Welcome to a collection of insightful and inspiring quotes by Rick Yancey, an acclaimed American author known for his captivating storytelling and thought-provoking narratives. Through his works, Yancey explores a myriad of themes ranging from survival and human resilience to the complexities of relationships and the enigmatic nature of existence. With each word crafted meticulously, he has woven tales that resonate deeply with readers around the globe, inviting them to ponder over life’s mysteries and confront the challenges that shape our journeys.
Rick Yancey’s literary prowess shines through his ability to intricately blend elements of science fiction, fantasy, and suspense, creating worlds that are both immersive and hauntingly familiar. His characters navigate through dystopian landscapes and encounter extraordinary circumstances, compelling readers to reflect on the essence of humanity amidst chaos and uncertainty. As you delve into the profound wisdom encapsulated in Yancey’s words, prepare to embark on a journey of self-discovery and introspection, where each quote serves as a beacon of insight and inspiration, guiding you through the complexities of the human experience.
I’ve loved sci-fi and speculative fiction since I was a kid. It was inevitable I’d try my hand at it at some point. Rick Yancey
The aliens of ‘The 5th Wave’ are not the aliens we’ve imagined. Not the aliens we’d like to attack us. Rick Yancey
‘The 5th Wave’ is sci-fi, but I tried very hard to ground the story in very human terms and in those universal themes that transcend genre. How do we define ourselves? What, exactly, does it mean to be human? What remains after everything we trust, everything we believe in and rely upon, has been stripped away? Rick Yancey
My foray into young adult lit was by no means planned. I wrote the first ‘Alfred Kropp’ book as an adult novel, which everyone loved but no one would publish – until I changed my protagonist from a thirty-something P.I. into a 15-year-old kid. After that, it was off to the races, and I am so glad. Rick Yancey
Human beings are remarkably resilient. When you think about it, our species has been teetering upon the edge of the existential cliff since Hiroshima. In short, we endure. Rick Yancey
When civilizations collide, it usually isn’t the more primitive one that prevails. Rick Yancey
My first favourite book was ‘Are You My Mother?’ A picture book about a lost bird. After that my favourites changed almost yearly. I loved everything by Roald Dahl, but my favourite was probably ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’ A librarian gave me a first edition of that book, which I treasure. Rick Yancey
The way we learn to write is the way we learn to talk: We listen to others and start mimicking speech, and that’s how we come to become speakers. Writers you admire, you admire the way they plot, you admire the way they create a character, you admire the way they put a sentence together, those are the writers you should be reading. Rick Yancey
Sci-Fi is the genre that explored both possibilities: the end of our existential crisis and the end of our existence. My novel, ‘The 5th Wave,’ explores the latter scenario, because, frankly, I believe it represents the likeliest outcome of an extraterrestrial encounter. In short, if they’re out there, we better hope they never find us. Rick Yancey
Being born at the tag-end of the baby boom, I was destined (or doomed, depending on how you look at it) to fall in love with sci-fi. It was one of my first literary loves, as a matter of fact. Rick Yancey
One lesson I learned from ‘The Monstrumologist’ was never to get too attached to your own characters. That’s harder in practice than in theory. At the end of the third book – which coincided with the end of my contract – I was an emotional wreck. I mourned Will Henry and Warthrop. Rick Yancey
‘Tax Collector’ was optioned for a series with F/X, but it never happened. I guess they ran into a problem trying to figure out why someone would tune in to watch a show about a guy who works for the IRS. Rick Yancey
I always feel trepidation at the beginning of every project. I worry about so many things. Time to get it right, the skill to do it justice, the will to finish. I also worry about more mundane things, like what if my computer crashes and I’ve forgotten to back up the manuscript? Rick Yancey
I’ve always wanted to write science fiction. It was one of my first loves, and I knew if I became a writer someday I’d probably write something in the science fiction vein, but I hesitated for a long while because it’s such well-trod ground. Rick Yancey
I got a very late start at fatherhood. I’m a late bloomer in general. It took me seven years to get through four years of college. I was five years away from 40 before I had a family, and I had never been around kids much at all. All of a sudden, I was around three boys all the time. Rick Yancey
One of the joys of a really good book is that you’re so into the world of the book, you forget what you’re looking at is words on a page. Rick Yancey
It’s been a while since I’ve written a novel aimed at the adult market, but I never sit down and say to myself, ‘Okay, now I’m going to write something for us old folks.’ I get gripped by an idea, and I go where the idea takes me. Rick Yancey
I really kill myself on titles, although ‘The 5th Wave’ seems like an obvious title, doesn’t it? You don’t know how long that took me. Rick Yancey
I have a very low tolerance for boredom and often think I would have missed out on books entirely if I’d grown up in the Internet and video game age. Now I enjoy books for people of all ages, including children. Rick Yancey
Ever since I was young, 14 or 15, I wondered if you could write a book that combined the visceral thrill of watching a movie with the total immersion you feel when you’re inside a good book. And I had some success as a screenwriter before I began writing books. Rick Yancey
Great sci-fi has never shied from tackling the Big Questions, though really great sci-fi never forgets to entertain us along the way. Shock and awe applies to art, as well. Rick Yancey
