--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're a writer and something…" description: "\"When you're a writer and something difficult happens to you, one of the things involved in that is this emergence of narrative potential. And there's t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/leslie-jamison-8628_difficult_when-you-re-a-writer-and-something-diffi_1311627.jpg" --- # When you're a writer and something difficult happens to… ![“When you're a writer and something difficult happens to you, one of the things involved in that is this emergence of narrative potential. And there's then a kind of self-consciousness about telling a story in which you suffered.” quote by Leslie Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/leslie-jamison-8628_difficult_when-you-re-a-writer-and-something-diffi_1311627.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/leslie-jamison-8628_difficult_when-you-re-a-writer-and-something-diffi_1311627.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/leslie-jamison-8628_difficult_when-you-re-a-writer-and-something-diffi_1311627.jpg) > “When you're a writer and something difficult happens to you, one of the things involved in that is this emergence of narrative potential. And there's then a kind of self-consciousness about telling a story in which you suffered.” [Leslie Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jamison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Difficult experiences can spark new storytelling possibilities, but also create self‑consciousness about sharing personal pain. **In simple terms:** Hard times can inspire stories, yet make us uneasy about revealing them. Key Takeaway Embrace the narrative potential of hardship. Themes creativity self‑awareness storytelling Mood reflective introspective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - therapy sessions - personal essays - public speaking Key Concepts Narrative potential vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance honesty with audience sensitivity? - What story could your hardship uniquely tell? A Different Perspective The writer may fear exploitation or misunderstanding of their pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Telling A Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-a-story/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Once you realize there's less logic in human institutions than you once thought, you see the narrative potential in just about everything around you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/once-you-realize-there-s-less-logic-in-human-institutions-than-you/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [It's always a little difficult but that happens. You play your doubles partner, you play your friends. 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Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) ## More by Leslie Jamison > [When people ask what kind of nonfiction I write, I say 'all kinds,' but really I mean I don’t write any kind at all:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jamison/when-people-ask-what-kind-of-nonfiction-i-write-i-say-all-kinds-but/) [Leslie Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jamison/) > [It's one of the most liberating things I experience in writing - letting yourself get rid of a gesture or character or plot point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jamison/it-s-one-of-the-most-liberating-things-i-experience-in-writing/) [Leslie Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jamison/) > [The pain is what you make of it. You have to find something in it that yields. 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Trauma bleeds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jamison/empathy-means-realizing-no-trauma-has-discrete-edges-trauma-bleeds/) [Leslie Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jamison/) > [“Empathy isn't just listening, it's asking the questions whose answers need to be listened to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jamison/empathy-isn-t-just-listening-it-s-asking-the-questions-whose-answers/) [Leslie Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jamison/) [Explore all 79 Leslie Jamison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jamison/) ## More Difficult quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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