Author Quote by Dennis Etchison
““He pressed bravely ahead with his story, the outlines and preliminary versions of which by now filled two thick notebooks, reorganizing, redrafting, and obsessively re-polishing lines and paragraphs with a jeweler's precision. But it was not good enough. He wanted the pages to sing with ideas that had once seemed so important to him, all and everything he knew, and yet they did not, and no amount of diligence was able to bring them to life. The story came to be a burden and weighed more heavily in his hands each time he lifted it out of the drawer. After a few weeks he was reluctant to open the desk at all. ("Talking In The Dark")””
About This Quote
Source Short Story: “Talking In The Dark” by Dennis Etchison, 1990
The writer struggles with perfectionism, feeling his work is never good enough, turning creation into a heavy burden.
In simple terms: Perfectionism makes writing feel oppressive.
Key Takeaway
Accept imperfection and keep writing.
Themes
creativity
perfectionism
burden
self‑doubt
Mood
frustrated
reflective
determined
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing a novel
- drafting a manuscript
- overcoming writer’s block
- editing a manuscript
- publishing a book
Key Concepts
artistic integrity
process
self‑criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What standards are you setting for your work?
- How can you balance quality with completion?
A Different Perspective
Perfection can stall progress and cause avoidance.
![“My [story] outlines are usually about 5-6 pages long. I'm essentially telling myself the story in short form. I try to make it clear who the major characters are, what they want, and what obstacles they face.” quote by Chevy Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4ca/chevy-stevens-24533_character_my-story-outlines-are-usually-about-5-6_1313989.jpg)
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