Skip to content

Certain Quote by Susan Orlean

“There's a marvelous sense of mastery that comes with writing a sentence that sounds exactly as you want it to. It's like trying to write a song, making tiny tweaks, reading it out loud, shifting things to make it sound a certain way... Sometimes it feels like digging out of a hole, but sometimes…” quote by Susan Orlean
Download Open image
“There's a marvelous sense of mastery that comes with writing a sentence that sounds exactly as you want it to. It's like trying to write a song, making tiny tweaks, reading it out loud, shifting things to make it sound a certain way... Sometimes it feels like digging out of a hole, but sometimes it feels like flying. When it's working and the rhythm's there, it does feel like magic to me.”

Susan Orlean

About This Quote

Source Interview: The New Yorker, 2015

Crafting a sentence that perfectly matches your intent feels magical, like composing music with precise tweaks and rhythm.

In simple terms: Writing a perfect sentence feels magical.

Key Takeaway

Seek precise rhythm in writing.

Themes

creativity craftsmanship joy

Mood

enthusiastic reflective

Type

inspirational artistic

When to use this quote

  • editing
  • creative writing
  • learning to write
  • overcoming writer's block

Key Concepts

writing rhythm revision musicality

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you balance precision with spontaneity?
  • What rituals help you find the right rhythm?
A Different Perspective

Perfection can stall progress; over‑editing may hinder flow.

2.5 out of 5 (10 ratings)

More by Susan Orlean

Explore all 179 Susan Orlean quotes

More Certain quotes

Browse all 13,673 Certain quotes