--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then you develop a kind of critical sense…" description: "\"Then you develop a kind of critical sense about what you write. You can tell when something is good, but it would be just as good in somebody else's wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/james-dickey-11461_beautiful_then-you-develop-a-kind-of-critical-sens_2390736.jpg" --- # Then you develop a kind of critical sense about what you… ![“Then you develop a kind of critical sense about what you write. You can tell when something is good, but it would be just as good in somebody else's work too. You want to hold out for those things only you can say.” quote by James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/james-dickey-11461_beautiful_then-you-develop-a-kind-of-critical-sens_2390736.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/james-dickey-11461_beautiful_then-you-develop-a-kind-of-critical-sens_2390736.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/james-dickey-11461_beautiful_then-you-develop-a-kind-of-critical-sens_2390736.jpg) > “Then you develop a kind of critical sense about what you write. You can tell when something is good, but it would be just as good in somebody else's work too. You want to hold out for those things only you can say.” [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Developing a critical eye lets you recognize quality in your work and distinguish it from others’ contributions. **In simple terms:** Critical sense helps spot true quality. Key Takeaway Cultivate discerning judgment. Themes creativity critique authenticity Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - peer review sessions - personal portfolio audits - setting personal standards Key Concepts self‑evaluation artistic standards Questions to Reflect On - When does critique become self‑censorship? - How to balance confidence with humility? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Develop Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/develop-kind-2983787/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sense Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-write-928722/) [Things Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-say/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-tell-1900521/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Without a mission and a sense of whom you write for, you aren't worth reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lopez/without-a-mission-and-a-sense-of-whom-you-write-for-you-aren-t-worth/) [Steve Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lopez/) > [Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/let-us-develop-a-kind-of-dangerous-unselfishness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We develop the kind of citizens we deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/we-develop-the-kind-of-citizens-we-deserve/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [It takes a heap of sense to write good nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-takes-a-heap-of-sense-to-write-good-nonsense/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [In a larger sense, we all write our own destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kochhar/in-a-larger-sense-we-all-write-our-own-destiny/) [Chanda Kochhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kochhar/) > [With TensorFlow, when we started to develop it, we kind of looked at ourselves and said: 'Hey, maybe we should open source this.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dean/with-tensorflow-when-we-started-to-develop-it-we-kind-of-looked-at/) [Jeff Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dean/) > [It takes years to develop into the kind of human being you want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/it-takes-years-to-develop-into-the-kind-of-human-being-you-want-to-be/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [I think you often have that sense when you write--that if you can spot something in yourself and set it down on paper, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-think-you-often-have-that-sense-when-you-write-that-if-you-can-spot/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [You want songs to sound cohesive with the other songs on the record but when you first start writing you just want to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/you-want-songs-to-sound-cohesive-with-the-other-songs-on-the-record/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [I promised myself that I would write as well as I can, tell the truth, not to tell everything I know, but to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-promised-myself-that-i-would-write-as-well-as-i-can-tell-the-truth/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I write to tell the truth about the black condition as I see it. 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