--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm still trying to figure out how to…" description: "\"I'm still trying to figure out how to write about cancer and my family's experience with it. If I had been able to write 'The Pura Principle' back in t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/junot-diaz-531_able_i-m-still-trying-to-figure-out-how-to-wr_2263613.jpg" --- # I'm still trying to figure out how to write about cancer… ![“I'm still trying to figure out how to write about cancer and my family's experience with it. If I had been able to write 'The Pura Principle' back in those days, I'm positive it would have had no humor in it. Which means the story would have been false.” quote by Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/junot-diaz-531_able_i-m-still-trying-to-figure-out-how-to-wr_2263613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/junot-diaz-531_able_i-m-still-trying-to-figure-out-how-to-wr_2263613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/junot-diaz-531_able_i-m-still-trying-to-figure-out-how-to-wr_2263613.jpg) > “I'm still trying to figure out how to write about cancer and my family's experience with it. If I had been able to write 'The Pura Principle' back in those days, I'm positive it would have had no humor in it. Which means the story would have been false.” [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing about personal tragedy requires balancing honesty with humor; authenticity prevents false narratives. **In simple terms:** Honest storytelling avoids falsehood. Key Takeaway Write truthfully. Themes writing family illness Mood introspective hopeful Type literary motivational When to use this quote - memoir writing - therapy - public speaking - blogging Key Concepts narrative authenticity humor catharsis Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor truth while engaging readers? - When is humor appropriate? A Different Perspective Humor may diminish seriousness of suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Believe that story false that ought not to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/believe-that-story-false-that-ought-not-to-be-true/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [I don't think I could have tackled 'The Pura Principle' until now. It takes me about twenty years to come to term with any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-don-t-think-i-could-have-tackled-the-pura-principle-until-now-it/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You're part of the human fabric of experience. You don't have to have cancer to write about cancer. You don't have to have somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/you-re-part-of-the-human-fabric-of-experience-you-don-t-have-to-have/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [“Well, you’re part of the human fabric of experience. You don’t have to have cancer to write about cancer. You don’t have to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/well-you-re-part-of-the-human-fabric-of-experience-you-don-t-have-to/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [I have a deeper compassion for those living with cancer, as well as their family members. And now when someone tells me that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwina-findley/i-have-a-deeper-compassion-for-those-living-with-cancer-as-well-as/) [Edwina Findley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwina-findley/) > [When someone has cancer, the whole family and everyone who loves them does, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-clark/when-someone-has-cancer-the-whole-family-and-everyone-who-loves-them/) [Terri Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-clark/) > [In talking about my cancer with family and friends, I feel the love that I know will get me through this. The old strategy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/in-talking-about-my-cancer-with-family-and-friends-i-feel-the-love/) [George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/) > [When a person has cancer, the whole family really suffers with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-jillian/when-a-person-has-cancer-the-whole-family-really-suffers-with-her/) [Ann Jillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-jillian/) > [I feel like everyone at some point has been affected by cancer, whether it's family or a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/i-feel-like-everyone-at-some-point-has-been-affected-by-cancer/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [Since the fright of breast cancer hit our family, I have been surprised by how many people are dealing with breast cancer in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/since-the-fright-of-breast-cancer-hit-our-family-i-have-been/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [“When one person gets cancer, the whole family gets cancer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-corder/when-one-person-gets-cancer-the-whole-family-gets-cancer/) [Shirley Corder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-corder/) > [So many people are affected by cancer, whether you have it, or a family member.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jacobs/so-many-people-are-affected-by-cancer-whether-you-have-it-or-a-family/) [Daniel Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jacobs/) > [An individual doesn't get cancer, a family does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/an-individual-doesn-t-get-cancer-a-family-does/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [The hypocrisy and false piety of the deniers aside, the relationships of gays have no effect on heteros. Especially all the heteros who've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/the-hypocrisy-and-false-piety-of-the-deniers-aside-the-relationships/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) ## More by Junot Diaz > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Tell her that you love her hair, that you love her skin, her lips, because, in truth, you love them more than you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/tell-her-that-you-love-her-hair-that-you-love-her-skin-her-lips/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [It took me sixteen years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You ask everybody you know: How long does it usually take to get over it? There are many formulas. One year for every year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-get-over/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The one thing about being a dude and writing from a female perspective is that the baseline is, you suck. The baseline is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-one-thing-about-being-a-dude-and-writing-from-a-female/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I used to think those were the barrio rules, Latinos and blacks in, whites out —a place we down cats weren’t supposed to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-used-to-think-those-were-the-barrio-rules-latinos-and-blacks-in/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I put my hand on her knee. I just wish you'd say you love me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-put-my-hand-on-her-knee-i-just-wish-you-d-say-you-love-me/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I've always thought that you don't love a country by turning a blind eye to its crimes and to a problem. The way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-ve-always-thought-that-you-don-t-love-a-country-by-turning-a-blind/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Called her a whore and attacked her walls, tearing down her posters and throwing her books everywhere. I found out because some whitegirl ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/called-her-a-whore-and-attacked-her-walls-tearing-down-her-posters/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You're Dominican only if you do this, this, and that. And if you do this and that, you'll be accepted to a certain degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-re-dominican-only-if-you-do-this-this-and-that-and-if-you-do-this/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Ramfis fled the country after Trujillo's death, lived dissolutely off his father's swag, and ended up dying in a car crash of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/ramfis-fled-the-country-after-trujillo-s-death-lived-dissolutely-off/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [If you didn't grow up like I did then you don't know, and if you don't know it's probably better you don't judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-didn-t-grow-up-like-i-did-then-you-don-t-know-and-if-you-don-t/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“If you ask me I don't think there are any such things as curses. I think there is only life. That's enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-ask-me-i-don-t-think-there-are-any-such-things-as-curses-i/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The only difference between a published and unpublished writer is a tolerance for imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-only-difference-between-a-published-and-unpublished-writer-is-a/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Explore all 486 Junot Diaz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm still trying to figure out how to write about cancer and my family's experience with it. If I had been able to write 'The Pura Principle' back in those days, I'm positive it would have had no humor in it. 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