"The novels take longer to write than the picture book texts, and they do take a different sort of concentration. However, a very short, simple story that works well is just as exciting to me as any longer and more complex book"
- Margaret Mahy
About this Quote
This quote by Margaret Mahy speaks to the various kinds of composing that she takes pleasure in. She acknowledges that writing books takes longer and needs a various type of concentration than writing image book texts. Nevertheless, she likewise expresses her gratitude for the much shorter, simpler stories that can be just as interesting as longer and more complex books. This quote talks to the idea that there is no one-size-fits-all technique to writing which different kinds of stories can be similarly pleasurable. Mahy's quote motivates authors to check out various kinds of stories and to find the type of writing that works best for them. Eventually, her quote highlights the importance of finding pleasure in the composing procedure, regardless of the length or complexity of the story.
"One has children in the expectation of dying before them. In fact, you want to make damn sure you die before them, just as you plant a tree or build a house knowing, hoping that it will outlive you. That's how the human species has done as well as it has"
