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Meg Wolitzer Quotes

Powerful Meg Wolitzer for Daily Growth

About Meg Wolitzer

Meg Wolitzer is an acclaimed American novelist and screenwriter, renowned for her insightful explorations of femininity, family dynamics, and social issues. Born on February 29, 1959, in Syosset, New York, she grew up in a Jewish family, where literature was highly valued. Her early interest in writing was nurtured by her mother, who encouraged her to read widely. Wolitzer attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied English and earned her Bachelor's degree. After college, she moved to New York City and began her career as a freelance journalist. Her early works include short stories and essays published in various magazines and anthologies. Her first novel, "Sleepwalking," was published in 1986, followed by "The Wife's Story" (2003), which garnered critical acclaim. However, it was her fourth novel, "The Ten-Year Plan" (2005), that brought her mainstream success. The book delved into the complexities of female friendship and career ambitions, resonating with many readers. In 2013, Wolitzer published "The Interestings," a multi-generational novel exploring the lives of a group of friends who meet at an arts camp in their teenage years. The book was a New York Times Bestseller and received positive reviews for its nuanced portrayal of relationships and personal growth. Wolitzer's most recent work, "The Female Persuasion" (2018), is a novel about power, influence, and feminism. It follows the lives of two women, one an iconic feminist figure and the other a young college student, exploring themes of ambition, friendship, and self-discovery. Throughout her career, Meg Wolitzer's works have been translated into multiple languages and adapted for film and television. Her writing continues to reflect contemporary issues with profound insight, making her one of America's most respected literary voices.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The world owes you nothing. It was here first."

This quote emphasizes self-reliance and personal responsibility, suggesting that individuals should not expect the world to cater to their needs or desires, as the world existed long before they were born. Instead, it encourages people to work hard, take initiative, and create opportunities for themselves. It also implies a recognition of the natural order where one must strive to achieve their goals rather than simply expecting them to be handed over. In essence, it encourages a mindset that prioritizes individual growth and resilience in the face of life's challenges.

"We live in a culture that worships youth, which is too bad, because wisdom comes with age."

This quote highlights the societal emphasis on youth, often at the expense of recognizing and valuing the wisdom that comes with age. It suggests a cultural bias where qualities such as experience, maturity, and deep understanding are undervalued compared to youthfulness and novelty. The message encourages us to appreciate the worth of older individuals who possess a wealth of knowledge and insights gained over time.

"Happiness is a very small town where the whole family knows everyone and nobody's got any secrets."

This quote suggests that in a place or state of happiness, there exists an intimate, close-knit community where everyone is well acquainted and no one has secrets – they all share their true selves openly. It implies that such a communal environment fosters trust, understanding, and transparency, making it a fulfilling and contented way of life.

"The secret to life is to put yourself in the right lighting. For some it's a broad daylight, for others, a more subtle glow. Find your lighting."

Meg Wolitzer's quote suggests that each individual has unique strengths, talents, and passions that shine best under specific circumstances or environments – much like how different objects are highlighted in various types of lighting. The secret to life lies in discovering where and when you thrive most, whether it's a bright spotlight of challenging experiences, or a softer glow of comfort and familiarity. It encourages individuals to pursue their paths where they feel most energized, fulfilled, and authentic.

"Life is long, but it's not that long."

This quote by Meg Wolitzer serves as a gentle reminder that while life offers ample time for exploration and growth, its finite nature emphasizes the importance of living intentionally and fully. It's a call to seize opportunities, cherish moments, and prioritize personal fulfillment in the present, acknowledging the limits of our lifespan and embracing the journey ahead.

I think a lot of the dull parts of first drafts come from a kind of over-managing, intrusive writer who wants to direct traffic. The idea of taking out the parts that the reader could infer is very liberating, and it's weirdly part of radicalizing your work: it allows you to go to new places fast.

- Meg Wolitzer

I Think, Very, Weirdly, Liberating

'Charlotte's Web,' which I read sitting on my mother's lap, was the most emotional experience: that was when I made the leap from seeing how to untangle words to realizing how books both contain and convey strong feelings.

- Meg Wolitzer

Mother, Strong, Experience, Realizing

When I was in junior high school, friends and I were in a consciousness-raising group, a term that now seems quaint like a butter churn, but it was very powerful. It was a really wonderful experience.

- Meg Wolitzer

Experience, High, Very, Junior

My being a writer and playing Scrabble are connected. If I have a good writing day, I'll take a break and play online Scrabble. My favorite word as a child was 'carrion,' before I knew what it meant. I later created crossword puzzles, which was a lot about puns, and how words would create these strange, strange things.

- Meg Wolitzer

Play, Before, Scrabble, Puzzles

We all would love the idea of people getting what's coming to them in books and in life, but sometimes the trajectory is a little more complicated than that.

- Meg Wolitzer

Love, More, Idea, Trajectory

I do want to say the process of writing a novel is riddled with self-doubt and self-loathing.

- Meg Wolitzer

Process, Want, Self-Loathing, Riddled

It's gratifying to be taken seriously, always.

- Meg Wolitzer

Seriously, Always, Taken, Gratifying

When you have a book out, it's like a period of protracted or concentrated megalomania, and it's really not normal or good for you or any of that.

- Meg Wolitzer

Normal, Like, Period, Concentrated

Novels can be a snapshot of a moment in time, or several moments in time, and as a reader, that's what I really like, and as a writer, it's what I'm drawn to also.

- Meg Wolitzer

Like, Reader, Several, Novels

When I wrote 'The Interestings,' I wanted to let time unspool, to give the book the feeling of time passing. I had to allow myself the freedom to move back and forth in time freely, and to trust that readers would accept this.

- Meg Wolitzer

Trust, Give, Allow, Passing

If you've written a powerful book about a woman and your publisher then puts a 'feminine' image on the cover, it 'types' the book.

- Meg Wolitzer

Woman, Image, Types, Publisher

As a novelist, I feel lucky that I can traffic in nuance. I'm more interested in looking at how things change over time, at how people try and sometimes fail to make meaning out of their lives.

- Meg Wolitzer

Lucky, Sometimes, Nuance, Traffic

I think listening to music from your youth is as powerful as a scent passed beneath your nose.

- Meg Wolitzer

Listening, Think, Nose, Scent

I think my writing changed when I put 'the' in front of my titles. It had more command.

- Meg Wolitzer

Think, More, I Think, Titles

In 'The Interestings' I wanted to write about what happens to talent over time. In some people talent blooms, in others it falls away.

- Meg Wolitzer

Some, Over, Away, Blooms

When you're writing, it's so absorbing. It's like a drop cloth goes over you, and the world outside falls away, but you do have a miniature version of the world, your own world, that you actually have some control over. I love to work.

- Meg Wolitzer

Love, Drop, Some, Miniature

I really love Scrabble. I played it with my mother growing up. We took it everywhere with us. We didn't know then about the two letter words. Who knew that AA, or more controversially, ZA, or QI were words? We were a games family generally.

- Meg Wolitzer

Love, Two, About, Scrabble

I've always been drawn to writing for young readers. The books that I read growing up remain in my mind very strongly.

- Meg Wolitzer

Mind, Always, Very, Readers

I am a novelist through and through.

- Meg Wolitzer

I Am, Through, Am, Novelist

I think everyone is always measuring themselves against other people to a certain degree; it happens automatically, and it's hard not to be this way at least some of the time.

- Meg Wolitzer

Think, Some, Always, Certain Degree

I believe that sometimes, when we talk about books, we're talking about the big picture - how they're relevant.

- Meg Wolitzer

Big, Sometimes, About, Big Picture

Some people are uncomfortable saying what they feel.

- Meg Wolitzer

Some People, Feel, Some, Uncomfortable

I'm not particularly good at doodling. I'll doodle the same face over and over again.

- Meg Wolitzer

Face, Over, Particularly, Doodle

Both my mother and I have close groups of friends that include other writers, and these friendships are very important to us.

- Meg Wolitzer

Other, Include, Very, Groups

I sometimes feel as if ideas for a novel kind of pop up like numbers in a bingo tumbler, and then they're ready to go.

- Meg Wolitzer

Kind, Sometimes, Like, Bingo

These are old issues. Female power, misogyny, the treatment of women, how you make meaning in the world. And these are all issues that I've been thinking about and writing about for a very long time.

- Meg Wolitzer

Been, Very, Treatment, Very Long Time

I really like to entertain myself in various ways when I'm writing.

- Meg Wolitzer

Like, Entertain, Ways, Various

Good writing is good writing, and I'm so happy when I read it.

- Meg Wolitzer

Happy, Writing, Read, Good Writing

'Pleasure' is a word I think about a lot, as opposed to 'entertainment.' They are very, very different.

- Meg Wolitzer

Think, Very, Lot, Pleasure

People say, write what you know, but it's really, write about what obsesses you. Write about what you're thinking about all the time.

- Meg Wolitzer

People, Say, About, People Say

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