Writing Quote by John Irving
““Unlike Alice, Garp was a real writer —not because he wrote more beautifully than she wrote but because he knew what every artist should know: as Garp put it, 'You only grow by coming to the end of something and by beginning something else.' Even if these so-called endings and beginnings are illusions. Garp did not write faster than anyone else, or more; he simply always worked with the idea of completion in mind.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The World According to Garp by John Irving, 1978
The quote emphasizes that true artistry lies in understanding the cycle of endings and beginnings, and working toward completion rather than speed.
In simple terms: Art is about finishing and starting anew, not just speed.
Key Takeaway
Focus on completing projects before moving on.
Themes
creativity
completion
artistic process
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- writing projects
- academic research
- software development
- personal goals
Key Concepts
philosophy of art
creative cycles
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you define a meaningful ending?
- What new beginnings can you create after finishing?
A Different Perspective
Speed alone does not guarantee quality or impact.
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![“["Where the Buffalo Roam" is] horrible pile of crap. [Bill] Murray did a good job. But it was a bad script. You can't beat a bad script. It was just a horrible movie. A cartoon. But Bill Murray did a good job. We actually wrote and shot several different endings and beginnings and they all got cut…” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c3/hunter-s-thompson-278_beats_where-the-buffalo-roam-is-horrible-pile_1685238.jpg)
![“JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" [Owen Meany] said crossly. "LOOK AT THOSE WEIRDO TV MIRACLE-WORKERS--THEY'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN MAGIC! BUT THE REAL MIRACLES AREN'T ANYTHING YOU CAN…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70e/john-irving-337_atheists_just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-bet_31804.jpg)
