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Book Quotes

Why books work the way they do.

This page highlights what books can do that film can't, including slower pacing and quiet stretches, alongside a reminder that some things simply translate poorly to screen. For a companion collection, see Books.

I realised I'd never climb Everest but thought I could still write a book.

Quotes by Sara Paretsky

No agent wants to see a book until he or she has decided whether to pursue the relationship.

Quotes by Sara Paretsky

The best source for finding an agent is called Literary Agents of North America. It's a complete list of agents, not only by name and address, but by type of book they represent and by what their submission criteria are.

Quotes by Sara Paretsky

Books don't exist unless you read them. And it's a two way process - you write the book as you read it and you fill in the gaps. You discover it and you put the marks together and without you...

Quotes by Samuel West

I'm lucky enough to work with, I think, the greatest writer there's ever been, Shakespeare. Whose collected works would always be under my pillow if I was only ever allowed one book to keep, and who never bores me.

Quotes by Samuel West

For each book, there's a back story of where the idea came from. Sometimes it's derived from a current event or topic of discussion, such as 'Deadline.'

Quotes by Sandra Brown

'Slow Heat in Heaven' was my 'breakout' or 'crossover' book, and I loved the freedom I felt writing it.

Quotes by Sandra Brown

Rarely does a complete idea come to me. I basically start with just a small scene or a snatch of dialogue and force myself to write and to keep writing. Sometimes it becomes a book.

Quotes by Sandra Brown

I always try to incorporate something in every book that I've never used before. Hopefully, spontaneity will keep readers reading.

Quotes by Sandra Brown

A number of things in 'Dhalgren' are just meant to function as mysteries. They're mysteries when the book begins, and they're mysteries when the book ends.

Quotes by Samuel R. Delany

'Dhalgren' is the kind of book in which you can look for pretty much anything you want. I tried to put as much into it as I could at the time.

Quotes by Samuel R. Delany

When a new book is published, read an old one.

Quotes by Samuel Rogers

I write about myself with the same pencil and in the same exercise book as about him. It is no longer I, but another whose life is just beginning.

Quotes by Samuel Beckett

I think when it comes to comics, I've been a lifelong comic book fan.

Quotes by Samoa Joe

Anytime you're sitting there writing a book about yourself, it's a pretty self-fulfilling prophecy, I guess.

Quotes by Samoa Joe

As for my own music, I've never written a book about it. I'm not pedagogical... When I write an abstract piano sonata or a concerto, I write what I feel. I'm not a self-conscious composer.

Quotes by Samuel Barber

I know what I want to achieve in each book and the major points, but I don't plan right down to the chapters. I think that the characters write themselves in some degree.

Quotes by Samantha Shannon

I've been writing since I was about thirteen but didn't start a book until 2007. I spent four years writing a sci-fi novel before I wrote 'The Bone Season' at nineteen.

Quotes by Samantha Shannon

Any time anyone makes a comic book into a movie, in some way, I think they have to kill the comic book.

Quotes by Sam Raimi

I've no interest in going on a road trip. If I want to go on holiday, I want to sit on a beach, swim, drink cocktails and read a book.

Quotes by Sam Riley

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a quote about pacing in books versus other media?
Yes. One quote observes: "In a book, you can kind of take time and have lulls in places." It highlights something books can do that faster-paced formats often can't.
Is there a quote about the difference between books and movies?
Yes - one quote notes that things that might work in a book just do not work in the visual medium of movies. It's a useful reminder that not every story translates directly from page to screen. For more on the reading side of storytelling, browse Books quotes.
Is there a quote about why books offer escapism?
Yes. One quote calls a great book "escapism" and says the artistry and the creativity in a story are better than any drugs. It's a strong statement about the emotional pull of good writing. For more on the community side of reading, see Book Club quotes.
Is there a quote about literature guiding how kids grow up?
Yes - one quote reflects that what sort of person you grow into shouldn't happen by default, which is often exactly what happens to kids, and describes seeing literature as a method of guidance, information, and contemplation. It's a thoughtful take on the role books can play in shaping character. For more on where to find these books, check out Bookstore quotes.
What different things do these "book" quotes celebrate?
The slower pacing only a book allows, the limits of adapting books into movies, books as a form of escapism, and literature's role in shaping how people grow up. If you're touring or exploring more book-related content, Book Tour quotes round things out.

One entry treats a great book as pure escapism, while another argues literature plays a real role in guiding how young people grow up. Explore further with Book Club or Bookstore.