John Banville Quotes

The great thing about being a novelist is that you organize your own day.

For me, a writer should be more like a lighthouse keeper, just out there by himself. He shouldn't get his ideas from other people all around him.

It's only when you're alone that you realize where you are. You have nothing to fall back on except your own resources.

Writing is something I can do by myself.

I prefer to work alone and do everything alone, even today.

Truly, from a very early age, I started distancing myself from other kids, not out of willingness, but just out of the nature of my energy. I liked to do things solely, and I already had a taste of the quest for perfection, which is unusual in a little kid.

And I find - I'm 63, and my capacity to be by myself and just spend time by myself hasn't diminished any. That's the necessary part of being a writer, you better like being alone.

If you love a young writer, maybe the best thing you can do is give them a little bit of space.

I feel very lucky and privileged to be a writer. I feel lucky in the sense that I can branch out into prose and tell different kinds of stories and stuff. But being a writer is so great because you're literally not dependent on anybody.

The only thing that's better in a group versus being by yourself is the companionship. You have to do a lot of thing by yourself as a solo artist. But it's cool. It's worth it.

I guess I am basically most comfortable when I'm alone. As a kid, I was very much a loner. I love long distance running and long distance biking. A director once pointed out that those are all very isolated exercises you do for hours at a time.

My sister is older than me and would often go off, so I grew up alone in a sense. I had to amuse myself and developed a wonderful fantasy world and quite happily lived in it. I think, in adulthood, that helped me. I love pottering on my own.

My real guru are my experiences in life - the realisation that you are alone in this world came very early to me.

When I'm writing a book, I don't have any responsibility to anyone. I'm solitary. I'm writing on my own. I write by hand. And I write every day. I mean, it's part of my daily discipline.

Every writer loves the idea of being able to go in and fix a problem and then leave without obligation. It's fun!

My favorite thing is being able to follow my inspiration, and the freedom of being a writer is hard to beat.

I'm a loner. I kind of like to be alone and do my work and, you know, be focused on my own things.

I have always worked better alone and from my own impressions.

Unknown in Paris, I was lost in the great city, but the feeling of living there alone, taking care of myself without any aid, did not at all depress me. If sometimes I felt lonesome, my usual state of mind was one of calm and great moral satisfaction.

The one thing about my life that's different from others is that I wake up for no one, and for some reason, that's just good for your creativity.

I didn't really get serious about my own writing until I was convinced it was something that I wanted to do, that I wanted to spend that much time alone.

I drank because I enjoyed it. I was happy sitting at the end of the bar on my own, reading the paper. I've always enjoyed my own company, and that stems from riding alone. I never trained with anyone - and I still don't. I've always been happy with my own thoughts, and that sums me up as an individual-pursuit rider.

Yes, I do seek solitude, but I am never lonely.

I definitely prefer to write under my own volition and see what happens.

I feel so lucky and so privileged that I like writing for myself. Like, I don't have to wait for somebody to create a part for me or a project for me. I can just do it. And that's so great.