Firsts Quote by Donald Ray Pollock
“When I first started out, I was trying to write stories about nurses and lawyers and a lot of people I didn't know anything about, and they just weren't working.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Author Talk, 2015
Writing about unfamiliar professions without research leads to inauthentic stories.
In simple terms: Research before writing about unknown fields.
Study your subjects first.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- novel writing
- journalism
- screenwriting
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you efficiently learn about a new field?
- What sources give the most authentic insight?
Time constraints may limit deep research.