Literary Birthday – 21 March – Teresa Nielsen Hayden

Happy Birthday, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, born 21 March 1956.

Seven Quotes

1. Plot is a literary convention. Story is a force of nature.
2. I have to go make books. Sorry about that.
3. …writing about writing, or writing about publishing, is what wanna-be authors do when they’ve given up on writing, but don’t yet want to admit it.
4. Don’t use metaphors in fantasy; your readers will take them literally. Or they may take them figuratively — but if so, they’ll also take your magics and transformations figuratively. Either way, you’re in trouble.
5. If you ask 20 different readers why they read, they will all be right.
6. Sometimes writers say true things about the overall nature of publicity, promotion, and the publishing industry; but alas, not always.
7. I deeply resent the way this administration makes me feel like a nutbar conspiracy theorist. (2003)

Teresa Nielsen Hayden is an American science fiction editor, fanzine writer, essayist, and teacher. She is a consulting editor for Tor Books. Her non-fiction writing is collecting in Making Book.

by Amanda Patterson

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