Despair dragged at me like an anchor, pulling me down. I closed my eyes and retreated to some dim place within, where there was nothing but an aching gray blankness…

— Diana Gabaldon

Dialogue doesn’t take place in a vacuum. Dialogue is contradictory, in that it can either speed up or slow down a passage.

— Diana Gabaldon

Don’t go overboard in avoiding “said.” Basically, “said” is the default for dialogue, and a good thing, too; it’s an invisible word that doesn’t draw attention to itself.

— Diana Gabaldon

Don’t let characters talk pointlessly—they only talk if there’s something to say.

— Diana Gabaldon

Do you really think we'll ever--""I do," he said with certainty, not letting me finish? He leaned over and kissed my forehead. "I know it, Sassenach, and so do you. You were meant to be a mother, and I surely Diana intend to let anyone else father your children.

— Diana Gabaldon

During his time with the French army, years before, one of the sergeants had explained to the younger mercenaries the trick of falling asleep the night before a battle. "Make yourself comfortable, examine your conscience, and make a good Act of Contrition. Father Hugo says that in time of war, even if there is no priest to shrive you, your sins can be forgiven this way. Since you cannot commit sins while asleep--not even you, Simenon!--you will awake in a state of grace, ready to fall on the bastards. And with nothing to look forward to but victory or heaven-- how can you be afraid.

— Diana Gabaldon

For a different woman, a different relationship, a different situation, gentleness might have been the proper, the only approach—but not for this woman, in these circumstances. The only thing that will cleanse Claire (and reassure her: look at what she says at the end of it. She feels safe again, having felt the power and violence in him) is violence. And—the most important point here—Jamie pays attention to what she wants, rather than proceeding with his own notion of how it should be, even though it’s a sensible notion and the one most people would have.

— Diana Gabaldon

For months, people have been asking my views about the Scottish independence referendum, and I've been saying, 'It's not my country; I don't live here. Much as I love Scotland, I think it would be inappropriate to express a personal opinion regarding Scottish politics'.

— Diana Gabaldon

For my sake,” he said firmly, addressing the air in front of him as though it were a tribunal, “I Diana want ye to bear another child. I wouldn risk your loss, Sassenach,” he said, his voice suddenly husky. “Not for a dozen bairns. I have daughters and sons, nieces and nephews, grandchildren—weans enough.” He looked at me directly then, and spoke softly.“But I have no life but you, Claire.” He swallowed audibly, and went on, eyes fixed on mine.“I did think, though. . . If ye do want another child. . . Perhaps I could still give ye one.

— Diana Gabaldon

For several days, I slept. Whether this was a necessary part of physical recovery, or a stubborn retreat from waking reality, I do not know, but I woke only reluctantly to take a little food, falling at once back into a stupor of oblivion, as though the small, warm weight of broth in my stomach were an anchor that pulled me after it, down through the murky fathoms of sleep.

— Diana Gabaldon