"Two questions form the foundation of all novels: "What if?" and "What next?" (A third question, "What now?", is one the author asks himself every 10… - Tom Clancy

"Two questions form the foundation of all novels: "What if?" and "What next?" (A third question, "What now?", is one the author asks himself every 10 minutes or so; but it's more a cry than a question.) Every novel begins with the speculative question, What if "X" happened? That's how you start."

what-if questions author write speculative what-now novel writing start novels cry
English
Collect this quote

About Tom Clancy

Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. (12 April 1947 – 1 October 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of his novels have been bestsellers and more than 100 million copies of his books have been sold.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Birth Name: Thomas Leo Clancy, Jr.
Alternative Names: Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. • Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy Jr. • Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. • Thomas Clancy • Thomas L. Clancy • Tom Leo Clancy • Thomas Leo Clancy • Tom L. Clancy • Tom Leo Clancy Jr.
All quotes from Tom Clancy Similar Quotes by other Originators
Go Premium

Support Quotewise while enjoying an ad-free experience and premium features.

View Plans

Additional quotes by Tom Clancy

The hard part is discriminating between factual reporting and journalistic fiction. Last year at the National Press Club I said out loud and in public [C-SPAN was there] that the difference between me and a lot of reporters is that I do good fiction. Some were polite enough to chuckle.
Sources available for members. Sign up free to see where this quote comes from
Find Similar