Consciousness Quote by Will Self
“The paradox of modernism is, writers make the decision to work with the continuous present, and to work with... stream of consciousness, as it's called, for emotional reasons, and the main emotional reason is verisimilitude. I mean, this is what surprises people: Life is not in the simple past.”
About This Quote
Modern writers aim for continuous present and stream of consciousness to achieve realistic emotional depth, surprising readers who expect linear narratives.
In simple terms: Writers use present tense and stream of consciousness for realism.
Key Takeaway
Embrace experimental narrative techniques for authentic emotion.
Themes
literature
modernism
style
Mood
introspective
analytical
Type
experimental
educational
When to use this quote
- novel writing
- screenwriting
- creative workshops
Key Concepts
narrative theory
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you find stream of consciousness engaging?
- How does tense affect emotional impact?
A Different Perspective
Such techniques may alienate readers accustomed to traditional structures.
![“Idle thoughts come and go over unenlightened minds six hundred and fifty times in a snap of one's fingers," writes an Indian teacher,[FN#260] "and thirteen hundred million times every twenty-four hours." This might be an exaggeration, yet we cannot but acknowledge that one idle thought after…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/abe/kaiten-nukariya-793_psychology_idle-thoughts-come-and-go-over-unenlight_272679.jpg)
