Fountain pen Quote by Ali Shaw
““After a long while he sat upright with great effort, exhaled a sigh and reached for a clean sheet of lined paper, smoothing it out on the desk. He unscrewed the lid of his fountain pen, laid it perpendicular to his paper, and began to write. Often he compared his writing to white water. He had only to leap in to be dragged away on its rapids, thrown this way and that with his own will rendered impotent. While writing he found the words came from the muscles in his hands, the feel of the shaft of his pen, the locked joint of his elbow. the scratching noise of the nib marking paper and, underneath all that, some coordinating impulse in his guts. Certainly not from his mind.””
About This Quote
Writing can feel like a physical, almost instinctive act where the body drives the words more than conscious thought.
In simple terms: Writing is often a bodily, instinctual process.
Key Takeaway
Trust the body's rhythm when writing.
Themes
creativity
process
embodiment
Mood
introspective
inspired
Type
creative
process
When to use this quote
- authoring a novel
- journaling
- poetry composition
Key Concepts
cognitive science
literature
Questions to Reflect On
- How does physical sensation influence your writing style?
- Can you harness this instinctive flow intentionally?
A Different Perspective
It may underplay the importance of deliberate planning and revision.
