Books Quote by Stanley Fish
““In her book The Writing Life (1989), Annie Dillard tells the story of a fellow writer who was asked by a student, "Do you think I could be a writer?" "'Well,' the writer said, 'do you like sentences?'" The student is surprised by the question, but Dillard knows exactly what was meant. He was being told, she explains, that "if he likes sentences he could begin," and she remembers a similar conversation with a painter friend. "I asked him how he came to be a painter. He said, 'I like the smell of paint.'" The point, made implicitly (Dillard does not belabour it), is that you don't begin with a grand conception, either of the great American novel or masterpiece that will hang in the Louvre. You begin with a feel for the nitty-gritty material of the medium, paint in one case, sentences in the other.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Writing Life by Annie Dillard, 1989
Begin creative work by loving the basic elements of the medium rather than grand visions.
In simple terms: Start with a love for sentences or paint.
Key Takeaway
Focus on fundamentals before ambitions.
Themes
creativity
process
humility
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- writing class
- art studio
- first drafts
- painting practice
Key Concepts
craft
materiality
mindset
Questions to Reflect On
- What simple element of your craft excites you?
- How can you nurture that love daily?
A Different Perspective
Neglecting fundamentals can lead to shallow work.
