you could turn left. I thought it was important to get even the most trivial details right.

Nonfiction means that our stories are as true and accurate as possible. Readers expect - demand - diligence.

Get the facts, or the facts will get you. And when you get them, get them right, or they will get you wrong.

The thing I always tell my writing students - I'm not a full-time instructor, by any means, but periodically I've taught writing students - what I always tell them is that the most important thing in narrative nonfiction is that you not only have to have all the research; you have to have about 100% more than you need.

I have great admiration for the fact-checking team. Considering it takes me years to gather all the facts in my books, it's a daunting task for the fact-checkers to review all of that material in a matter of weeks.

My job is to be accurate and clear.

One thing you learn about doing nonfiction is that you've got to get it right, fact-check, do your research. You've got to not only get the facts right but represent the subject to the world in a way that insiders feel like it's an access port and outsiders can access it. If you're too insider, you block access to anyone else.

You have to be able to deep dive and know your stuff, otherwise you'll get called out on it.

I get up in the morning and get to bed at night, and between, I bring equivalent dedication to everything I do, with a horror of the inaccurate and the half-baked.

I don't care if it's the slow way; I just want to do it the right way.

I am no historian but have tried to stick tight to the facts.

I'm very meticulous.

I like to think of myself as detail-oriented.

Before I even agreed to work with Hennessy and the Privilege Awards, I wanted to do some research on it, look up past winners, and find out more about it.

Before I take an offer seriously, I do my own research.

I pride myself on leaving no stone unturned as far as being the most prepared that I can be.

I don't do anything without measuring 10 times and cutting once.

I thought that through the strip, I could vent my spleen and be funny at the same time. But when it comes to humor, there's no substitute for reality and politicians.

If something is presented as a fact, it has to be correct.