The relationship between parents and children, but especially between mothers and daughters, is tremendously powerful, scarcely to be comprehended in any rational way. Joyce Carol Oates childcomprehenddaughter Change image and share on social
I think all art comes out of conflict. When I write I am always looking for the dramatic kernel of an event, the junctures of people's lives when they go in one direction, not another. Joyce Carol Oates artconflictdirection Change image and share on social
A writer can't subtract or excise any of his/her past because doing so would erase the work produced during that time. Joyce Carol Oates eraseexcisepast Change image and share on social
I think whenever we think of our hometowns, we tend to think of very specific people: with whom you rode on the school bus, who was your next door neighbor you were playing with, who your girlfriend was. It's always something very specific. Joyce Carol Oates busdoorgirlfriend share on social
I really love to set things in places that are real to me. Joyce Carol Oates loveplacereal Change image and share on social
It's not hard to write poorly. But to write something good, it has to be revised. Joyce Carol Oates goodhardpoorly Change image and share on social
I was writing novels in high school and apprenticed myself in a way both to Faulkner and to Hemingway. Joyce Carol Oates apprenticefaulknerhemingway Change image and share on social
My students often say, 'My roommate read this story and really liked it,' and it's hard to convince them that there are things wrong with it. I say, 'Well, people who love you want you to be happy. But I'm your professor and I'm supposed to be teaching you something.' Joyce Carol Oates convincehappyhard share on social
A lot of widows feel that they have betrayed their spouse by continuing to live. It's deranged thinking. I know that, but that doesn't stop you feeling it. Joyce Carol Oates betraycontinuederange Change image and share on social
I don't teach literature from my perspective as 'Joyce Carol Oates.' I try to teach fiction from the perspective of each writer. If I'm teaching a story by Hemingway, my endeavor is to present the story that Hemingway wrote in its fullest realization. Joyce Carol Oates carolendeavorfiction share on social
