Once I had started, I discovered the secret pleasure of writing a novel. It's such an immersive, deep commitment. With short stories, you're continually having to start again from scratch, but with a novel you only need one good idea every few years.
Debra DeanWhatever one may say about the perils of workshops, they help writers internalize an awareness of audience.
Debra DeanAs a writer, the ideal job is the one that allows you time and mental space away from it. Teaching seemed to me like the obvious choice - those summers off, you know - but my experience may serve as a cautionary tale.
Debra DeanI loved short stories, and they were all I wanted to write. I love the compression of them and the exactitude needed to get a whole world into such a small space.
Debra Dean