Quote

Writing for adults, you have to keep reminding them of what is going on. The poor things have given up using their brains when they read. Children you only need to tell things to once.

Diana Wynne Jones

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Diana Wynne Jones
Age: 76 †
Born: 1934
Born: August 16
Died: 2011
Died: March 26
Novelist
Poet
Science Fiction Writer
Writer
London
England
Diana Gwyneth Jones
Need
Using
Children
Adults
Needs
Brain
Writing
Poor
Going
Read
Things
Given
Tell
Reminding
Keep
Brains

More quotes by Diana Wynne Jones

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In the land of Ingary where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of the three. Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes.
Diana Wynne Jones
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It does seem that a fantasy, working out in its own terms, stretching you beyond the normal concerns of your own life, gains you a peculiar charge of energy which inexplicably enriches you. At least, this is my ideal of a fantasy, and I am always trying to write it.
Diana Wynne Jones
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And it's a pity too that I've no right to open your letters. I hope you don't get many, or my conscience will give me no peace.
Diana Wynne Jones
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He picked up the skull and knocked an onion ring out of its eye socket. I see Sophie has been busy again. Couldn't you have restrained her, my friend? The skull yattered its teeth at him. Howl put it down rather hastily.
Diana Wynne Jones
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My shining dishonesty will be the salvation of me.
Diana Wynne Jones
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Busy old fool, unruly Sophie
Diana Wynne Jones
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One person ought to treat another person properly, even if the person's himself.
Diana Wynne Jones
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If you must know, I-I had never in my life kissed a young lady, and you are far too beautiful to me to want to get it wrong!
Diana Wynne Jones
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What a strange family you are! Is your name Lettie too?
Diana Wynne Jones
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Oh confound that gray-and-scarlet suit! Sophie said. I refuse to believe that I was the one that got caught with it!
Diana Wynne Jones
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I don’t think I will get married,” Polly said as she stood up. “I’m going to train to be a hero instead.
Diana Wynne Jones
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Calcifer, Sophie said, I shall have to break your contract. Will it kill you? It would if anyone else broke it, Calcifer said hoarsely. That's why I asked you to do it.
Diana Wynne Jones
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Chrestomanci smiled and swept out of the room like a very long procession of one person.
Diana Wynne Jones
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Go to bed, you fool, Calcifer said sleepily. You're drunk. Who, me? said Howl. I assure you, my friends, I am cone sold stober. He got up and stalked upstairs, feeling for the wall as if he thought it might escape him unless he kept in touch with it. His bedroom door did escape him.
Diana Wynne Jones
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I'm delirious. Spots are crawling before my eyes. Those are spiders.
Diana Wynne Jones
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So you were going to rescue the Prince! Why did you pretend to run away? To deceive the Witch? Not likely! I'm a coward. Only way I can do something this frightening is to tell myself I'm not doing it!
Diana Wynne Jones
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Theseus made unscrupulous use of Ariadne (whom he left on an island where Bacchus later found her-I always think that really meant she took to drink, poor girl).
Diana Wynne Jones
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You have no right to make jigsaws of people.
Diana Wynne Jones
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Yes, you are nosy. You're a dreadfully nosy, horribly bossy, appallingly clean old woman. Control yourself. You're victimizing us all.
Diana Wynne Jones
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It's a lucky child that knows that they're a genius, unaimed and all that.
Diana Wynne Jones