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I see a great lack of stories around. I bought six…

“I see a great lack of stories around. I bought six literary magazines and looked through them to see what people were doing. There wasn't a story in them. They were all about how poetic the feelings of the author were.” quote by Keith Johnstone
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“I see a great lack of stories around. I bought six literary magazines and looked through them to see what people were doing. There wasn't a story in them. They were all about how poetic the feelings of the author were.”

Keith Johnstone

About This Quote

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

The author criticizes contemporary literary magazines for focusing on authorial emotion rather than narrative storytelling, highlighting a scarcity of actual stories.

In simple terms: Magazines lack stories, focusing on author feelings.

Key Takeaway

Seek narratives over sentiment.

Themes

literature critique storytelling

Mood

reflective critical

Type

analytical observational

When to use this quote

  • magazine editing
  • creative writing workshops
  • literary criticism
  • publishing decisions

Key Concepts

narrative theory authorial voice

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can magazines balance emotion and story?
  • What defines a "story" in modern literature?
A Different Perspective

The emphasis on feeling may still hold artistic value for some readers.

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