Inflicted Quote by Michel Faber
““Sugar leans her chin against the knuckles of the hand that holds the pen. Glistening on the page between her silk-shrouded elbows lies an unfinished sentence. The heroine of her novel has just slashed the throat of a man. The problem is how, precisely, the blood will flow. Flow is too gentle a word; spill implies carelessness; spurt is out of the question because she has used the word already, in another context, a few lines earlier. Pour out implies that the man has some control over the matter, which he most emphatically doesn’t; leak is too feeble for the savagery of the injury she has inflicted upon him. Sugar closes her eyes and watches, in the lurid theatre of her mind, the blood issue from the slit neck. When Mrs Castaway’s warning bell sounds, she jerks in surprise. Hastily, she scrutinises her bedroom. Everything is neat and tidy. All her papers are hidden away, except for this single sheet on her writing-desk. Spew, she writes, having finally been given, by tardy Providence, the needful word.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Book of Strange New Things, Michael Faber, 2015
A writer struggles to find the perfect verb for a violent scene, highlighting the tension between artistic precision and the brutality of the act.
In simple terms: Choosing words for violent scenes can be hard.
Key Takeaway
Seek precise language, even for harsh topics.
Themes
creativity
writing
language
violence
precision
Mood
intense
reflective
analytical
Type
literary
process
creative.
When to use this quote
- writing a novel
- editing a manuscript
- describing violence in fiction
- balancing detail and taste
- overcoming writer’s block
Key Concepts
lexical choice
narrative tension
authorial anxiety
Questions to Reflect On
- How does word choice affect reader perception of violence?
- When does detail become gratuitous?
A Different Perspective
The focus on word choice may distract from narrative flow or emotional impact.
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