Asked Quote by Philip Pullman
““The question authors get asked more than any other is "Where do you get your ideas from?" And we all find a way of answering which we hope isn't arrogant or discouraging. What I usually say is ‘I don't know where they come from, but I know where they come to: they come to my desk, and if I'm not there, they go away again.””
About This Quote
Ideas are elusive, arriving unbidden and disappearing without deliberate attention; the speaker emphasizes humility about their origin.
In simple terms: Ideas appear and vanish
Key Takeaway
Humility about creativity
Themes
creativity
humility
epistemology
process
Mood
thoughtful
humorous
Type
philosophical
personal insight
When to use this quote
- teaching creative writing
- discussing innovation
Key Concepts
idea generation
attention
Practical Applications
- workshop facilitation
- author interviews
Questions to Reflect On
- What practices help capture fleeting ideas?
- Can we train ourselves to notice ideas more readily?
