I'm always telling my students, don't - don't worry so much third person, first person. It doesn't make that much difference. Alice McDermott More Quotes by Alice McDermott More Quotes From Alice McDermott A perfect poem you can't pin down and say, 'This is exactly what it meant to me.' It's not a self-help manual. Alice McDermott down me you perfect I am not a theologian or a historian, and I feel no call to become a defender of the faith, so in my case, the search for what remains valuable focuses on language itself: Catholic prayer, ritual, the naming of things. Alice McDermott i-am feel prayer faith Any fiction writer who assumes that a character is typical no doubt runs the risk of stumbling into cliche and stereotype. Alice McDermott who risk doubt character I think a misconception among many non-religious people is that anyone with a strong faith is, in all ways and at all times, blindly consistent, unwavering, unquestioning. Alice McDermott think strong faith people After a long run of almost thirty years, you get to the point where you say, 'These are my concerns.' It's not so much this is what I set out to claim - it is a kind of refrain. Alice McDermott say run you long In grammar school I read 'Act One' by Moss Hart, and being a playwright struck me as the most magical and romantic career anyone could have... But I never did write a play. Alice McDermott never me romantic school