Raina Telgemeier Quotes

Raina Telgemeier

Profession : Cartoonist

Birth : May 26, 1977

All of the narration in 'Smile' is first-person. Most of the books that I grew up reading had first-person narrators for some reason. My diaries were written in this voice, and since this story is autobiographical, it just felt like a natural extension.

Raina Telgemeier

I used to rely on black-and-white, and while I was working on 'Smile,' I learned to adapt to color on my end.

Raina Telgemeier

When I was doing 'Smile,' I was looking back at pictures of myself and going, 'Thank goodness I couldn't do the sprayed-bangs thing! Everybody's so embarrassed by that hairstyle now, but I was never cool enough to pull it off!'

Raina Telgemeier

New York is great for busy creative types. The city has a pulse that races, and you either keep up with it or you leave.

Raina Telgemeier

When I sit down to begin penciling a page, most of the hard work for me is done. I can concentrate solely on my art from that point on, which is the fun part!

Raina Telgemeier

I did keep detailed journals from about fifth grade on, and every so often as I was growing up, I would re-read them and reflect on the previous years of my life.

Raina Telgemeier

Going to so many book events keeps me connected with my readership while constantly reminding me that all the long hours at the drawing desk are worthwhile.

Raina Telgemeier

Typically, a book is published and gets one season in the sun. Eventually, you write another book, and maybe your old books get a bump, but my books seem to keep being discovered and recommended to new people of all ages.

Raina Telgemeier

I prefer drawing the things I've written to handing them off to another artist. Turns out I'm a huge control freak - and because I write in thumbnails, the art is already happening by the time I start writing!

Raina Telgemeier

I wanted to be into fashion, but I was never the kind of person who could keep up with fashion trends, and I could never style my hair the way everyone else's was - my hair was very thin, so I couldn't do, like, the sprayed bangs everyone else was into.

Raina Telgemeier

I was kind of a cross between Kristy and Mary Anne among 'The Baby-Sitters Club' characters. I was shy, but I was also kind of a tomboy, and I was really good at sticking my foot in my mouth even though I was shy.

Raina Telgemeier

Making comic adaptations means making a lot of choices - you need to adjust the pacing, the dialogue, and in this case, a lot of the cultural references.

Raina Telgemeier

I know how long it takes me to draw a page, how long it takes me to complete a project, how long I can work before my hand gives out, that sort of thing.

Raina Telgemeier