--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Keep a copy of 'Islands in the Stream' by…" description: "\"Keep a copy of 'Islands in the Stream' by Ernest Hemingway on the left hand side of your desk. Keep Fitzgerald's 'The Crack Up' on the right. When you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/lynn-coady-5173_copy_keep-a-copy-of-islands-in-the-stream-by_2342471.png" --- # Keep a copy of 'Islands in the Stream' by Ernest Hemingway… ![“Keep a copy of 'Islands in the Stream' by Ernest Hemingway on the left hand side of your desk. Keep Fitzgerald's 'The Crack Up' on the right. When you get stuck, pick them up and pretend that they are having a fight, like you used to do with your GI Joes.” quote by Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/lynn-coady-5173_copy_keep-a-copy-of-islands-in-the-stream-by_2342471.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/lynn-coady-5173_copy_keep-a-copy-of-islands-in-the-stream-by_2342471.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/lynn-coady-5173_copy_keep-a-copy-of-islands-in-the-stream-by_2342471.png) > “Keep a copy of 'Islands in the Stream' by Ernest Hemingway on the left hand side of your desk. Keep Fitzgerald's 'The Crack Up' on the right. When you get stuck, pick them up and pretend that they are having a fight, like you used to do with your GI Joes.” [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Keeping contrasting books on a desk and imagining a fight between them can spark inspiration when stuck. **In simple terms:** Use opposing books as a creative prompt. Key Takeaway Use literary contrast to overcome writer’s block. Themes creativity inspiration literary contrast Mood inspirational playful Type writing self-help When to use this quote - writing sessions - creative blocks - book clubs Key Concepts imagination problem solving writing technique Questions to Reflect On - What contrasting ideas could you juxtapose? - Does this technique help you focus? A Different Perspective The method may feel gimmicky for some writers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Gi Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gi-joe/) ## Related quotes > [“I thought you were more like GI Joe, but now that I know about the cape, you sound more like Superman." 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Parents would try raising their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-modern-era-of-feminism-is-how-you-track-that-at-its-beginning-it/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“You should have seen the costumes for the last few prom themes: Pimps and their srteet ho's; CEOs and their office ho's; GI Joes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-harvard-lampoon/you-should-have-seen-the-costumes-for-the-last-few-prom-themes-pimps/) [The Harvard Lampoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-harvard-lampoon/) > [In Iraq, four American soldiers have been arrested and charged with stealing a million dollars cash. After hearing about it the Fox network announced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/in-iraq-four-american-soldiers-have-been-arrested-and-charged-with/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Surprisingly I've never really stolen anything. 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I try to avoid old dead white men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/do-you-read-them-faulkner-hemingway-fitzgerald-only-if-i-have-to-i/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) ## More by Lynn Coady > [“Then there are the other days, when nothing is enough. The poem grins. It grins because it knows it is a terrible poem. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/then-there-are-the-other-days-when-nothing-is-enough-the-poem-grins/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [A dominant misconception among believers is that their atheist brethren are a slavering pack of hell-bound debauchees, gleefully wining and wenching their way through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/a-dominant-misconception-among-believers-is-that-their-atheist/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [Ever since 'Strange Heaven,' I haven't really reread my old work. Not so much because I don't like the writer I was, or because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/ever-since-strange-heaven-i-haven-t-really-reread-my-old-work-not-so/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [There are people out there who genuinely love literature, who genuinely love to read and read widely, who will never like, or even necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/there-are-people-out-there-who-genuinely-love-literature-who/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [Here's the thing about lingerie: The only time we see it outside our own bedrooms, it is on women who are gloriously freakish in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/here-s-the-thing-about-lingerie-the-only-time-we-see-it-outside-our/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [The one thing I've always done as an author is talk to my publicists. 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Yeah, filtering is often an absolute necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/filtering-can-be-a-very-good-thing-when-it-comes-to-human/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [I don't even like to cry in private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/i-don-t-even-like-to-cry-in-private/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [I know what the Giller nominee effect is, but we'll see what the next level is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/i-know-what-the-giller-nominee-effect-is-but-we-ll-see-what-the-next/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [Dating, like almost every other male-female interaction in present-day society, is based on outmoded and unequal social roles and expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/dating-like-almost-every-other-male-female-interaction-in-present-day/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [It's the typical mid-life crisis kind of thing, where you just stop and wonder, 'Should I go back to university and get a law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/it-s-the-typical-mid-life-crisis-kind-of-thing-where-you-just-stop/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) [Explore all 103 Lynn Coady quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) ## More Copy quotes > [Would ya like a copy of my butt? -Butt-Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beavis-and-butthead/would-ya-like-a-copy-of-my-butt-butt-head/) [Beavis And Butthead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beavis-and-butthead/) > [“All religions worthy of the name are now making great efforts to purify their doctrines and return to their original standpoint, — all except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virchand-gandhi/all-religions-worthy-of-the-name-are-now-making-great-efforts-to/) [Virchand Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virchand-gandhi/) > [I've reread 'The Secret Garden' every year as an adult. I have a battered copy on my bookshelf - it's really quite a mess!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-ve-reread-the-secret-garden-every-year-as-an-adult-i-have-a/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [“Everytime you make a copy of the copy, you lose clarity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-e-nelson/everytime-you-make-a-copy-of-the-copy-you-lose-clarity/) [Alan E. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-e-nelson/) > [William Regal is an obvious influence, as is Fit Finlay - you can see that in my style of wrestling - but I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-dunne/william-regal-is-an-obvious-influence-as-is-fit-finlay-you-can-see/) [Pete Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-dunne/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Obviously, Fred Astaire was a legend. I've tried to copy some of his movements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-moir/obviously-fred-astaire-was-a-legend-i-ve-tried-to-copy-some-of-his/) [Scott Moir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-moir/) > [We are all born originals, why is it so many of us die copies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/we-are-all-born-originals-why-is-it-so-many-of-us-die-copies/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [Why would anybody hire a someone who is copying someone else when he can get the original one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/why-would-anybody-hire-a-someone-who-is-copying-someone-else-when-he/) KK > [I used to copy looks from fashion ads in my mother's 'Cosmopolitan' magazines and steal her eye shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/i-used-to-copy-looks-from-fashion-ads-in-my-mother-s-cosmopolitan/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [I like to read non-fiction on my e-reader, but as for fiction, I usually like to have a copy to keep at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/i-like-to-read-non-fiction-on-my-e-reader-but-as-for-fiction-i/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [I've always avoided publicity. 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