I began writing seriously in my mid-20s and didnt publish my first book until I was 41. Kent Haruf More Quotes by Kent Haruf More Quotes From Kent Haruf A girl is different. They want things. They need things on a regular schedule. Why, a girl's got purposes you and me can't even imagine. They got ideas in their heads you and me can't even suppose. Kent Haruf girl different ideas He wanted to think of words that would make some difference but there were none in any language he knew that were sufficient to the moment or that would change a single thing. Kent Haruf differences language thinking You have to believe in yourself despite the evidence. Kent Haruf despite evidence believe I wake each day and try to see what I might do that is of some value and joy. It's a strange life. I don't know how long it'll go on. I don't look past tomorrow. Anything beyond tomorrow seems like hearsay. Or fairy tales. Kent Haruf joy long past It seems to me nothing man has done or built on this land is an improvement over what was here before. Kent Haruf land done men After finishing the first draft, I work for as long as it takes (for two or three weeks, most often) to rework that first draft on a computer. Usually that involves expansion: filling in and adding to, but trying not to lose the spontaneous, direct sound. I use that first draft as a touchstone to make sure everything else in that section has the same sound, the same tone and impression of spontaneity. Kent Haruf writing two long My desire is to be anonymous, isolated, quiet, peaceful, and concentrated. Kent Haruf peaceful desire quiet Fame isn't healthy for a writer. Kent Haruf healthy fame Honey, Maggie Jones said. Victoria. Listen to me. You're here now. This is where you are. Kent Haruf maggie where-you-are honey That was on a night in August. Dad Lewis died early that morning and the young girl Alice from next door got lost in the evening and then found her way home in the dark by the streetlights of town and so returned to the people who loved her. And in the fall the days turned cold and the leaves dropped off the trees and in the winter the wind blew from the mountains and out on the high plains of Holt County there were overnight storms and three-day blizzards. Kent Haruf dad girl morning Here was this man Tom Guthrie in Holt standing at the back window in the kitchen of his house smoking cigarettes and looking out over the back lot where the sun was just coming up. Kent Haruf smoking house men This country's crazy in terms of fame and what people think it means. They expect a writer to be something between a Hollywood starlet and the village idiot. Kent Haruf crazy mean country I think that usually the risk in trying to write children in fiction is the tendency to make them too cute or something. Kent Haruf think cute trying children Writers who aren't from rural states in the Midwest or the West often treat such people as if they were the Waltons or the Beverly Hillbillies. Kent Haruf treat rural who people I enjoy bluegrass, folk, gospel, and classical. I don't listen to music when I write. I sometimes listen to music just before I sit down to write. Kent Haruf down enjoy music sometimes I write in a journal first, briefly. Then read something I've read many times before, for about half an hour, then rework what I wrote the day before. Kent Haruf write something day half Death is a fact of life, no matter where you live. Taking care of the dying is a necessity everywhere. Those are not conditions exclusive to small towns. Kent Haruf you care life death Writing is the hardest thing I know, but it was the only thing I wanted to do. I wrote for 20 years and published nothing before my first book. Kent Haruf nothing know writing book We'd do better to follow the admonition of Jesus about loving our neighbours. People in the U.S. are capable of forgiveness and willing to see one another's point of view, but when matters become politicised, we're less able to do that. Kent Haruf view better forgiveness people In terms of showing their emotions and acting on them, my women characters are a lot more advanced than the men. Kent Haruf emotions women acting men
