Book Quote by Andrew Sean Greer
“I have to get three pages done every day, and there's usually a point about 150 pages in where everything falls apart, where all the plans are for naught. The book has become something else, and I have a nervous breakdown, and then I submit to what the book has become, and I keep going, and that's a terrible and then a great time.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, 2022
The writer describes a relentless daily writing grind that collapses around a mid‑point, leading to breakdowns but also moments of intense creativity and perseverance.
In simple terms: Writing daily becomes chaotic but can yield breakthroughs.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the chaos and keep writing.
Themes
writing
creativity
resilience
breakdowns
Mood
frustrated
hopeful
determined
Type
advice
motivational
When to use this quote
- author deadlines
- mid‑project crises
- creative breakthroughs
- self‑care strategies
Key Concepts
process
flow
mental health
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you recognize when to pause versus push forward?
- What rituals help you recover after a breakdown?
A Different Perspective
The breakdown may signal burnout, not just progress.
![“[O]ne could translate the 555 pages of The Social System into about 150 pages of straightforward English. The result would not be very impressive.” quote by C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/239/c-wright-mills-9475_impressive_o-ne-could-translate-the-555-pages-of-th_2011775.jpg)
