My writing is of a very different kind from anything I've…
“My writing is of a very different kind from anything I've heard about. All this mythological material is out there, a big gathering of stuff, and I have been reading it for some forty- or fifty-odd years. There are various ways of handling that. The most common is to put the material together and publish a scholarly book about it. But when I'm writing, I try to get a sense of an experiential relationship to the material. In fact, I can't write unless that happens ... I don't write unless the stuff is really working on me, and my selection of material depends on what works.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
He emphasizes that authentic writing arises from personal, experiential connection to myth, not just scholarly compilation.
In simple terms: Write only when myth resonates personally.
Key Takeaway
Seek personal resonance before writing.
Themes
mythology
creativity
authenticity
Mood
reflective
inspired
Type
instructional
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- personal research
- story development
- teaching mythic storytelling
Key Concepts
experiential learning
selection process
creative inspiration
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you know a myth is working on you?
- What practices deepen your experiential link?
A Different Perspective
Scholarly analysis may miss emotional depth.