It's not the mistakes I made but how I responded to them Patrick Ness More Quotes by Patrick Ness More Quotes From Patrick Ness It's really important to me not to be a snob about age division or about genre or whatever. The story needs to be what the story needs to be. Patrick Ness story me important age I try to avoid describing one interpretation of my books. Of course I have an opinion. I have things I want to say, but I don't ever want to limit anybody, to have them say, 'Oh, he said this, so that's what it's about.' I'm happy people bring their own stuff to it. Patrick Ness try opinion happy people The best characters in books are always the difficult ones, and why would you want to fall in love with someone difficult? The ones I'd fall in love with are the ones I'd definitely keep out of a book. Patrick Ness best you love book I'm a long distance runner, and I get my best ideas when I'm out running. It also helps that I can't write it down immediately - if you hold onto an idea, other things will stick on it. Patrick Ness best you long ideas I like writing for teenagers because they're not snobs. Patrick Ness teenagers because like writing I write 1,000-1,500 words. The next day, I rewrite it and add 1,000-1,500 words to the end of it. Patrick Ness words end day next I like writers who seem to write because they have to. You get the feeling of this burning desire to tell a story. I find it in Peter Carey, Nicola Barker, Ali Smith and David Foster Wallace. Patrick Ness story feeling you desire People say they want freedom, but what they really want is freedom from worry. If I take care of their problems, they don't mind being told what to do. Patrick Ness mind worry people