It's all right to have secrets, ... as long as you don't have any secrets from yourself. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor More Quotes by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor More Quotes From Phyllis Reynolds Naylor I used to think that when I grew up there wouldn't be so many rules. Back in elementary school there were rules about what entrance you used in the morning, what door you used going home, when you could talk in the library, how many paper towels you could use in the rest room, and how many drinks of water you could get during recess. And there was always somebody watching to make sure. What I'm finding out about growing older is that there are just as many rules about lots of things, but there's nobody watching. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor home morning school I also know that you can lie not only by what you say but what you don't say. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor knows lying Once I have the idea for a story. I start collecting all kinds of helpful information and storing it in three-ring notebooks. For example, I may see a picture of a man in a magazine and say, 'That's exactly what the father in my book looks like!'...I save everything that will help--maps, articles, hand-jotted notes, bits of dialogue from conversations that I overhear. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor notebook men father We all have found ourselves in awkward, embarrassing situations, often brought on by ourselves - thinking we are saying something clever, for example, when it turns out to sound really mean or stupid. Those are the kind of embarrassing situations that we could have avoided. "Welcome to the human race," is about the only comfort we can give ourselves. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor stupid clever mean Anyone of any age, any race, any background, any education - if they write an interesting enough book - can become a published author. What it takes is imagination, the ability to put words on a paper in an interesting, perhaps even unique way, the fortitude to rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, and polish, edit, polish, edit until the story sort of sings. I think everyone has a story inside him, but only a few have the persistence and, of course, the interest, to write it down and see it through. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor persistence writing book Writing, for me, is the best occupation I can think of, and there is nothing in the world I would rather do. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor writing world thinking The first draft is just a skeleton-just bare bones. It's like the very first rehearsal of a play, where the director moves the actors around mechanically to get a feel of the action. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor skeletons writing moving We all have our own battles to fight, and sometimes we have to go it alone. I'm stronger than you think, you'd be surprised. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor stronger fighting thinking Why is life so complicated....?' I asked. 'To keep us from being bored,' he said. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor bored complicated said An idea in the head is like a rock in the shoe; I just can't wait to get it out. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor shoes rocks ideas Happiness is wanting what you have. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor desire happy happiness People can't help the way they feel, only what they do about it. They can no longer not be attracted to someone other than their spouse than they can say they are not hungry or not thirsty or not frightened or embarrassed. It's when you act on that attraction when you know it would be bad for your marriage that is the problem. In a good marriage, the couple are each as committed to the marriage as they are to each other. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor couple helping people I can never understand why people who have not seen me for a while ask if I am still writing. They might as well ask me if I am still breathing. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor breathing writing people If it doesn't sweat, jiggle, or pant, it's not alive. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor sweat alive ifs Saying hello to something new means saying good-bye to something old and loved. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor saying-hello bye mean Since no one really knows what or who God is, or whether God is at all, why can't God be hope? Phyllis Reynolds Naylor who-god-is knows It's what they say to do when you're depressed, you know. Walk in someone else's shoes for a while, and your own won't feel so tight. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor shoes walks feels You don't have to be part of a couple to be happy, you know. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor couple knows life When you’ve found the right one - when you see him, when you’re with him - you’ll feel like you’re coming home. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor like-you found home One way to tell if you're really comfortable with a person is if you can be quiet together sometimes and not feel awkward. If you don't feel obligated to say something brilliant or funny or surprising or cool. You can just be together. You can just be. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor awkward together way
