Courage Quote by Norman Mailer
““More sensitive than others in the beginning, we have to develop the will, the stamina, the determination, and the insensitivity to take critical abuse. A good writer, therefore, does well to see himself as a strong, weak person, full of brave timidity, sensitive and insensitive.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Fight, 1975
Writers must balance sensitivity with emotional resilience to endure criticism and create boldly.
In simple terms: Balance feeling with toughness in writing.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate both empathy and steel.
Themes
creativity
resilience
criticism
Mood
introspective
determined
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- author workshops
- editing sessions
- personal journaling
Key Concepts
literature
psychology
self‑development
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you stay sensitive yet protected?
- When is vulnerability a strength?
A Different Perspective
Over‑hardening can stifle authenticity.
![“[I]t is the writer's duty to write fiction which promotes virtue, the good, the beautiful, and above all, the true. ... It is the writer's duty to hate injustice, to defy the powerful, and to speak for the voiceless. To be ... the severest critics of our own societies.” quote by Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ae/edward-abbey-254_character_i-t-is-the-writer-s-duty-to-write-fictio_2428868.jpg)
