--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to catch flies in cups and put them…" description: "\"I try to catch flies in cups and put them outside. After I wrote 'The Underland Chronicles'... well, once you start naming cockroaches, you lose your e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c60/suzanne-collins-60_after_i-try-to-catch-flies-in-cups-and-put-the_502356.jpg" --- # I try to catch flies in cups and put them outside. After I… ![“I try to catch flies in cups and put them outside. After I wrote 'The Underland Chronicles'... well, once you start naming cockroaches, you lose your edge.” quote by Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c60/suzanne-collins-60_after_i-try-to-catch-flies-in-cups-and-put-the_502356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c60/suzanne-collins-60_after_i-try-to-catch-flies-in-cups-and-put-the_502356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c60/suzanne-collins-60_after_i-try-to-catch-flies-in-cups-and-put-the_502356.jpg) > “I try to catch flies in cups and put them outside. After I wrote 'The Underland Chronicles'... well, once you start naming cockroaches, you lose your edge.” [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Naming mundane creatures can diminish a writer’s edge, shifting focus from wonder to the ordinary. **In simple terms:** Naming ordinary things can dull creativity. Key Takeaway Stay imaginative. Themes writing creativity imagination Mood thoughtful encouraging Type advice creative When to use this quote - novel drafting - creative workshops - story brainstorming Key Concepts fantasy writing character development world‑building Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep imagination fresh? - When do you let ideas evolve naturally? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [After](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after/) [Catch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catch/) [Catch Flies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catch-flies-1589242/) [Cockroaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cockroaches/) [Cockroaches Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cockroaches-lose-4275466/) [Cups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cups/) [Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edge/) [Flies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flies/) [Flies Cups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flies-cups-4275465/) [Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose/) [Naming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naming/) [Naming Cockroaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naming-cockroaches-4275467/) [Once](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/once/) [Outside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outside/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well/) [Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [Eagles don't catch flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/eagles-don-t-catch-flies/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [A spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-spoonful-of-honey-will-catch-more-flies-than-a-gallon-of-vinegar/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“I stepped away from the car preparing my own smile because you catch more flies with honey than you do with shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-stepped-away-from-the-car-preparing-my-own-smile-because-you-catch/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You may catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but you'll get them to work harder if you use a flyswatter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/you-may-catch-more-flies-with-honey-than-vinegar-but-you-ll-get-them/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [This is something I haven't told many people, because it's embarrassing. We always used to catch flies with our hands. I was the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deandre-hopkins/this-is-something-i-haven-t-told-many-people-because-it-s/) [DeAndre Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deandre-hopkins/) > [“You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soroosh-shahrivar/you-catch-more-flies-with-honey-than-with-vinegar/) [Soroosh Shahrivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soroosh-shahrivar/) > [“You can catch more flies with honey than with sour milk”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-desai/you-can-catch-more-flies-with-honey-than-with-sour-milk/) [Kiran Desai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-desai/) > [Remember what your mama told you about honey and vinegar: Be nice, and you’ll catch more flies, if nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-king/remember-what-your-mama-told-you-about-honey-and-vinegar-be-nice-and/) [Cassandra King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-king/) > [Spiders' webs only have to be large enough to catch flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/spiders-webs-only-have-to-be-large-enough-to-catch-flies/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Lizards that blend into the rock do so to catch flies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-weis-tracy-hickman-3/lizards-that-blend-into-the-rock-do-so-to-catch-flies/) [Margaret Weis / Tracy Hickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-weis-tracy-hickman-3/) > [“Do shut your mouth--you'll catch flies sitting there like that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-l-howard/do-shut-your-mouth-you-ll-catch-flies-sitting-there-like-that/) [Jonathan L. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-l-howard/) > [You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/you-catch-more-flies-with-honey-than-you-do-with-vinegar/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“It's like Eldridge Kestenbaum always says - you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." "Horse manure catches more flies than honey and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/it-s-like-eldridge-kestenbaum-always-says-you-catch-more-flies-with/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Catch more flies with honey . . . although I’d never quite understood the value of the expression. Mother had used it all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-galenorn/catch-more-flies-with-honey-although-i-d-never-quite-understood-the/) [Yasmine Galenorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-galenorn/) > [“It's big enough for her," said the chat. "Spiders' webs only have to be large enough to catch flies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-s-big-enough-for-her-said-the-chat-spiders-webs-only-have-to-be/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More by Suzanne Collins > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [KEEP CALM and HAVE A SUGAR CUBE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/keep-calm-and-have-a-sugar-cube/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [A furious Peeta hammers Haymitch with the atrocity he could become party to, but I can feel Haymitch watching me. This is the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/a-furious-peeta-hammers-haymitch-with-the-atrocity-he-could-become/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“The same goes for the other captured tributes, Johanna and Enobaria.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/the-same-goes-for-the-other-captured-tributes-johanna-and-enobaria/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [He never lets go of Annie's hand. Not when they walk, not when they eat. I doubt he ever plans to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/he-never-lets-go-of-annie-s-hand-not-when-they-walk-not-when-they-eat/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“I want to interrupt the taping and beg Finnick’s forgiveness for every false thought I’ve ever had about him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-want-to-interrupt-the-taping-and-beg-finnick-s-forgiveness-for/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I pound on the glass, screaming my head off. Everyone ignores me except for some Capitol attendant who appears behind me and offers me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-pound-on-the-glass-screaming-my-head-off-everyone-ignores-me-except/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Because it doesn't matter anymore, and because I'm so desperately lonely I can't stand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/because-it-doesn-t-matter-anymore-and-because-i-m-so-desperately/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Then I dive into my tent before I do something stupid like cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/then-i-dive-into-my-tent-before-i-do-something-stupid-like-cry/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“¡Es que no quiero que me conozcan! ¡Ya me están quitando el futuro! ¡No pueden llevarse también lo que me importaba en el pasado!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/es-que-no-quiero-que-me-conozcan-ya-me-est-n-quitando-el-futuro-no/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“I act delighted, but I have zero interest in these Capitol people. They are only distractions from the food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-act-delighted-but-i-have-zero-interest-in-these-capitol-people-they/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [You're punishing him over and over for things that are out of his control. Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't have a fully loaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/you-re-punishing-him-over-and-over-for-things-that-are-out-of-his/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But the significant difference between Thirteen and the Capitol are the expectations of the populace. 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