It took, for me, a long time to develop this idea of what to do on the radio. But from the beginning of my time in radio, I had pretty non-traditional tasks.
Ira GlassRead
When I was a bad writer, I would consciously imitate other NPR writers who I thought were wonderful. I suppose that everyone's artistic practice is different. But I collaborate and sometimes don't agree at all with my collaborators' opinions. It forces you to understand why you don't agree with something: what's the fight you're picking.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Imitating others can enhance your own artistic identity and help clarify your personal beliefs.
In this quote, Ira Glass reflects on the journey of artistic development. He acknowledges that during poor writing phases, he looked to emulate the styles of other writers, which is a common practice for many artists. This imitation led him to understand the nuances of his own opinions and the reasoning behind his disagreements with collaborators. Ultimately, it highlights the importance of both imitation and collaboration in refining one's unique voice and perspective in art.
Themes
ImitationArtistic PracticeCollaborationIdentityOpinions
In practice
Example use cases
In a workshop on creative writing, this quote can inspire participants to embrace their influences while developing their personal style.
More from Ira Glass
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I think good radio often uses the techniques of fiction: characters, scenes, a big urgent emotional question. And as in the best fiction, tone counts for a lot.
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It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions.
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It's hard to make something that's interesting. It's really, really hard. It's like a law of nature, a law of aerodynamics, that anything that's written or anything that's created wants to be mediocre. The natural state of all writing is mediocrity... So what it takes to make anything more than mediocre is such an act of will.
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I wish that someone had said to me that it's normal to feel lost for a little while.
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