Creativity Quote by Clark Ashton Smith
““To me, the best, if not the only function of imaginative writing, is to lead the human imagination outward, to take it into the vast external cosmos, and away from all that introversion and introspection, that morbidly exaggerated prying into one's own vitals—and the vitals of others—which Robinson Jeffers has so aptly symbolized as "incest." What we need is less "human interest," in the narrow sense of the term—not more. Physiological—and even psychological analysis—can be largely left to the writers of scientific monographs on such themes. Fiction, as I see it, is not the place for that sort of grubbing.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: On Imaginative Writing, 1935
The author contends that fiction should expand imagination outward rather than focus on introspective, psychological analysis, which he deems limiting.
In simple terms: Fiction should inspire outward imagination, not just inner analysis.
Key Takeaway
Encourage storytelling that explores the external world.
Themes
creativity
literature
imagination
psychology
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- literary criticism
- creative education
Key Concepts
expansion of consciousness
literary purpose
creative restraint
Questions to Reflect On
- Can introspection coexist with outward imagination?
- What balance yields richer storytelling?
A Different Perspective
The view discounts the value of psychological depth in character development.
