16+ George V. Higgins Quotes On Education, Writing And Fire

George V. Higgins was an American novelist, best known for his crime fiction. He wrote several novels, including The Friends of Eddie Coyle, which was adapted into a 1973 film. He was known for his unique dialogue and realistic portrayal of the criminal underworld. Following is our collection on famous quotes by George V. Higgins on education, leadership, love.

A cop told me, a long time ago, that there’s no substitute for knowing what you’re doing. Most of us scribblers do not. The ones that’re any good are aware of this. The rest write silly stuff. The trouble is this: The readers know it. — George V. Higgins

Egotism is the art of seeing in yourself what others cannot see. — George V. Higgins

Politics is a choice of enemas. You're gonna get it up the ass, no matter what you do. — George V. Higgins

What You Lose on the Swings You Make Up on the Merry-Go-Round. — George V. Higgins

Life is hard but being stupid makes it harder. — George V. Higgins

Writing is the only trade I know of in which sniveling confessions of extreme incompetence are taken as credentials probative of powers to astound the multitude. — George V. Higgins

The Red Sox are a religion. Every year we re-enact the agony and the temptation in the Garden. Baseball child's play? Hell, up here in Boston it's a passion play. — George V. Higgins

You cannot write well without data. — George V. Higgins

Nobody ever got started on a career as a writer by exercising good judgment, and no one ever will, either, so the sooner you break the habit of relying on yours, the faster you will advance. — George V. Higgins

The received image of a writer is that of an unproductive sensitive who suffers from the vapors, is enslaved by his gonads, falls victim to romantic swoons and passes out at deadlines. — George V. Higgins

Data is what distinguishes the dilettante from the artist. — George V. Higgins

Rental formal wear of the sky-blue, brocade and shiny varieties is favored by upwardly mobile young gangsters drafted as groomsmen for weddings. — George V. Higgins

Egotism: The art of seeing in yourself what others cannot see. — George V. Higgins

The characters are telling you the story. I'm not telling you the story, they're going to do it. If I do it right, you will get the whole story. — George V. Higgins

The seductiveness of baseball is that almost everyone with an abiding interest in it knows exactly how it should be played. And secretly believes that he could do it, if only God had seen fit to make him just a little bit less clumsy. — George V. Higgins

Show the reader what the character thinks about, and then the reader will think about it too. — George V. Higgins

Life Lessons by George V. Higgins

1. George V. Higgins taught us the importance of creating believable characters with unique voices and motivations.
2. His work also showed us the power of using language to bring stories to life in vivid detail.
3. Finally, Higgins demonstrated that a great story can come from the most unexpected places and characters.