Book Quote by Virginia Woolf
“a novelist's chief desire is to be as unconscious as possible. He has to induce in himself a state of perpetual lethargy. He wants life to proceed with the utmost quiet and regularity. He wants to see the same faces, to read the same books, to do the same things day after day, month after month, while he is writing, so that nothing may break the illusion in which he is living - so that nothing may disturb or disquiet the mysterious nosings about, feelings around, darts, dashes, and sudden discoveries of that very shy and illusive spirit, the imagination.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Mrs Dalloway, 1925
The writer seeks a tranquil, repetitive routine to protect the fragile imagination from disruption.
In simple terms: A writer wants quiet, regular life to keep imagination safe.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate steady habits to nurture creativity.
Themes
creativity
routine
imagination
Mood
contemplative
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily writing
- habit formation
- reading routine
- mindful living
Key Concepts
literary focus
psychological
artistic expression
Questions to Reflect On
- How does routine protect imagination?
- When might routine become limiting?
A Different Perspective
Too much sameness may stifle growth and new ideas.
![“At the Berghof, it was almost like a family atmosphere there. We all ate meals together, watched films together before the war, listened to records, all those things. The same faces were always around on the mountain. If [Adolf] Hitler and Eva [Braun] had an argument there, it would have been…” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/67d/gretl-braun-9500_argument_at-the-berghof-it-was-almost-like-a-fami_321214.jpg)
![“[Mrs. Teasdale]: He's had a change of heart. [Groucho]: A lot of good that'll do him. He's still got the same face.” quote by Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/311/groucho-marx-788_change_mrs-teasdale-he-s-had-a-change-of-heart_1235981.jpg)
