Action Quote by Melissa Febos
“I saved letters from my boss. There are things in there that are directly transcribed. I was so glad I did that. Sometimes when I was writing the book I wondered if some little writer hobbit part of my brain was back there puppeteering that action. But it really never, on any conscious level, occurred to me that I would write about it. I will say, I thought probably some day there would be an ancillary character in some novel - not in the one I was currently writing - that would be a dominatrix or something.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Art of Memoir, Melissa Febos, 2019
The writer discovers that subconscious influences can surface in work without conscious intent, revealing hidden parts of self.
In simple terms: Unconscious thoughts can appear in writing.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge hidden influences.
Themes
creativity
self‑discovery
memory
Mood
introspective
thoughtful
Type
literary
personal
When to use this quote
- writing a memoir
- editing drafts
- reflective journaling
Key Concepts
subconscious
authorial voice
creative process
Questions to Reflect On
- How do hidden thoughts shape your work?
- Can you recognize them later?
A Different Perspective
Awareness of hidden motives may be limited.
![“[Henry Miller] was such a scribomaniac that even when he lived in the same house as Lawrence Durrell they often exchanged letters. For most of his life, Henry wrote literally dozens of letters a day to people he could have easily engaged in conversation - and did. The writing process, in short…” quote by Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/109/erica-jong-445_breaths_henry-miller-was-such-a-scribomaniac-tha_1241882.jpg)
