Sometimes the less the writer knows about his story the better says Dermot Bolger – Quotes for Writers (and for people who like quotes)
Sometimes the less we know about what will happen in a work of fiction, the better off we are. Because the more we know about what happens next, the more we close off the possibilities of the unexpected, the less chance we have of allowing our subconscious minds to speculate and probe down to the awkward truths that we need to express instead of glib things we initially thought we wanted to say. If we already know what we intend to say, we are going to learn nothing by saying it. Only when we allow our imagination the space to catch us by surprise, when we sit back and stare in bafflement at words that suddenly start appearing on our screens, do we find ourselves to be truly writing. Only then can we honestly say that we are being brought – often by the seat of our pants – on imaginative journeys into the unknown.
― Dermot Bolger
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5 comments on “Sometimes the less the writer knows about his story the better says Dermot Bolger – Quotes for Writers (and for people who like quotes)”
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
Very true!
Very well put being a planner rather than a free writer it can be hard to keep yourself open to your story naturally changing.
What a coincidence: I blogged exactly the same quote last September (http://wp.me/p30cCH-KX). The original article and its companion constitute the best writing advice I’ve encountered. Thank you for the reminder to re-read them.
Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.