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Amy Hempel Quotes


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Quotes by Amy Hempel

Showing 1-8 of 8 Quotes by Amy Hempel

I wanted to be a veterinarian, but slipped up when I hit organic chemistry.

~Amy Hempel

Topics: Chemistry Hit Organic Up Veterinarian Wanted

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I had a mother I could only seem to please with verbal accomplishments of some sort or another. She read constantly, so I read constantly. If I used words that might have seemed surprising at a young age, she would recognize that and it would please her.

~Amy Hempel

Topics: Accomplishments Age Another Constantly Could Had Her Might Mother Only Please Read Recognize Seem Seemed She Some Sort Surprising Used Verbal Words Would Young Young Age

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I started writing by doing small related things but not the thing itself, circling it and getting closer. I had no idea how to write fiction. So I did journalism because there were rules I could learn. You can teach someone to write a news story. They might not write a great one, but you can teach that pretty easily.

~Amy Hempel

Topics: Because Closer Could Did Doing Easily Fiction Getting Great Great One Had How Idea Itself Journalism Learn Might News No Idea Pretty Related Rules Small Someone Started Story Teach Thing Things Were Write Writing You

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Obviously, in journalism, you're confined to what happens. And the tendency to embellish, to mythologize, it's in us. It makes things more interesting, a closer call. But journalism taught me how to write a sentence that would make someone want to read the next one.

~Amy Hempel

Topics: Call Closer Confined Embellish Happens How Interesting Journalism Make Makes Me More Next Obviously Read Sentence Someone Taught Tendency Things Us Want Would Write You

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I do feel that if you can write one good sentence and then another good sentence and then another, you end up with a good story.

~Amy Hempel

Topics: Another End Feel Good Good Story Sentence Story Then Up Write You

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I'm not first and foremost interested in story and the what-happens, but I'm interested in who's telling it and how they're telling it and the effects of whatever happened on the characters and the people.

~Amy Hempel

Topics: Characters Effects First Foremost Happened How Interested People Story Telling Whatever

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I probably have less revision than those who have that wonderful rush of story to tell - you know, I can't wait to tell you what happened the other day. It comes tumbling out and maybe then they go back and refine. I kind of envy that way of working, but I just have never done it.

~Amy Hempel

Topics: Back Day Done Envy Go Happened Just Kind Know Less Maybe Never Other Out Refine Revision Rush Story Tell Than Then Those Wait Way Who Wonderful Working You

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I've always known when I start a story what the last line is. It's always been the case, since the first story I ever wrote. I don't know how it's going to get there, but I seem to need the destination. I need to know where I end up. It never changes, ever.

~Amy Hempel

Topics: Always Been Case Changes Destination End Ever First Get Going How Know Known Last Line Need Never Seem Since Start Story Up Where Wrote

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Biography

Nationality: American

Type: Writer

Born: December 14th, 1951

Links

Find Amy Hempel on Amazon

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