I used to walk in a bookstore and see all these books on the walls. And I would say, 'Who wants to hear from me? What do I have to add to all of this?'
Interpretation
This quote expresses feelings of self-doubt and the struggle to find one's voice amid a wealth of knowledge.
John Grisham reflects on his journey as an author and the initial feelings of inadequacy he experienced when faced with the vast array of literature available in bookstores. This introspection highlights a common challenge for many aspiring writers and creators: the belief that their contributions may not be valuable or unique compared to the established works of others.
In practice
In a writing workshop to encourage budding authors.
Nobody wants to read about the honest lawyer down the street who does real estate loans and wills. If you want to sell books, you have to write about the interesting lawyers - the guys who steal all the money and take off. That's the fun stuff.
Death row is a nightmare to serial killers and ax murderers. For an innocent man, it's a life of mental torture that the human spirit is not equipped to survive.
An outline is crucial. It saves so much time. When you write suspense, you have to know where you're going because you have to drop little hints along the way. With the outline, I always know where the story is going. So before I ever write, I prepare an outline of 40 or 50 pages.
I seriously doubt I would ever have written the first story had I not been a lawyer. I never dreamed of being a writer. I wrote only after witnessing a trial.
Writing's still the most difficult job I've ever had - but it's worth it.
Ten years from now I plan to be sitting here, looking out over my land. I hope I'll be writing books, but if not, I'll be on my pond fishing with my kids. I feel like the luckiest guy I know.
The first thing you have to know about writing is that it is something you must do everyday. There are two reasons for this rule: Getting the work done and connecting with your unconscious mind.
We need to tell kids flat out: reading is not optional.
There is no better way to exercise the imagination than the study of the law.
We need to be creative with young people. If they have no opportunities, they will get into drugs and be vulnerable to suicide.
To handle a language skillfully is to practice a kind of evocative sorcery.
My books hold between their covers every story I've ever known and still remember, or have now forgotten, or may one day read; they fill the space around me with ancient and new voices.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.