--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really have no idea where the darkness…" description: "\"I really have no idea where the darkness comes from. Other writers have said that there are two subjects worth writing about, love and death; and since..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/donald-ray-pollock-7796_darkness_i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness_3143869.png" --- # I really have no idea where the darkness comes from. Other… ![“I really have no idea where the darkness comes from. Other writers have said that there are two subjects worth writing about, love and death; and since I'm a complete flop when it comes to love, I chose death. Too, maybe because of where I came from, I do find it easy to empathise with and write…” quote by Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/donald-ray-pollock-7796_darkness_i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness_3143869.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/donald-ray-pollock-7796_darkness_i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness_3143869.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/donald-ray-pollock-7796_darkness_i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness_3143869.png) > “I really have no idea where the darkness comes from. Other writers have said that there are two subjects worth writing about, love and death; and since I'm a complete flop when it comes to love, I chose death. Too, maybe because of where I came from, I do find it easy to empathise with and write about certain groups of damaged or downtrodden people: the poor, the addicted.” [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing death as a theme reflects personal comfort with darker subjects and empathy for marginalized groups **In simple terms:** Writing about death feels authentic and accessible Key Takeaway Explore dark themes that resonate personally Themes death empathy social marginalization Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - novel writing - short stories - character studies Key Concepts psychology human condition social critique Questions to Reflect On - Why does death feel more write than love? - How does personal background shape thematic choices? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑emphasizing bleakness, alienating readers ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Darkness Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-comes-412613/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Empathise Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathise-write-5614698/) [Idea Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-darkness-4421442/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-death/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-love/) ## Related quotes > [I always tell people that my creativity lies in the belly of the beast and that's exactly what it is. A lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jlin/i-always-tell-people-that-my-creativity-lies-in-the-belly-of-the/) [Jlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jlin/) > [“the idea that somehow any of that will keep out the darkness, keep out the thoughts that churn through your head—the cold regard that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/the-idea-that-somehow-any-of-that-will-keep-out-the-darkness-keep-out/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [Sadness flies on the wings of the morning, and out of the heart of darkness comes the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-giraudoux/sadness-flies-on-the-wings-of-the-morning-and-out-of-the-heart-of/) [Jean Giraudoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-giraudoux/) > [“Seconds seem like a life time when the life you lived is slowly drained out of you by those who care not what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-giovanni/seconds-seem-like-a-life-time-when-the-life-you-lived-is-slowly/) [Cassandra Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-giovanni/) > [When everything is lost, and all seems darkness, then comes the new life and all that is needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/when-everything-is-lost-and-all-seems-darkness-then-comes-the-new/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [When the darkness comes, keep an eye on the light - whatever that is for you - no matter how far away it seems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-berry/when-the-darkness-comes-keep-an-eye-on-the-light-whatever-that-is-for/) [Jan Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-berry/) > [“It is November and the darkness comes quickly, as if night is a garrulous old man who cannot wait to tell his terrible story...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-novak/it-is-november-and-the-darkness-comes-quickly-as-if-night-is-a/) [Chase Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-novak/) > [Many have stood their ground and faced the darkness when it comes for them. Fewer come for the darkness and force it to face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/many-have-stood-their-ground-and-faced-the-darkness-when-it-comes-for/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [After darkness comes the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/after-darkness-comes-the-light/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [“Sometimes people come into your life and change everything. You become someone you would never have been without them. They crack you open, split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romily-bernard/sometimes-people-come-into-your-life-and-change-everything-you-become/) [Romily Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romily-bernard/) > [“When darkness comes and eats the light, bury your fears on sorry night. Because in the winter's darkest hours, comes the feasting of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-holt/when-darkness-comes-and-eats-the-light-bury-your-fears-on-sorry-night/) [Simon Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-holt/) > [“Twilight is a scream time for the light: The sun screams magnificently before the total darkness comes!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/twilight-is-a-scream-time-for-the-light-the-sun-screams-magnificently/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Any darkness that comes out in my life is the fruit of my own appetites, and it's my choice either to feed or starve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hall/any-darkness-that-comes-out-in-my-life-is-the-fruit-of-my-own/) [Mark Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hall/) > [“The town knew about darkness. It knew about the darkness that comes on the land when rotation hides the land from the sun, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-town-knew-about-darkness-it-knew-about-the-darkness-that-comes-on/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Darkness comes in waves...tell me, why invite it to stay?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/darkness-comes-in-waves-tell-me-why-invite-it-to-stay/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) ## More by Donald Ray Pollock > [“Strangers complained about the stench, but the locals liked to brag that it was the sweet smell of money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/strangers-complained-about-the-stench-but-the-locals-liked-to-brag/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [I don't really think the outburst is recent; there have always been writers in Appalachia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-don-t-really-think-the-outburst-is-recent-there-have-always-been/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Unless he had whiskey running through his veins, Willard came to the clearing every morning and evening to talk to God. Arvin didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/unless-he-had-whiskey-running-through-his-veins-willard-came-to-the/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [For example, if it's a sad scene, I need to feel that way, at least to a slight degree and for a short while,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/for-example-if-it-s-a-sad-scene-i-need-to-feel-that-way-at-least-to-a/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [As for how I feel about any success I've had, I just feel extremely lucky. Writing is a tough racket, and there are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/as-for-how-i-feel-about-any-success-i-ve-had-i-just-feel-extremely/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Part of the reason might be that I was born in 1954 and I look upon my youth with great fondness, like many old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/part-of-the-reason-might-be-that-i-was-born-in-1954-and-i-look-upon/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [ I've never heard of that anthology \[Vance Randolph, Pissing in the Snow\], but you can be sure I'll buy it now. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-ve-never-heard-of-that-anthology-vance-randolph-pissing-in-the-snow/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/when-i-first-started-out-i-was-trying-to-write-stories-about-nurses/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [“It's hard to live a good life...It seems like the Devil don't ever let up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-like-the-devil-don-t-ever-let/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [I'm not sure what the proper label might be, or the most accurate one, but someone once called my stuff Southern Ohio Gothic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-m-not-sure-what-the-proper-label-might-be-or-the-most-accurate-one/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Don't get me wrong: I think that everyone should put forth an effort to do better, but let's face it, some of us are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/don-t-get-me-wrong-i-think-that-everyone-should-put-forth-an-effort/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [ 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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-look-upon-writing-about-religion-as-a-nice-way-to-get-by-in-this/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [ \[Degree in English\] gave me a little more self-confidence, to know that I'd managed to complete something like that. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/degree-in-english-gave-me-a-little-more-self-confidence-to-know-that/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [When I was growing up, I always wanted to be somebody else and live somewhere else. I've always felt a little uncomfortable around people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/when-i-was-growing-up-i-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-else-and-live/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [There are a lot of writers from the South who would probably have once figured they needed to go to New York to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/there-are-a-lot-of-writers-from-the-south-who-would-probably-have/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) [Explore all 87 Donald Ray Pollock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really have no idea where the darkness comes from. Other writers have said that there are two subjects worth writing about, love and death; and since I'm a complete flop when it comes to love, I chose death. Too, maybe because of where I came from, I do find it easy to empathise with and write about certain groups of damaged or downtrodden people: the poor, the addicted.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald Ray Pollock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness-comes-from-other-writers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Darkness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness-comes-from-other-writers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/donald-ray-pollock-7796_darkness_i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness_3143869.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/donald-ray-pollock-7796_darkness_i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness_3143869.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/donald-ray-pollock-7796_darkness_i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness_3143869.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I really have no idea where the darkness comes from. Other writers have said that there are two subjects…” — Donald Ray Pollock", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Donald Ray Pollock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I really have no idea where...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness-comes-from-other-writers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-really-have-no-idea-where-the-darkness-comes-from-other-writers/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```