First place Quote by John Gardner
““Part of the writer's problem may be thee wrong kind of appreciation: hen he does work he knows to be less than he's capable of, his friends praise precisely those things he knows to be weak or meretricious. The writer who cannot write because nothing he writes is good enough, by his own standards, and because no one around him seems to share his standards, is in a special sort of bind: the love of good fiction that gets him started in the first place makes him scornful of the flawed writing he does (nearly all first-draft writing is flawed) and his sense that nobody cares about truly good fiction robs him of motivation.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Writing and creativity, date unknown
The passage describes a writer's paradox: high personal standards and lack of external validation cause self‑doubt, hindering progress despite initial passion for good fiction.
In simple terms: Writers can be stuck by perfectionism and feeling misunderstood.
Key Takeaway
Balance standards with realistic expectations and seek supportive feedback.
Themes
writing
perfectionism
motivation
self‑doubt
creative process
Mood
frustrated
introspective
determined
Type
advisory
motivational
reflective
When to use this quote
- drafting stories
- joining writer groups
- setting incremental goals
- seeking mentorship
Key Concepts
self‑criticism
external validation
creative block
artistic standards
Questions to Reflect On
- What standards hold you back?
- How can you find supportive peers?
A Different Perspective
Perfectionism may paralyze productivity.
![“Theoretically there's no reason one should get [writer's block], if one understands that writing, after all, is only writing, neither something one ought to feel deeply guilty about nor something one ought to be inordinately proud of.” quote by John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8f0/john-gardner-3092_advice_theoretically-there-s-no-reason-one-shou_1625413.jpg)
