Who said “The difference between writing a book and being on television is the difference between…”?

Verified

Norman Mailer. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"The Siege of Mailer : Hero to Historian" in The Village Voice (21 January 1971); republished in Conversations with Norman Mailer (1988), edited by J. Michael Lennon

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“The difference between writing a book and being on television is the difference between conceiving a child and having a baby made in a test tube.”
Verified"The Siege of Mailer : Hero to Historian" in The Village Voice (21 January 1971); republished in Conversations with Norman Mailer (1988), edited by J. Michael Lennon · evidenceTelevision
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "The Siege of Mailer : Hero to Historian" in The Village Voice (21 January 1971); republished in Conversations with Norman Mailer (1988), edited by J. Michael Lennon.

APA

Mailer, N. (n.d.). The difference between writing a book and being on television is the difference between conceiving a child and having a baby made in a test tube. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39420-the-difference-between-writing-a-book-and-being/

MLA

Mailer, Norman. “The difference between writing a book and being on television is the difference between conceiving a child and having a baby made in a test tube.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39420-the-difference-between-writing-a-book-and-being/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Mailer, Norman. “The difference between writing a book and being on television is the difference between conceiving a child and having a baby made in a test tube.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39420-the-difference-between-writing-a-book-and-being/.