That's why I write fiction, because I want to write these stories that people will read and find universal. Jesmyn Ward More Quotes by Jesmyn Ward More Quotes From Jesmyn Ward I've always used Southern rappers in epigraphs for my novels. For 'Sing, Unburied, Sing,' I wanted to use Big K.R.I.T. - because I have so much respect for the lyrical depth of their music. Jesmyn Ward big always respect music I celebrate my blackness. I love the artistic vibrancy of the culture I was born to. Jesmyn Ward celebrate born love culture I knew it would be painful to write a memoir. Jesmyn Ward knew write memoir painful I think art, especially literature, has the particular power to immerse the viewer or reader into another world. This is especially powerful in literature, when a reader lives the experience of the characters. So if the characters are human and real enough, then readers will feel empathy for them. Jesmyn Ward experience power world art I need the lightness of children's lit. Jesmyn Ward need lightness lit children I read everything. When I say everything, I read everything: children's literature, Y.A., science fiction, fantasy, romance - I read it all. Each genre fulfills a different need I have. Each book teaches me something. Jesmyn Ward me science book children I think that the first book that made me think that I could try to be a writer - or that made me aware that a young black woman from the South could write about the South - was Alice Walker's 'The Color Purple,' which I read for the first time when I was in junior high. Jesmyn Ward woman me black time History and socio-economic inequality and all those things had, like, borne down upon my family and my community and really sort of narrowed our choices. Jesmyn Ward down family community history We salvage the bones of our lives every day, through small tragedies and big tragedies. Jesmyn Ward every-day small big day I hope people who read my books feel empathy for us and really see us as complicated people. Jesmyn Ward feel empathy hope people As an artist, I feel a certain responsibility to write about difficult subject matter. Jesmyn Ward feel artist responsibility matter As a parent, you want to protect your children, but the fact of racism in this country, of inequality, that is still a lesson my children are going to have to learn. I can't protect my kids from that. Jesmyn Ward you parent racism children
