Virginia Woolf said, speaking from the perspective of the…
““Virginia Woolf said, speaking from the perspective of the writer, that there’s no such thing, objectively, as a good or a bad novel, there’s just the novel you wanted to write. From the perspective of the reader, equally, there’s no such thing (objectively again) as a good or a bad novel – just the novel that moves you, that seems really felt and imagined by the author, lively and alive. This probably means that the more idiosyncratic the novel the better, because any writer straining to conform to the precepts of a genre, or the fashions of an age, may well end up suppressing his or her real self, deferring to other people’s maxims and theories and generally becoming a terrible phoney. --an excerpt from Literary Review (March 2012)””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Novel quality is subjective; a writer's authenticity and a reader's personal impact define value over objective standards.
In simple terms: Good novels are those that feel true and move the reader.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize authenticity over genre conformity.
Themes
authenticity
subjectivity
literature
creativity
Mood
introspective
analytical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- book clubs
- creative writing courses
- literary criticism
Key Concepts
aesthetic judgment
personal resonance
artistic freedom
Questions to Reflect On
- What makes a novel resonate with you?
- How does personal bias shape literary taste?
A Different Perspective
Some readers may still seek objective criteria.