Roxane Gay Quotes

There's certainly a portion of my brain that is always tuned to making wry observations about the world, but that portion of my brain was alive and well before Twitter.

Oftentimes, when a woman demands accountability, respect, or consideration, she is crazy or nagging or whatever.

We assume whiteness is the default because whiteness, historically, has been the default. This is one of the many reasons diverse representation matters so much. We need to change the default.

Intellectually, I know I am worthy, however arbitrary a thing worthiness is, and have always been worthy.

I write for myself, first and foremost and I also write for people, mostly women, who just want to be seen and heard and all too often aren't.

If I cannot rest and relax, all the work I do is for naught.

The past is always with you. Some people want to be protected from this truth.

Diversity in literature is, in part, about representation - who is telling the stories and who stories are told about.

When you look past the image, a celebrity is merely a person you know nothing about.

I am trying to keep growing and improving as a writer.

I never imagined any of the success I am currently experiencing.

I like what the internet offers: the ability to get people interested in your mind, and have a chance if you're not conventionally attractive.

I never imagined that I would be the kind of person who is recognized when I am out and about just living my life.

Readers need to stop assuming characters are white if race isn't explicitly defined.

Emotionally, my ambition is not yet sated. Emotionally, I still feel like a kid at the adult's table, yearning for recognition. I'm not sure where this all comes from but it is how I feel.

Violence is a common part of far too many women's lives.

I write toward both idealism and reality - how things are and how I wish they could be.

I read constantly because there is so much to learn from the writing in the world.

I look at my older writing to see where my weaknesses are and then I try to address those weaknesses and make new mistakes.

The more successful I get, the more I am reminded that in the minds of a great many people I will never be anything more than my body. No matter what I accomplish, I will be fat, first and foremost.

My dream was to write a book and see it published. I didn't dare imagine anything beyond that, so, I'm trying to keep my head on my shoulders.

Most of the time, writing is a lot of fun, and not a small amount of self-medication.

I write because I love doing it.

I probably write the same story a hundred different ways. I suppose right now I am looking for the 101st different way to write that same story. And the 102nd, and 103rd and 111th and 133rd.