It is hard to find a friend,' I said. 'It is the hardest thing in this world,' he agreed. Patrick deWitt More Quotes by Patrick deWitt More Quotes From Patrick deWitt Certain writers look down their noses at plot, and I think I might have been one of them until I tried it. Patrick deWitt trieddownlookthink I come by writing dialogue fairly naturally, I've got a chatty family; I'm a bit of a voyeur, and if I'm ever in a public place, I automatically find myself listening. Patrick deWitt placemyselffamilywriting The question of likability is a bit of a puzzler for me. You know, I don't write people with likability in mind. It's more whether or not I find them compelling. Patrick deWitt meyoumindpeople I don't know that happy people are interesting to write about - or to read about. Patrick deWitt knowhappypeopleinteresting I don't know that I'd call myself an optimist. Patrick deWitt callmyselfknowoptimist My interest in words and literature is always changing. And every day of work is different, and it doesn't feel laborious in the way that, say, washing dishes did. I'm quite happy to be doing what I'm doing, and I feel very lucky. Patrick deWitt wordsdayworkhappy The hardest thing in the world for a writer is to amass a readership. So many good books come out, and so many good books disappear. Patrick deWitt booksgooddisappearworld I am a homebody, something that lends itself to my profession. Patrick deWitt homebodyi-amsomethingprofession The question about my Canadianness comes up a lot, and I'm never quite sure what to say about it. I've carved a life out for myself in Oregon, and it feels like home, not because it's the States but because that's where my friends are and where my son is. Patrick deWitt myselfhomelifeson I wrote for so many years in a bubble, the way everyone does, and there were large swaths of time where you think you're doing this for nothing. An audience is crucial, a back and forth with the invisible readers. Patrick deWitt thinkyoutimeway I have a paranoia that 'Ablutions' is the best thing I'll ever do. Patrick deWitt everthingbestparanoia I was intentionally curbing the impulse to be funny and hiding the ability. I wrote any number of very serious attempts at poems, short stories, novels - horrible. At a certain point, I recognized that it was fun to write dialogue that had a degree of lightness and humor. Patrick deWitt serioushumorfunfunny Some deeper part of me wants to write comical dialogue; I'd be foolish to not follow that impulse. Now I recognize that if there's energy to a section of work, you go where the energy is. It's a living thing, and you just follow it. Patrick deWitt meyouenergywork I'm either enjoying myself or I'm not. And if I'm not enjoying myself, something's gone terribly wrong. Patrick deWitt wrongsomethingmyselfgone When your protagonist bores you, you're in trouble. Patrick deWitt protagonistyouryoutrouble One of the nice things about writing is you can take essentially painful things in your life and turn them into something that might be useful, or at least entertaining, to somebody else. Patrick deWitt younicewritinglife All of my close friends are emotional train wrecks. This is what makes our lives interesting - constantly doubting ourselves, worrying, wondering if we've made a mistake. Could we have done better? Are we good people? Are we bad people? Patrick deWitt goodfriendsmistakepeople If you're not riddled with doubt, you've probably done something wrong. Patrick deWitt wrongyoudonedoubt The theme of luck comes up a lot. It's something I thought about before, why some people are lucky and some people aren't lucky. It seems like some people you meet can sort of cultivate luck, and I've always been fascinated by that. Patrick deWitt thoughtyouluckpeople It's healthy to have interests besides books. Patrick deWitt besidesinterestsbookshealthy
