"Writing is like a contact sport, like football. You can get hurt, but you enjoy it."
About Irwin Shaw
Irwin Shaw — Life and Legacy
Irwin Shaw was a prominent American novelist and playwright whose works delve into the intricacies of human relationships and the moral complexities of life. His notable novel, 'Rich Man, Poor Man,' not only captivated readers but also showcased his keen insight into the human condition. Shaw's writing often reflects a deep understanding of love, ambition, and the contradictions that define our existence. Through his characters, Shaw articulates the struggles of love intertwined with personal ambition, as seen in his quote, 'The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.' This encapsulates his belief that true understanding and insight are crucial for navigating life's challenges. His narratives frequently explore the tension between idealism and reality, revealing how characters grapple with their desires and the consequences of their choices. Shaw's exploration of human nature remains relevant today, as his quotes resonate with readers seeking to understand the complexities of their own lives. His ability to articulate the emotional depth of human experience continues to influence writers and thinkers, making his work a significant part of American literature.
Quote collection
Irwin Shaw quotes (page 1 of 3)
49 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"When I started out in the early 1930s, there were a great many magazines that published short stories. Unfortunately, the short-story market has dwindled to almost nothing."
"Ernest Hemingway did a great deal toward making the writer an acceptable public figure; obviously, he was no sissy."
"I never drink while I'm working, but after a few glasses I get ideas that would never have occurred to me dead sober."
"The last paragraph in which you tell what the story is about is almost always best left out."
"Writing is like a contact sport, like football. Why do kids play football? They can get hurt on any play, can't they? Yet they can't wait until Saturday comes around so they can play on the high school team, or the college team, and get smashed around. Writing is like that. You can get hurt, but you enjoy it!"
"Critics in New York are made by their dislikes, not by their enthusiasms."
"Writing for the theater, you find yourself living a nocturnal life"
"An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment the world hands out and the punishment he inflicts upon himself."
"The great writers just kept bringing them out. They didn't care if they repeated themselves."
"If football players were armed with guns, there wouldn't be stadiums large enough to hold the crowds."
"People who light up like Roman candles come down in the dark very quickly."
"I imagine that my characters have become much more complicated than when I first began, which would be normal"
"Every novelist has a different purpose-and often several purposes which might even be contradictory."
"I haven't stuck to any formula. Most great writers stick to the same style, but I wanted to be more various"
"There are too many books I haven’t read, too many places I haven’t seen, too many memories I haven’t kept long enough."
"I am forced to say that I have many fiercer critics than myself."
"At the height of the McCarthy period, writers were being hounded."
"Special-interest magazines are dangerous places for writers to start out in because the writing quickly falls into a routine and people are likely to find themselves artistically exhausted when they want to work on something of their own"
"I don't think that the writer is regarded as a freak by Americans"