Asking Quote by Norman Mailer
“Over the years, I've found one rule. It is the only one I give on those occasions when I talk about writing. A simple rule. If you tell yourself you are going to be at your desk tomorrow, you are by that declaration asking your unconscious to prepare the material. You are, in effect, contracting to pick up such valuables at a given time. Count on me, you are saying to a few forces below: I will be there to write.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Paris Review, 1971
Writing requires a mental contract; declaring intent primes the unconscious to produce material.
In simple terms: Declare intent to trigger subconscious help.
Key Takeaway
State your writing goal clearly.
Themes
discipline
intent
creativity
Mood
determined
focused
Type
advice
motivational
When to use this quote
- planning a novel
- daily journaling
- meeting deadlines
- creative brainstorming
Key Concepts
self‑efficacy
psychology
habit formation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does intention affect your focus?
- What rituals support your writing contract?
A Different Perspective
May not guarantee output if distractions dominate.
![“There's an old saying that great writing is simple but not easy, and so it is. The search for that one plain but inobvious [SIC] word that will do the work of five, the agony of untangling a complex idea that has become a mess of phrases in the writer's mind, the willingness to keep doing it over…” quote by William Souder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/654/william-souder-119221_brainstorming_there-s-an-old-saying-that-great-writing_1087249.jpg)
