Experimentation Quote by John Cheever
“Fiction is experimentation; when it ceases to be that, it ceases to be fiction.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Art of Fiction" by John Cheever, 1962
Fiction must remain experimental; without experimentation it loses its essence as fiction.
In simple terms: Fiction needs experimentation to stay true to its nature.
Keep fiction experimental.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- novel drafting
- creative teaching
- literary criticism
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can writers balance experimentation with coherence?
- When does experimentation hinder storytelling?
If experimentation becomes formulaic, it may still fail to be true fiction.