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There is neither a proportional relationship, nor an…

“There is neither a proportional relationship, nor an inverse one, between a writer’s estimation of a work in progress & its actual quality. The feeling that the work is magnificent, & the feeling that it is abominable, are both mosquitoes to be repelled, ignored, or killed, but not indulged.” quote by Annie Dillard
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“There is neither a proportional relationship, nor an inverse one, between a writer’s estimation of a work in progress & its actual quality. The feeling that the work is magnificent, & the feeling that it is abominable, are both mosquitoes to be repelled, ignored, or killed, but not indulged.”

Annie Dillard

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Creative confidence can mislead; both over‑confidence and self‑doubt distort perception of progress.

In simple terms: Both over‑confidence and self‑doubt are harmful.

Key Takeaway

Balance confidence with realistic self‑assessment.

Themes

creativity confidence perception

Mood

reflective cautious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • writing workshops
  • project management
  • personal development
  • critical review

Key Concepts

self‑evaluation quality assessment artistic process

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you gauge true quality?
  • When should you trust instinct over data?
A Different Perspective

Over‑reliance on intuition may ignore measurable metrics.

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