I worked for half a cent a word. I'm not a fast writer to begin with, so for the first few years I had do other things. Jack Vance More Quotes by Jack Vance More Quotes From Jack Vance I must cite an intrinsic condition of the universe. We set forth in any direction which seems convenient; each leads to the same place: the end of the universe. Jack Vance convenient citing ends Beauty is a luster which love bestows to guile the eye. Therefore it may be said that only when the brain is without love will the eye look and see no beauty. Jack Vance eye love-is beauty An inch of foreknowledge is worth ten miles of after-thought. Jack Vance ten inches miles I haven't sold to the movies. In other words, I haven't gotten any enormous checks yet. Jack Vance enormous checks movie Then there was Clark Ashton Smith, who wrote for Weird Tales and who had a wild imagination. He wasn't a very talented writer, but his imagination was wonderful. Jack Vance wild-imagination imagination wonderful I was an omnivore at reading, so that everything I ever read contributed. Jack Vance reading-books reading book But I'm so slow on it because I find it terribly hard writing blind on computers. The computer speaks to me, but it's just so slow, I'm so terribly slow using it. Jack Vance computer speak writing But, for instance, when I was awfully young, I read all the Oz books. They were an enormous influence on me. Jack Vance enormous influence book This is no science, this is art, where equations fall away to elements like resolving chords, and where always prevails a symmetry either explicit or multiplex, but always of a crystalline serenity. Jack Vance serenity art fall Of all questions, why? is the least pertinent. It begs the question; it assumes the larger part of its own response; to wit, that a sensible response exists. Jack Vance pertinent-questions wit assuming I do read books. I suppose it's more or less the same thing, but at least I'm alone and I'm an individual. I can stop anytime I want, which I frequently do. Jack Vance individual want book The inscrutability [of economics] is perhaps not unintentional. It gives endless employment to dialecticians who otherwise might become public charges or, at very worst, swindlers and tricksters. Jack Vance employment might giving Right now I'm so old that if I had a big gush of money, I don't know what I'd do with it. I don't travel anymore. I don't need anything, don't want anything. I'd give it to my son, I guess, and let him enjoy it. Jack Vance giving travel son Law cannot reach where enforcement will not follow. —Popular aphorism. Jack Vance aphorism enforcement law Notice this rent in my garment; I am at a loss to explain its presence! I am even more puzzled by the existence of the universe. Jack Vance garments existence loss I don't read other science fiction. I don't read any at all. Jack Vance science-fiction science fiction I haven't been to a movie since somebody gave me free tickets to Star Wars, which I went to. Jack Vance tickets stars war You used the word "civilization", which means a set of abstractions, symbols, conventions. Experience tends to be vicarious; emotions are predigested and electrical; ideas become more real than things. Jack Vance real civilization mean I do not care to listen; obloquy injures my self-esteem and I am skeptical of praise. Jack Vance care self-esteem praise Well, I think everything I've ever read contributes to the background from which I write. Jack Vance backgrounds writing thinking
