Rhianna Pratchett Quotes

I studied journalism at university, and I started a little bit of work on a woman's magazine called Minx that was aimed at 18- to 24-year-olds. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

The thing with videogame characters is that they tend to be really undercooked, and people don't take the time to really flesh them out. They don't treat them with the respect that a writer writing characters in any other medium would treat their character. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I think it's essential for writers to be involved in the recording process as things can often go wrong in this area. Voice actors are all too often presented with a wad of XL sheets, no proper character notes, context or reference and are just expected to perform. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Videogames need more women and are too reliant on male, stubble-covered heroes. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

A lot of young girls don't realise how diverse the career opportunities are in games development. Many think that you need elite math skills and a vast knowledge of all things tech to work in games, and haven't thought about avenues like design, producing, art, writing or composing. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I can pretty much spend an entire week talking about how the writing process works, to be honest! It can really vary from project to project and is often dependent on when you're brought on board, the genre, the platform and the narrative desires of the project. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

We're not used to seeing any videogames character express sentiments like fear, uncertainty or remorse. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I did my degree in journalism, and I then went on to being a games journalist, reviewing and previewing games and writing about the industry, visiting and interviewing developers. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

There's the underlying feeling that writing must be easy, because it's all about putting letters together. That's only true in the same way that programming is all about putting numbers together. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I am terribly British. Especially in the eyes of Americans. I drink several gallons of tea a day, I'm often excessively polite and it's only through many years of expensive and painful dental work that I don't have bad teeth. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Sometimes answeres can change everything. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I enjoy co-directing or even being there just for support because you get to see your script come to aural life in front of you. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Traditionally games never used professional writers to create their narrative, so there's definitely a residual feeling that hiring a proper writer is somewhat of a luxury, rather than a necessity. Like a feng shui consultant. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Because I once became so distraught watching the film 'Watership Down,' my parents were happier to let me watch action adventures featuring humans and warriors rather than cute animals. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

There's a moment on the arch of a jump, when you are neither rising nor falling. All you can see is the sky. All you can feel is the air and all you can hear is your heartbeat. That is all you are. Muscle and motion. It's called the deadpoint. I live for that. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

We don't exactly fit in. Anywhere. And we've made that our greatest strength. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Being 21 years old is not easy in the sense that you're still trying to get to know yourself. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Showing a videogame character terrified and scared is something that's not really done that much. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I really dislike elves. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Writing for videogames is really unique. You learn all the rules of writing, but there's a whole other set of rules for game writing, and we're changing them as we move along as well, which makes it more challenging. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.
Terry took Death's arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night. The End. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

The type of Alzheimer's Dad has is rare - posterior cortical atrophy or PCA - and it affects his spatial awareness and the way he judges distance. His first symptoms were erratic typing and spelling, but to talk to him, you'd never know there was a problem. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

My journalist sensibilities have guided me toward the types of projects I've gone for, even though the projects have been fairly diverse. It always has to have that interesting to attract me, I think. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Creativity comes from the part of the brain that is veritable soup of experiences, memories and influences. We really don't like to start questioning exactly where it comes from, in case it stops coming. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Merc: Sometimes I wonder if you just encourage trouble, like by running DELIBERATELY into the blues.
Faith: Maybe, it's cute the way they try to catch me.
Merc: Yeah, well, I hear the bullet. And you CAN'T outrun those.
Faith: But i CAN outthink the brain behind the gun. That's half the battle.
Merc: See, occasionally, just occasionally i actually think you listen to me. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

There's always a lot of pressure with big projects and so as a writer you have to be robust and flexible, with a tough hide. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I think it would be a great challenge to work on a military game which featured a female lead character. Since female soldiers are now being allowed on the frontlines, we're actually in danger of reality overtaking games! ~ Rhianna Pratchett

In regards to being female, I don't really think about it in the same way that other people do. I prefer to focus on my job rather than my gender. I'm still amazed that people think it's a big deal. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

When I was really young, Dad wasn't that well known. I don't remember when I realised he was a writer, but I do remember him leaving his full-time job at the Central Electrical Generating Board to concentrate on books. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

They are very good reasons why voice acting in games can be so terrible. Writers are in a great position to be able to bridge this gap. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

You can't have bravery without fear ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I liked climbing trees and could often be found up one reading a book. I played games with Dad and drew maps for him on isometric paper. It was very bonding. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I went to karate classes where it was basically a line-up of hulking man, hulking man, small nine-year-old girl, hulking man, hulking man. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I'm an only child, so I never had sisters to tell me what I should like based on my gender. I liked what the boys were doing and thought: 'Why let them have all the fun?' ~ Rhianna Pratchett

I think the Dutch certainly get British comedy. And let's face it; a lot of it is pretty low-hanging fruit for the whole world now. There are probably tribes in the heart of the Papua New Guinean rainforest that know all the words to the Dead Parrot sketch. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Dad loved computer games, and I would sit beside him for hours with graph paper, drawing out plans to try and forecast the moves he should make while he worked the computer controller. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Larger game teams are often a bit more experienced at working with writers, which is often a huge relief. However, it also means that there are more people wanting to wander around the narrative kitchen telling you how you should be making your story pies. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Dad was very into electronics, robotics and computers, so I was interested in what he was doing. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

By the time a writer comes onto a project (if they're being hired as a contractor) the main character has usually been designed, as that's always done during a project's pitching stage. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Ideally, writers and narrative designers should be included much earlier in the process, where they can be of most benefit. However, although the industry is slowly getting used to fitting narrative professionals into games development, we're still going through a bit of a 'square-peg in a round hole' phase. ~ Rhianna Pratchett

Museums don't like things to be thrown away, in case they turn out to be very important later on. ~ Terry Pratchett

How do you get all those coins? asked Mort.
IN PAIRS. ~ Terry Pratchett

After a while the Senior Wrangler said, "Do you know, I read the other day that every atom in your body is changed every seven years? New ones keep getting attached and old ones keep on dropping off. It goes on all the time. Marvelous, really."

The Senior Wrangler could do to a conversation what it takes quite thick treacle to do to the pedals of a precision watch.

"Yes? What happens to the old ones?" said Ridcully, interested despite himself.

"Dunno. They just float around in the air, I suppose, until they get attached to someone else."

The Archchancellor looked affronted.

"What, even wizards?"

"Oh, yes. Everyone. It's part of the miracle of existence."

"Is it? Sounds like bad hygiene to me," said the Archchancellor. "I suppose there's no way of stopping it?"

"I shouldn't think so," said the Senior Wrangler, doubtfully. "I don't think you're supposed to stop miracles of existence."

"But that means everythin' is made up of everythin' else," said Ridcully.

"Yes. Isn't it amazing? ~ Terry Pratchett

The sign on the outside of the office door said: LADISLAV PELC, D.M.PHIL, PREHUMOUS PROFESSOR OF MORBID BIBLIOMANCY. ~ Terry Pratchett

Glint, glisten, glitter, gleam ...
Tiffany thought a lot about words, in the long hours of churning butte. Onomatopoetic , she'd discovered in the dictionary, meant words that sounded like the thing they were describing, like cuckoo. But she thought there should be a word that sounds like the noise a thing would make if that thing made a noise even though, actually, it doesn't, but would if it did.
Glint, for example. If light made a noise as it reflected off a distant window, it'd go glint!And the light of tinsel, all those little glints chiming together, would make a noise like glitterglitter. Gleam was a clean, smooth noise from a surface that intended to shine all day. And glisten was the soft, almost greasy sound of something rich and oily. ~ Terry Pratchett

You can't find a hermit to teach you herming, because of course that rather spoils the whole thing. ~ Terry Pratchett

Nude women are only Art if there's an urn in it," said Fred Colon. This sounded a bit weak even to him, so he added: "Or a plinth. Both is best, o'course. It's a secret sign, see, that they put in to say that it's Art and okay to look at. ~ Terry Pratchett

A strange thing,' she said. 'They both wear this same badge. Two bears on a black and gold shield. Anyone know what that means?' 'It's the badge of King Verence,' said Magrat. 'Who's he?' said Granny Weatherwax. 'He rules this country,' said Magrat. 'Oh. That king,' said Granny, as if the matter was hardly worth noting. ~ Terry Pratchett

Crowley (An Angel who did not so much Fall as Saunter Vaguely Downwards) ~ Terry Pratchett

Humans had built a world inside the world, which reflected it in pretty much the same way as a drop of water reflected the landscape. And yet ... and yet ...
Inside this little world they had taken pains to put all the things you might think they would want to escape from - hatred, fear, tyranny, and so forth. Death was intrigued. They thought they wanted to be taken out of themselves, and every art humans dreamt up took them further in. He was fascinated. ~ Terry Pratchett

As the eye of narrative drew back from the coffin on its stand, two things happened. One happened comparatively slowly, and this was Vargo's realisation that he never recalled the coffin having a pillow before.
The other was Greebo deciding that he was as mad as hell and wasn't going to take it any more. ~ Terry Pratchett

And my commander always says, when we go about our business in the city, that when you look at the state of mankind you are forced to accept the reality of the gods.'
(Captain Carrot) ~ Terry Pratchett

To be a leader you have to learn to shout! But after you've learned to shout, you have to learn not to! ~ Terry Pratchett

He'sh mad?"
"Sort of mad. But mad with lots of money."
"Ah, then he can't be mad. I've been around; if a man hash lotsh of money he'sh just ecshentric. ~ Terry Pratchett

Death: Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom. ~ Terry Pratchett

I particularly admire are Mark Twain and Jerome K. Jerome who wrote in a certain tone of voice which was humane and understanding of humanity, but always ready to annotate its little foibles. I think I'd lay my cards down on that, and say that it's that that I'm trying to do. ~ Terry Pratchett

Boy meets girl, one of the greatest engines of narrative causality in the multiverse. ~ Terry Pratchett

At times like this it's traditional that a hero comes forth," said the President of the Guild of Assassins. "A dragon slayer. Where is he, that's what I want to know? Why aren't our schools turning out young people with the skills society needs? ~ Terry Pratchett

You hardly know me and yet you invited me out on a date,' said Miss Dearheart. 'Why?'

Because you called me a phoney, Moist thought. You saw through me straight away. Because you didn't nail my head to the door with your crossbow. Because you have no small talk. Because I'd like to get to know you better, even though it would be like smooching an ashtray. Because I wonder if you could put into the rest of your life the passion you put into smoking a cigarette. In defiance of Miss Maccalariat I'd like to commit hanky-panky with you, Miss Adora Belle Dearheart… well, certainly hanky, and possibly panky when we get to know one another better. I'd like to know as much about your soul as you know about mine…

He said: 'Because I hardly know you.'

'If it comes to that, I hardly know you, either,' said Miss Dearheart.

'I'm rather banking on that,' said Moist. This got a smile.

'Smooth answer. Slick. Where are we really eating tonight? ~ Terry Pratchett

To his mild surprise, the men were still out in the yard. Someone had even hung up the swordsmanship targets, which would certainly be helpful if the watch-men were faced with an enemy who was armless and tied to a pole. ~ Terry Pratchett

Genre fiction, as Terry Pratchett has pointed out, is a stew. You take stuff out of the pot, you put stuff back. The stew bubbles on. ~ Neil Gaiman

And then there were cats, thought Dog. He'd surprised the huge ginger cat from next door and had attempted to reduce it to cowering jelly by means of the usual glowing stare and deep-throated growl, which had always worked on the damned in the past. This time they had earned him a whack on the nose that had made his eyes water. Cats, Dog considered, were clearly a lot tougher than lost souls. He was looking forward to a further cat experiment, which he planned would consist of jumping around and yapping excitedly at it. It was a long shot, but it just might work. ~ Terry Pratchett

Granny Weatherwas was not a jouster in the lists of love, but, as an intelligent onlooker, she knew how the game was played. ~ Terry Pratchett

He felt that the last couple of hours had somehow carried him along without him actually touching the sides, and for a moment he nursed the strangely consoling feeling that his life was totally beyond his control and whatever happened no one could blame him. ~ Terry Pratchett

Chain-mail isn't much defence against an arrow. It certainly isn't when the arrow is being aimed between your eyes. ~ Terry Pratchett

One of the recurring philosophical questions is: 'Does a falling tree in the forest make a sound when there is no one to hear?' Which says something about the nature of philosophers , because there is always someone in a forest. It may only be a badger, wondering what that cracking noise was, or a squirrel a bit puzzled by all the scenery going upwards, but someone. ~ Terry Pratchett

Well, you'd had orders ... ' said Vimes, for what good that did.
'We didn't know!'
Not exactly, thought Vimes. We didn't ask. We just shut our minds to it. People went in through that front door and some of the poor devils came out through the secret door, not always in one box.
They hadn't measured up.
Nor did we. ~ Terry Pratchett

I know it's a very human thing to say 'Is there anything I can do,' but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry. ~ Terry Pratchett

Consider orangutans. In all the worlds graced by their presence, it is suspected that they can talk but choose not to do so in case humans put them to work, possibly in the television industry. In fact they can talk. It's just that they talk in Orangutan. Humans are only capable of listening in Bewilderment. ~ Terry Pratchett

Stars is easy, people is hard. ~ Terry Pratchett

'Nation' was one that I'd have killed myself if I hadn't written it. It was absolutely important to me that I wrote it. It was good for my soul. ~ Terry Pratchett

It wasn't a bang or a boom. It was the dampest, most corpulent eruption in the history of terminal flatulence. ~ Terry Pratchett

What will you do?" said Susan. "Lie," said Lu-Tze happily. "It's amazing how often that works. ~ Terry Pratchett

This was the time, when night wasn't quite over but day hadn't quite begun, when thoughts stood out bright and clear and without disguise. ~ Terry Pratchett

Rain falling on water ... Ah, yes ... When he was a little lad he'd pretended that the raindrops splashing in the running gutters were soldiers. Millions of soldiers. And the bubbles that sometimes went floating by were men on horseback. Right now he couldn't remember what the occasional dead dog had been. Some kind of siege weapon, possibly. ~ Terry Pratchett

Weddings are quite similar to funerals in that, apart from the main players, when it's all over, people are never quite sure what they should be doing next, which is why they see if there is any wine left. ~ Terry Pratchett

It's a popular fact that 90 percent of the brain is not used and, like most popular facts, it is wrong ... It is used. One of its functions is to make the miraculous seem ordinary, to turn the unusual into the usual. Otherwise, human beings, faced with the daily wondrousness of everything, would go around wearing a stupid grin, saying "Wow," a lot. Part of the brain exists to stop this from happening. ~ Terry Pratchett

When she spoke again it was in the thin, careful and above all brave voice of someone who has pulled themselves together despite overwhelming odds but might let go again at any moment. ~ Terry Pratchett

I'm a fantasy writer, called a fantasy writer. But there's very little, apart from one or two basic concepts in 'I Shall Wear Midnight,' which are in fact fantasy. You have sticks that fly, but they're practical broomsticks, with a bloody great strap that you can hold on to so you don't fall off. And you try not to use them too often. ~ Terry Pratchett

Agnes felt that beauty was even more likely to be in the eye of the beholder if the feet of the beholder were on something solid. At ten thousand feet up, the eye of the beholder tends to water. ~ Terry Pratchett

In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this. ~ Terry Pratchett

Of course fantasy is escapist. Most stories are. So what? Teachers are not meant to be jailers. ~ Terry Pratchett