I’m not rational enough to be a good journalist.
About Jim Harrison
James Harrisonwas an American poet, novelist, and essayist. He was a prolific and versatile writer publishing over three dozen books in several genres including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, children’s literature, and memoir.
More quotes from Jim Harrison
I can write anywhere.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
The trajectory started when I was on the roof of our house looking out at a swamp when I was 19. I had written for several years, starting at about 15, but that day on the roof I took my vows and acknowledged my calling.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I do have trouble with titles.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I used to get criticized for putting food in novels.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Yeah, but now suddenly – you know, universities are notoriously market oriented, too.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Michigan is two radically different places – the North and the South which makes for good drama and contrast.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
The old fun thing is when somebody typed up the first chapter of War and Peace. And then made a precis of the rest of it and sent it out and only one publisher recognized it.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I couldn’t run a tight schedule, and if you’re any good at teaching, you get sucked dry because you like your students and you’re trying to help them, but you don’t have any time left to write yourself.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I write novellas because I don’t like loose sprawling prose.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness. And they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy… or they become legend.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
The only advice I can give to aspiring writers is don’t do it unless you’re willing to give your whole life to it. Red wine and garlic also helps.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
The fact is, the media never gets off the interstate unless there’s a major explosion.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Your kids inevitably want to move where they had their vacations when they were younger.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
We are all naturally xenophobic.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Because most writers have totally unrealistic concepts of how publishing works.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I rarely read or buy a book because of a review.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I’m not rational enough to be a good journalist.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Everybody has a gun in their car in Detroit.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I got $30 from Nation magazine for a poem and $500 for my first book of poems.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
New Yorkers are mostly interested in New York – in case you haven’t noticed.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I’ve never felt influenced by Ernest Hemingway though I suppose there is something inevitable there.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
After a lifetime of world travel I’ve been fascinated that those in the third world don’t have the same perception of reality that we do.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I’m actually forced to write about Michigan because as a native of that state it’s the place I know best.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Success and money can really be quite blinding.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
So when I made some money, I didn’t have any idea how one handled such a situation because no one in our family ever had any money.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Writers can write outside their ethnicity or sex depending how open and vulnerable they wish to be.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I asked a French critic a couple of years ago why my books did so well in France. He said it was because in my novels people both act and think. I got a kick out of that.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
There is a neurologist, a woman over at Harvard who wanted me to come talk to them, and in France I have a lot of readers in the sciences. I can’t tell you why.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I enjoy about 1 out of 100 movies, it’s about the same proportion to books published that I care to read.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I don’t see gender as the most significant fact of human existence.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I see more genuine sociability between the races in Mississippi than I see in Michigan. No question.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Naturally we would prefer seven epiphanies a day and an earth not so apparently devoid of angels.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I should add that I very much enjoy certain cities especially Paris, New York and Chicago.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I don’t know what psychotherapy does. I have been seeing the same person for 26 years now.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Writing as a woman presents enormous problems but I have attempted it several times and haven’t had many complaints.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
Short things are short all over and long things are long all over.
American poet, novelist, and essayist
I thought, frankly, that it would be more pleasant to write a memoir than it was.
American poet, novelist, and essayist