--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're writing fiction or poetry…" description: "\"When you're writing fiction or poetry... it really comes down to this: indifference to everything except what you're doing... A young writer could do w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/raymond-carver-2821_advice_when-you-re-writing-fiction-or-poetry-it_1827486.png" --- # When you're writing fiction or poetry... it really comes… ![“When you're writing fiction or poetry... it really comes down to this: indifference to everything except what you're doing... A young writer could do worse than follow the advice given in those lines.” quote by Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/raymond-carver-2821_advice_when-you-re-writing-fiction-or-poetry-it_1827486.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/raymond-carver-2821_advice_when-you-re-writing-fiction-or-poetry-it_1827486.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/raymond-carver-2821_advice_when-you-re-writing-fiction-or-poetry-it_1827486.png) > “When you're writing fiction or poetry... it really comes down to this: indifference to everything except what you're doing... A young writer could do worse than follow the advice given in those lines.” [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on the act itself, ignoring external concerns, fuels authentic creation. **In simple terms:** Ignore distractions, focus on creation. Key Takeaway Cultivate deep concentration. Themes focus authenticity creativity Mood contemplative introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing retreats - poetry sessions - solo work Key Concepts mindfulness creative flow Questions to Reflect On - What distractions hinder your writing? - How can you balance focus with external input? A Different Perspective May lead to isolation from feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Comes Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comes-indifference-2247392/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Except](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/except/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Indifference Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference-doing-2247391/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-worse-588952/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-fiction/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-writer/) ## Related quotes > [“After the first blush of sin comes its indifference; and from immoral it becomes, as it were, unmoral, and not quite unnecessary to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/after-the-first-blush-of-sin-comes-its-indifference-and-from-immoral/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [After the first blush of sin comes its indifference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/after-the-first-blush-of-sin-comes-its-indifference/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“I disliked them all immediately, sitting around acting clever and superior. 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I feel as if I've come to a place I never thought I'd have to come to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/i-ve-crossed-some-kind-of-invisible-line-i-feel-as-if-i-ve-come-to-a/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Art doesn't have to do anything. It just has to be there for the fierce pleasure we take in doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/art-doesn-t-have-to-do-anything-it-just-has-to-be-there-for-the/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“But here is the thing. When he gets on me, I suddenly feel I am fat. I feel am terrifically fat, so fat that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/but-here-is-the-thing-when-he-gets-on-me-i-suddenly-feel-i-am-fat-i/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [There are significant moments in everyone's day that can make literature. That's what you ought to write about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/there-are-significant-moments-in-everyone-s-day-that-can-make/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [The fiction Im most interested in has lines of reference to the real world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/the-fiction-im-most-interested-in-has-lines-of-reference-to-the-real/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Don’t complain, don’t explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/don-t-complain-don-t-explain/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [It's strange. You never start out life with the intention of becoming a bankrupt or an alcoholic or a cheat and a thief. 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