Jean M. Auel quotes

Jean M. Auel is an American writer, best known for her Earth's Children series set in prehistoric Europe. Her novels blend detailed research with imaginative storytelling about early human life. She has captivated readers worldwide with her vivid depictions of ancient societies. Here are 26 of her quotes:

You learn to write by writing, and by reading and thinking about how writers have created their characters and invented their stories. If you are not a reader, don't even think about being a writer.

Jean M. Auel

I started writing to please myself, a story I would like to read, and that is still true.

Jean M. Auel

And that's how I start myself. I usually go back a couple of pages, maybe to the beginning of the chapter, and I start reading. And as I'm reading, I'm tweaking - putting in a different word, changing the syntax, putting that clause over there, you know that sort of thing.

Jean M. Auel

The idea led me into the research, which continues to give me more ideas for the story.

Jean M. Auel

Of the two, I would think of my work as closer to Science Fiction than Fantasy.

Jean M. Auel

They stared at each other, wanting each other, drawn to each other, but their silent shout of love went unheard in the roar of misunderstanding, and the clatter of culturally ingrained beliefs.

Jean M. Auel

I could write historical fiction, or science fiction, or a mystery but since I find it fascinating to research the clues of some little know period and develop a story based on that, I will probably continue to do it.

Jean M. Auel

Life sometimes gets in the way of writing.

Jean M. Auel

Science Fiction is not just about the future of space ships travelling to other planets, it is fiction based on science and I am using science as my basis for my fiction, but it's the science of prehistory - palaeontology and archaeology - rather than astronomy or physics.

Jean M. Auel

Each book has been different and has been challenging in its own way to write.

Jean M. Auel

I can't tell you any more than any other writer can tell you why they write, and I don't know what my influences are.

Jean M. Auel

My fiction is reviewed by the mainstream press, by science fiction periodicals, romance magazines, small press publications and various other journals, including some usually devoted to archaeological and other science material.

Jean M. Auel

Though my books are written from a historical perspective, I have goon so far back that I am in the realm of prehistorical speculation rather than simple historical fact to weave my stories around.

Jean M. Auel

Aside from sales, the letters from readers have been primarily positive.

Jean M. Auel

I really fell in love with Africa.

Jean M. Auel

From the beginning, when I first got an idea for a story and wondered if I could write it, it has always been the story that has driven me.

Jean M. Auel

I had an idea for a story about a young woman who was living with people who were different, not just superficially different - such as hair colour, or eye colour, or skin colour - but different in some significant way.

Jean M. Auel

It took some time to gather the research and develop it into the storyline, and to finally finish an origin myth poem that I had been working on for twenty years.

Jean M. Auel

I think of my books as mainstream and that's were most people who read them look for them in book stores.

Jean M. Auel

I'm just writing a story that I want to read.

Jean M. Auel

I probably read 100 times more than I write, but that way when I move my characters through it, I know.

Jean M. Auel

I don't write for publishers, certainly not for critics, and not for readers, But I am delighted that so many people have found my books enjoyable and want to continue to read them.

Jean M. Auel