When I started writing full time I had not long stopped being a teacher and when at last I had a full day to write, I would put music on and wonder to myself – am I allowed to do this? Then I thought: I am control of this and no one is telling me what I can do. – Roddy Doyle
Schools dont really allow failure and yet its a valid part of any endeavour, not just writing. – Roddy Doyle
No matter how close to personal experience a story might be, inevitably you are going to get to a part that isnt yours and, actually, whether it happened or not becomes irrelevant. It is all about choosing the right words. – Roddy Doyle
I still believe that capitalism is too harsh and I believe that, even within that, there is a lot of satisfaction and beauty if you happen to be one of the lucky ones, although that doesnt eradicate the reality of the suffering. Its all true at once, kind of humming and sublime. – George Saunders