Self-consciousness is really a form of egotism. Gloria Naylor More Quotes by Gloria Naylor More Quotes From Gloria Naylor Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so painstakingly eloquent that it becomes a song. Gloria Naylor healing stories song I don't believe that life is supposed to make you feel good, or to make you feel miserable either. Life is just supposed to make you feel. Gloria Naylor grieving life believe There is a problem in America. An Irish or Polish American can write a story and it's an American story. When a Black American writes a story, it's called a Black story. I take exception to that. Every artist has articulated to his own experience. The problem is that some people do not see Blacks as Americans. Gloria Naylor artist writing america A loud voice is not always angry; a soft voice not always to be dismissed; and a well-placed silence can be the indisputable last word. Gloria Naylor loud-voices lasts silence Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes. Gloria Naylor mother-daughter fathers-day dad The music in his laughter had a way of rounding off the missing notes in her soul. Gloria Naylor laughter missing love Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go... And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over. Gloria Naylor letting-go friendship art One should be able to return to the first sentence of a novel and find the resonances of the entire work. Gloria Naylor creative writing firsts In a contest between new technology and old ways of life, it is the traditional rhythms that will hold. Traditional societies make up more than two-thirds of the world, the two-thirds that will not be going online to "save" time but will remain wedded to the knowledge that if the bus doesn't come that day, it will come someday. After all, there is nothing but time. Gloria Naylor technology two world a star dies in heaven every time you snatch away someone's dream. Gloria Naylor stars dream heaven Words themselves are innocuous; it is the consensus that gives them true power. Gloria Naylor consensus true-power giving You can't teach talent. You can't put in what God left out - but you can teach confidence. Gloria Naylor teach left talent Writers are voracious readers. Once I unlocked the mystery of the alphabet that led to words, a multitude of words connecting me to the world, there was no stopping me. Everything was fair game, from Louisa May Alcott to my older cousin's True Romance Magazines, from Lewis Carroll to the backs of cereal boxes. All of this fed me, but it took certain books to make me grow. I don't want to work without a sense of drama, without passion, or without both eyes open to the world around me. Gloria Naylor cousin drama book I don't want to write without a sense of drama, without passion, or without both eyes open to the world around me. Gloria Naylor passion writing drama We get so caught up in what a man isn't. It's what he is that counts. Gloria Naylor caught-up caught men She could walk through a lightning storm without being touched; grab a bolt of lightning in the palm of her hand; use the heat of lightning to start the kindling going under her medicine pot. She turned the moon into salve, the stars into swaddling cloth, and healed the wounds of every creature walking up on two or down on four. Gloria Naylor stars moon hands That's one of the privileges of old age - you can give plenty of advice 'cause most folks think that's all you got left anyway. Gloria Naylor advice giving thinking Contempt mates well with pity. Gloria Naylor pity mates disrespect Life is accepting what is and working from that. Gloria Naylor accepting-what-is inspire life The last time you're doing something - knowing you're doing it for the last - makes it even more alive than the first. Gloria Naylor lasts alive knowing