Fiction Quote by Achy Obejas
“Each genre has its own process. I'm very intuitive about poetry. I usually write first and second drafts out by hand. The other end of the spectrum is journalism, which is much more cerebral, more thought-out and planned. Fiction lies somewhere in between. I usually start intuitively but eventually I need to stop and consider structure, or research, or both.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast on Writing Process, 2020
Different literary forms demand distinct approaches, balancing intuition with planning.
In simple terms: Poetry is intuitive; journalism is planned; fiction mixes both.
Key Takeaway
Adapt your method to the genre.
Themes
creativity
process
genre
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
advice
process
When to use this quote
- writing poetry
- drafting articles
- developing novels
- editing drafts
Key Concepts
intuition
structure
research
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you know when to shift from intuition to structure?
- What research methods improve your fiction?
A Different Perspective
Over‑reliance on intuition can lead to unfocused work.
![“All good writers write [terrible first drafts.] This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts. . . I know some very great writers, writers you love who write beautifully and have made a great deal of money, and not one of them sits down routinely feeling wildly…” quote by Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/50c/anne-lamott-188_inner-life_all-good-writers-write-terrible-first-dr_1924203.jpg)
![“The built-in form is a window frame. You can use this genre [crime fiction] to go where you want to go, and explore what you want to explore. In some ways it gives you a lot of freedom because you have a framework readers are looking for.” quote by Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2cc/michael-connelly-1004_books_the-built-in-form-is-a-window-frame-you_161714.jpg)
