There's no narcotic like exhaustion. Octavia Butler More Quotes by Octavia Butler More Quotes From Octavia Butler The only lasting truth is change. God is change. Octavia Butler change-god truth-is lasting ...I realized that I knew less about loneliness than I had thought - and much less than I would know when he went away. Octavia Butler i-realized loneliness knows Nothing. It just finds you a lot more attractive than it does most Humans. What can you do with a beautiful woman that you can’t do with an ugly one? Nothing. It’s just a matter of preference. Octavia Butler ugly doe beautiful No... a novel is a long business. I'm a slow writer, even when I'm doing very well I write slowly. Octavia Butler comeback writing long To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool. Octavia Butler opportunist forethought fool I have this theory that anything that happens to you that leaves you alive and intact can be used somewhere in your writing. Octavia Butler used alive writing When I meet a woman who attracts me, I prefer women,' she said. 'And when I meet a man who attracts me, I prefer men.' 'You mean you haven't made up your mind yet.' 'I mean exactly what I said. I told you you wouldn't like it. Most people who ask want me definitely on one side or the other. Octavia Butler men mean people Most of what I do is science fiction. Some of the things I do are fantasy. I don't like the labels, they're marketing tools, and I certainly don't worry about them when I'm writing. They are also inhibiting factors; you wind up not getting read by certain people, or not getting sold to certain people because they think they know what you write. You say science fiction and everybody thinks Star Wars or Star Trek. Octavia Butler stars writing war Beware At war Or at peace, More people die Of unenlightened self-interest Than of any other disease Octavia Butler self war people Not everyone has been a bully or the victim of bullies, but everyone has seen bullying, and seeing it, has responded to it by joining in or objecting, by laughing or keeping silent, by feeling disgusted or feeling interested. Octavia Butler joining-in bullying laughing If there's any single talent a writer needs, it's persistence. If you can keep at your writing and you can learn as you write, you can tell any story you want to tell. Octavia Butler persistence writing needs Listen, no part of me is more definitive of who I am than my brain. Octavia Butler who-i-am brain I have a huge and savage conscience that won't let me get away with things. Octavia Butler get-away savages fierce Humans said one thing with their bodies and another with their mouths and everyone had to spend time and energy figuring out what they really meant. And once you did understand them, the Humans got angry and acted as though you had stolen thoughts from their minds. Octavia Butler energy mouths mind Writing is one of the few professions in which you can psychoanalyse yourself, get rid of hostilities and frustrations in public, and get paid for it. Octavia Butler profession frustration writing All religions are ultimately cargo cults. Adherents perform required rituals, follow specific rules, and expect to be supernaturally gifted with desired rewards long life, honor, wisdom, children, good health, wealth, victory over opponents, immortality after death, any desired rewards. Octavia Butler honor long children I think climbing mountains or buildings or whatever has been a really good metaphor for finishing my work. Because no matter how tired you get, no matter how you feel like you can't possibly do this, somehow you do. Octavia Butler climbing tired thinking We give our dead To the orchards And the groves. We give our dead To life. Octavia Butler grove giving death I'm trying to speak--to write-the truth. I"m trying to be clear. I'm not interested in being fancy, or even original. Clarity and truth will be plenty, if I can only achieve them. Octavia Butler fancy writing trying Forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Octavia Butler habit inspiration forget
