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All Quotes by author - Nicholas Sparks

" Above all, a query letter is a sales pitch and it is the single most important page an unpublished writer will ever write. It's the first impression and will either open the door or close it. It's that important, so don't mess it up. Mine took 17 drafts and two weeks to write. "

" All characters come from people I know, but after the initial inspiration, I tend to modify the characters so they fit with the story. "

" A typical agent in New York gets 400 query letters a month. Of those, they might ask to read 3-4 manuscripts, and of those, they might ask to represent 1. "

" Because publishing is becoming more business-oriented each day with more examination of the bottom line, it's harder to break out than ever. "

" By reading a lot of novels in a variety of genres, and asking questions, it's possible to learn how things are done - the mechanics of writing, so to speak - and which genres and authors excel in various areas. "

" Dramatic fiction - William Shakespeare made his biggest mark writing dramatic love stories. "

" Focus in on the genre you want to write, and read books in that genre. A LOT of books by a variety of authors. And read with questions in your mind. "

" I do not use profanity in my novels. My characters all go to church. "

" I don't know that love changes. People change. Circumstances change. "

" I don't write romance novels. "

" If you look for me, I'm in the fiction section. Romance has its own section. "

" I have a great wife and it's very easy to be romantic because it makes her happy and then my life is so much better when she's happy. "

" I have certain moral parameters that I do not cross in writing; I don't write about adultery or kids having premarital sex. "

" I'll admit that it's not easy to get an agent, but becoming successful in anything requires perseverance. "

" I'm writing a new love story, set in eastern North Carolina. Surprise, surprise, huh? "

" In all love stories the theme is love and tragedy, so by writing these types of stories, I have to include tragedy. "

" I read over a hundred books a year and have done so since I was fifteen years old, and every book I've read has taught me something. "

" I suppose I'm most influenced by any good, commercial writer. I learn from everyone. "

" I suppose more than anything, it's the way of life in this part of the country that influences my writing. In Eastern North Carolina, with the exception of Wilmington, most people live in small towns. "

" I think, above all, the characters in my novels feel universal to the readers. "

" I think that enduring, committed love between a married couple, along with raising children, is the most noble act anyone can aspire to. It is not written about very much. "

Raising Children

" I think that men know how to romance a woman and most do it well, at least for a time, otherwise women wouldn't marry them. The problem is that most of them begin to rest on their laurels. "

" I very seldom, very seldom, even know what my characters look like. "

" I would be rejected if I submitted any of my novels as romance novels. "

" I write 2,000 words a day when I write. It sometimes takes three hours, it sometimes takes five hours. "

" Loving once and only once is possible - anything is possible. "

Anything Is Possible

" My wife, my family, my friends - they've all taught me things about love and what that emotion really means. In a nutshell, loving someone is about giving, not receiving. "

" None of my characters are rich or famous, and the situations they find themselves in could happen to anyone. "

" Over time, quality work will lead to an audience for your work. "

" Publishing is a business. Writing may be art, but publishing, when all is said and done, comes down to dollars. "

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