Crude thoughts and fierce forces are my state. I do not know who I am. Nor what I was. I cannot hear a sound. Pain is near that will be like no pain felt before.
Norman MailerRead
Over-certified adjectives are the mark of most best-seller writing
Interpretation
What this quote means
Excessive use of overblown descriptors is common in popular writing.
Norman Mailer's quote highlights a tendency in best-selling literature to rely on exaggerated adjectives to draw attention and sell books. This practice can undermine the integrity of writing by prioritizing sensationalism over substance, suggesting that many commercially successful works may be less about genuine artistry and more about catering to commercial demands.
Themes
WritingLiteratureAdjectivesBest-SellersCommercial
In practice
Example use cases
During a writer's workshop, one might use this quote to illustrate the pitfalls of striving for best-seller status over authentic storytelling.
More from Norman Mailer
All quotes βI no longer gave a sick dog's drop for the wisdom, the reliability and the authority of the public's literary mind, those creeps and old ladies of vested reviewing.
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Alimony is the curse of the writing class.
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