Jim James Quotes

When it comes to lyrics, I just write down a lot of things, and only a very tiny fraction of it, I think, is any good.

It was hard to write or compose... we just had to go back and finish making songs. If we make 20 songs, we'll throw away 10.

I edit as I write. I revise endlessly. I don't go forward until I know that what I've written is as good as I can make it.

There are many challenges I face while working on a book. Working within deadlines and schedules is certainly one of the bigger ones for me. I want to create the best possible book I can for my readers with words and pictures - and that takes time to get it just right.

I write all the time, but you just want to be careful what you put out. That's all. You want to have the confidence that you've done what you need to do to it, because otherwise it's an exercise in vanity.

If you get a sense that your writing isn't quite working, change it. Or cut it out. Don't just tell yourself it'll do, because it won't.

The whole thing with recording is you have to know when to turn off the tape machine and just stop recording because you want to keep fixing, fixing, fixing, you know?

I write slowly. I actually write quickly, but I throw out so much material.

You can either make it come around or you can't. By the time we would be ready to record a song, we would know for sure that it was the best way we could do it.

To be honest, I rewrote 'Wicked Nights' a number of times. I just wasn't happy with the end result.

All the signs were right. And when I mean all the sings were right, the only signs that we care about when we start a project of making a record is, do we have the songs - it's that simple.

Songwriting is like editing. You write down all this stuff - all this bad, stupid stuff - and then you have to get rid of everything except the very best.

I once read Updike after writing a first draft, and I wanted to put my own book on the fire. I've since learned to read utter crap while I'm writing: pulp is the thing.

You always want to go out there with the best book possible, so I listen to what my editors say, and even if they don't know how to fix it, I always seem to find a way. 'Trust Your Eyes' is the best book I've written, and I don't know if I can do any better.

People might be surprised to know how much I throw away. For every page I publish, I throw 10 pages away.

I can't believe there is a poet who hasn't eagerly put down a word one day, only to erase it the next day deciding it was sheer lunacy. It's part of the process of selection.

When you write something it has to hit the level that you accept as being good.

Manuscript: something submitted in haste and returned at leisure.

Sometimes, I make 50 songs and pick out the best 10. I've been in the studio all day, all night, making the beat, writing the raps. You never know what's gonna be a hit.

Each one of the films get built up and strengthened and reinforced, and we're not afraid to rip stuff out and redo it until we feel it's worthy of the 'Pixar' name.

I am usually protective of my work, not showing it to anyone until it has been redrafted and polished.

When I write a book, I'm making it the best book I can.

I like my raps, but I'm never too happy with some of 'em because I feel like they could be better.

My toughest criticism usually comes from myself. As my editor can attest to, I'm never done tweaking a book until the production department has to rip it from my hands!

I can work on a verse for a very long time before realising it's not any good and then, and only then, can I discard it.