This is Seattle. We're supposed to have superior taste. Maria Semple seattlesuperiorsuppose Change image and share on social
In my high-minded and naive way, I believed the only books worth reading were the classics. Maria Semple believebookclassic Change image and share on social
The one constant in my life has been my love of books: reading them, thinking about them, talking about them, holding them, turning people on to new ones. Maria Semple bookconstanthold Change image and share on social
I'm not the comedy police, but you watch a movie, and everyone's laughing, and then you shake it out, and you realize, 'There's no joke there!' Maria Semple comedyjokelaugh Change image and share on social
Writing a novel is so hard, and there are so many problems that the last thing you're thinking about is adapting this mess you have on your hands as a movie. You just want to get it to work as a novel. That's your main focus. Maria Semple adaptfocushand share on social
I suppose I could admire all these slow Seattle drivers for their safety-mindedness, consideration for others, and peace of mind. Instead, I'm a fury of annoyance. Maria Semple admireannoyanceconsideration Change image and share on social
I keep an elaborate calendar for my characters detailing on which dates everything happens. I'm constantly revising this as I go along. It gives me the freedom to intricately plot my story, knowing it will at least hold up on a timeline. Maria Semple calendarcharacterconstantly share on social
Some people, especially literary people, they think, 'I'll write this original script, and it will be full of ideas. I'll submit it, and they'll hire me for television.' That's not the case. Maria Semple casefullhire Change image and share on social
Both 'Where'd You Go, Bernadette' and my first novel, 'This One is Mine,' are pretty complex on a story level, and fun reads as a result. Maria Semple bernadettecomplexfun Change image and share on social
On my walks, that's when the good ideas come. The kind of hard, gritty work is when you're sitting at the computer and it's kind of intense and you're kind of in super control of it - the walks are when you let go. That's when the really big breakthroughs come in, and it's very strange. Maria Semple bigbreakthroughcomputer share on social