Correspondence Quote by Donald Ray Pollock
“I took a correspondence course with a guy at Ohio University. He gave me ten exercises, and one of them resulted in the story "Bactine." It pleased me a lot more than anything else I'd ever done, so I kept messing around and by the time I got to Ohio State I'd written maybe eight stories.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Man Who Came Back from the Dead, 2015
Writing early practice sparked a creative habit that grew into a prolific output of stories.
In simple terms: Early writing led to many stories.
Key Takeaway
Keep writing regularly to develop skill.
Themes
creativity
discipline
habit formation
Mood
reflective
motivational
Type
personal anecdote
inspirational
When to use this quote
- college writing
- personal journals
- creative workshops
- self‑directed projects
Key Concepts
storytelling
creative process
early practice
Questions to Reflect On
- What habits helped you maintain writing momentum?
- How does early success influence long‑term creativity?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overstate the ease of sustaining momentum without external feedback.
![“From him [Wilard Bennett] I learned how different a working laboratory is from a student laboratory. The answers are not known! [While an undergraduate, doing experimental measurements in the laboratory of his professor, at Ohio State University.]” quote by William M. Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/584/william-m-fowler-75456_answers_from-him-wilard-bennett-i-learned-how-di_261557.jpg)
![“I've never heard of that anthology [Vance Randolph, Pissing in the Snow], but you can be sure I'll buy it now.” quote by Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed3/donald-ray-pollock-7796_anthology_i-ve-never-heard-of-that-anthology-vance_202258.jpg)
![“I look upon [writing about religion] as a nice way to get by in this precarious world, though I've never been able to do it myself.” quote by Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1a5/donald-ray-pollock-7796_able_i-look-upon-writing-about-religion-as-a_316097.jpg)
