Steve Toltz Quotes - BrainyQuote

Australian - Novelist Born: 1972

There is something so arbitrary about prizes.

Something About Prizes Arbitrary

There's only one common element that united every writer I've admired... they're all incredibly well-read.

Only Every United Element

I enjoy being influenced by other writers.

Enjoy Being Other Influenced

I don't have a great respect for reality or getting the 'facts' as a means of putting together a story.

Respect Together Great Reality

I haven't been part of the criminal world.

World Criminal Been Part

I made some probably very cringe-worthy short films that shall hopefully never make the light of day.

Day Light Short Never

If I've written five pages by hand, out of those five pages, one page might be worth saving. The rest is crap. I have to throw it away. It's like I need eight hours to do two hours' work.

Work Rest Worth Need

I can't sit through dinner with somebody I don't like.

Dinner Sit Like Through

I know you're supposed to hide your influences, but I suppose I see writing as riffing, really, about whatever you have been reading or thinking about that day or that week.

Day You Thinking Reading

I am influenced by books which don't have their eye on the endgame, but which try to be entertaining on each and every page.

I Am Eye Try Books

When people come up to me and say, 'I read your book,' I'm thinking, 'How dare you! Who gave you a copy?'

Me You People Thinking

If I knew a story page by page before I started writing it, I just wouldn't do it. The process of discovery is really important for my own enjoyment.

My Own Important Story Writing

I'm not sure if I always wanted to be a writer, but I was always writing.

Writing Always Sure Writer

I actually went into writing first to supplement my income, which was a strange thing to do, and actually failed.

Writing Strange First Failed

People always say, 'Write what you know', but I've always found that to be terrible advice. It's quite limiting, what you know.

You People Know Advice

I don't really have an office or anything, and I like to have to move location every two hours. So I just kind of write in a park, on a bench, in the library, in a cafe, back to the library, that kind of thing.

Library Cafe Back Office

Raymond Chandler I love a lot, and the Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard. I really love his voice.

Love Voice Really His

Optimism isn't funny unless you are laughing at the person, whereas extreme pessimism is extremely funny. It's exaggeration.

Funny You Person Optimism

I think as you get older, there are things that there's just no light side to, but you know, I guess the more you empathise with people, the more empathy you have, the less you are able to see the lighter side.

Light You People Empathy

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