Faces Quote by Alexander Chee
“PhD, MFA, self-taught—the only things you must have to become a writer are the stamina to continue and a wily, cagey heart in the face of extremity, failure, and success.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Paris Review, 2020
Writing requires endurance and a clever, guarded heart to survive extremes, setbacks, and triumphs.
In simple terms: Writers need stamina and a shrewd heart.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate resilience and strategic caution.
Themes
endurance
creativity
resilience
Mood
determined
reflective
Type
advice
inspirational
When to use this quote
- novel writing
- freelance projects
- academic publishing
- personal setbacks
Key Concepts
psychology
artist mindset
risk management
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance perseverance with improving craft?
- What does a “cagey heart” look like in practice?
A Different Perspective
Stamina alone may not guarantee quality without skill development.
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
