Quotes from Jay Asher

I hope you're ready, because I'm about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening to these tapes, you're one of the reasons why.

When you write a book for publication, you're writing it for other people to read.

Looking back, I do think one of the reasons 'Thirteen Reasons Why' has been so successful is not because it deals with serious issues but because I had a unique and interesting way to tell that story. I knew the issues were going to be dealt with in the book, but I felt my job was to write the story as entertainingly as possible.

This time, for the first time, I saw the possibilities in giving up. I even found hope in it.

It's up to the reader to decipher the code, or the words, based on everything they know about life and emotions.

You don't know what goes on in anyone's life but your own.

I sat. And I thought. And the more I thought, connecting the events in my life, the more my heart collapsed.

My friends and I did one of those 'Who's Hot and Who's Not' lists. Every school has those, and now they are online, which makes it even worse. It was one of those moments that I look back on a lot, and think that was horrible.

I thought I was going to be known for my humor. But then I had an idea for a story, which was absolutely not humorous. But, of course, that's the one that sells and becomes big.

It may seem that every time someone offers you a hand up, they just let go and you slip further down.

The main character in the book is usually someone you're identifying with because the story is being told through this person's mind.

Will I ever get control of my life? Will I always be shoved back and pushed around by those I trust?

Do you remember the last thing you said to me? The last thing you did to me? And what was the last thing I said to you? Because trust me when I said it I knew it was the last thing I'd ever say.

My heart and my trust were in the process of collapsing. And that collapse created a vacuum in my chest.

Actually, I love trying to figure out why certain books become hits while others, which may be just as good, have trouble finding an audience.

With traditional school visits, I also get to speak with people who haven't read my books and talk about my writing process as well as the serious aspects I write about.

I was too weak to walk. At least, I thought I was too weak. But in truth, I was too weak to try.

Everything about it was false. Right then, in that office, with the realization that no one knew the truth about my life, my thoughts about the world were shaken.

Because I've heard so many stories that I don't know which one is the most popular. But I do know which is the least popular. The truth.

Fiction is an easy way to talk about issues: I think it feels less preachy. You can have the students discuss characters in the book as opposed to hypothetical situations, or as opposed to opening up about themselves, unless they really want to.

There are things that aren't supposed to be comfortable to read, because those situations shouldn't be comfortable to discuss, but they still need to be discussed.

How can you call it love when it hurt you so badly?" "It was love because it was worth it.

It was love because it was worth it.

When somebody's face-to-face with you saying, 'I may not have been here had I not read your book,' how do you respond to that? The first several times I traveled, it was almost too much. I was totally grateful, but emotionally, it was really hard.