Patricia MacLachlan Quotes

• Sometimes poetry--words--give us a small, lovely look at ourselves. And sometimes that is enough.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Giving, Lovely, Looks

  Patricia MacLachlan (2007). “Two Novels: Baby ; Journey”, Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

  50 Copy quote

• Life is made up of circles ... Life is not a straight line ... And sometimes we circle back to a past time. But we are not the same. We are changed forever.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Life, Past, Circles

  Patricia Maclachlan (2009). “Baby”, p.108, Yearling

  7 Copy quote

• My greatest fear is being somewhere without a book.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Book, Greatest Fear

  7 Copy quote

• Fact and fiction are different truths.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Different, Fiction, Facts

  4 Copy quote

• I, myself, write to change my life, to make it come out the way I want it to. But other people write for other reasons: to see more closely what it is they are thinking about, what they may be afraid of. Sometimes writers write to solve a problem, to answer their own question. All these reasons are good reasons. And that is the most important thing I'll ever tell you. Maybe it is the most important thing you'll ever hear. Ever.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Writing, Thinking, People

  8 Copy quote

• In a way, my childhood was one long bunch of pages... I read and read and read.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Long, Childhood, Pages

  8 Copy quote

• I have great respect for children. And I have great respect for their ability as writers.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Children, Ability, Great Respect

  8 Copy quote

• I love to talk to children about making mistakes. Its important that I tell them about how I dont get it right the first time. We live in such a perfectionist society, and they see so many finished products and polished performances.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Children, Mistake, Important

  8 Copy quote

• What is perfect? Journey, a thing doesn't have to be perfect to be fine. That goes for a picture. That goes for life....Things can be good enough.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Journey, Perfect, Good Enough

  8 Copy quote

• You should know that there are some things for which there are no answers, no matter how beautiful the words may be.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Beautiful, Answers, May

  Patricia Maclachlan (2009). “Baby”, p.69, Yearling

  6 Copy quote

• I think its important to remember where I began. I know that when I talk to other writers, say, writers from the South or writers from abroad, its where they begin as children that is important to them.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Children, Thinking, Important

  6 Copy quote

• All the world can be found in poetry. All you need to see and hear. All the moments, good and bad, joyous and sad.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Poetry, Needs, World

  Patricia Maclachlan (2009). “Baby”, p.61, Yearling

  6 Copy quote

• I have to write what I can write, and writing the text of a picture book is like walking a tightrope, if you ramble off... As my friend Julius Lester says, A picture book is the essence of an experience.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Book, Writing, Essence

  7 Copy quote

• I never work from an outline, and often I dont know how the story will end.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Stories, Ends, Know How

  7 Copy quote

• Being married to a psychologist, I realize that I learn more from imperfections.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Imperfection, Married, Realizing

  4 Copy quote

• There is always something to miss, no matter where you are.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Missing, Matter, Where You Are

  Patricia MacLachlan (2014). “Sarah, Plain and Tall Complete Collection: Sarah, Plain and Tall; Skylark; Caleb's Story; More Perfect than the Moon; Grandfather's Dance”, p.20, Harper Collins

  4 Copy quote

• Im working on a bunch of things with my daughter Emily. In some ways, shes a smarter and better editor than I am.

  Patricia MacLachlan

  Daughter, Editors, Way

  4 Copy quote

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