Ability Quote by Patricia Wentworth
“There is and always has been for me a peculiar need to write. This is very different from wanting to be a writer. To be a writer always seemed something so far removed from my talents and abilities and imaginings that it didn't afflict me at all as a notion when I was young. But I was always conscious that I wanted to write.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Case of the Missing Will by Patricia Wentworth, 1935
The author feels an intrinsic compulsion to write, distinct from aspiring to be a professional writer, seeing the latter as beyond her talent.
In simple terms: She has a deep urge to write, not to become a writer.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the urge to write regardless of status.
Themes
creativity
self‑expression
identity
talent
aspiration
Mood
reflective
introspective
Type
personal
literary
When to use this quote
- journaling
- personal essays
- fiction drafts
- blog posts
- letter writing
Key Concepts
intrinsic motivation
self‑concept
artistic impulse
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives your writing beyond ambition?
- How can you nurture this need without seeking writer identity?
A Different Perspective
The urge may wane without external validation or discipline.
![“I needed to do a lot of saying no. I had a lot of [interest] from people who I just didn't think were quite right for it. And I didn't want a bad film to be made of the book, either a sentimental one or a creepy one, so I did a lot of, "No thank you." Then when the right filmmaker came along, yes…” quote by Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d91/emma-donoghue-1499_book_i-needed-to-do-a-lot-of-saying-no-i-had_1728911.jpg)
