In real life, coincidences happen all the time. In novels, they are leapt upon with fury.
Harlan CobenRead
I always say three things make a writer: inspiration, obviously; perspiration, doing the work. But the third is desperation. I'm not really fit for anything else, or to have a real job. That fear drives me. The pressure has always been self inflicted.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A writer's success is driven by inspiration, hard work, and a strong sense of desperation.
Harlan Coben emphasizes that while inspiration and hard work are essential for a writer, the driving force behind his writing is a sense of desperation. This desperation stems from a fear of inadequacy and the self-imposed pressure to succeed, suggesting that these intense emotions can fuel creativity and perseverance in the face of challenges.
Themes
WritingInspirationHard WorkDesperationPressure
In practice
Example use cases
During a writers' workshop, to inspire others to embrace their challenges.
More from Harlan Coben
All quotes →The ugliest truth, in the end, was still better than the prettiest of lies.
Harlan CobenRead
When you like something and you're pretty good at it and you can make a living doing it, you don't ask why. You just count your blessings and go with it.
Harlan CobenRead
No, I don’t live in heartache. I don’t cry myself to sleep or any of that. I am, I tell myself, over it. But I do feel a void, icky as that sounds. And—like it or not—I still think about her every single day.
Harlan CobenRead
Life may not always fall into neat chapters, and you may not always get the satisfying ending you're looking for, but sometimes a good explanation is all the rewrite you need.
Harlan CobenRead
The most annoying and full- of- crap thing a writer says is, I write only for myself, I don't care if anyone reads it. A writer without a reader doesn't exist.
Harlan CobenRead
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