Ann Patchett Quotes

I'm just excited that I get to put out the music I love versus music just for the sake of it.

I hope to live all my life for my art, without abandoning my principles one iota, without . . . having painted as much as you can cover with your hand, to please somebody or in order to sell the picture more easily.

I was never interested in being powerful or famous. But once I got to film school and learned about movies, I just fell in love with it. I didn't care what kind of movies I made.

Don't make music for some vast, unseen audience or market or ratings share or even for something as tangible as money. Though it's crucial to make a living, that shouldn't be your inspiration. Do it for yourself.

I'm making music that I love and I want to hear. At the same time, things like making money, making crazy money - you gotta find ways to reach to everybody but uplift everybody.

When a writer talks about his work, he's talking about a love affair.

Satisfying myself is the point in filmmaking, in my mind.

I just play the music that I love with musicians that I respect, and fortunately, I'm in a position where people are willing to play with me, and perhaps I can do something to help them.

The way that I've always gone about making music, the rule of thumb, has just been to make what I love.

People ask whether I put the politics first, journalism first or the comedy first; it doesn't really matter. I'm just playing with the cards that I have been dealt because I really love doing what I do.

If people would like to come to my concerts I'd love them to come. And if they like the music that I make, I love that too. But I do not make music for other people. I make it to please myself.

I write for the love of writing. If I never published another book, I would still be writing stories.

I never wanted to dilute my private passion for the art by airing and arguing it in public.

I wouldn't think a blues album would be that commercially successful, but I don't really care. I'd do it for the love of blues, not for the money. I've got plenty of money.

I try to just make music that I love, and if I believe in it that's all that matters.

But, I love making independent films. I love it! You create a family, and you sweat, you bleed, you cry, you shout, you laugh and you hug. It's such an extraordinary experience, making independent films.

I am interested in art as a means of living a life; not as a means of making a living.

That's what I've tried to do: I've tried to make music that I really love.

Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money.

A writer writes. Period. No matter if someone is buying your work or not.

In my short career, I tend not to repeat myself. I have no interest in redoing something. Sometimes that makes people angry, and maybe it's not the best thing for me commercially. But it's the best thing for me artistically, and it's the best thing for my heart.

I want to be an artist, not be in the business of making hit records. Once I figured that out, everything became clear.

When it comes to art, you just need to be focused on doing a great thing. Not thinking all about the business.

Happy is he who looks only into his work to know if it will succeed, never into the times or the public opinion; and who writes from the love of imparting certain thoughts and not from the necessity of sale - who writes always to the unknown friend.

I never know if my picture is a good picture or a bad picture, because I'm not making pictures thinking of the public, I'm making pictures to realize myself.