The deal is such that when I begin writing something, I open a door, and those characters come in, and then they won't leave, and so I live with them every day, all day. They are there with me when I'm driving my kids to school, when I'm standing in line at the grocery store.
Interpretation
The quote describes the immersive experience of a writer's imagination and the presence of characters in daily life.
Khaled Hosseini's quote speaks to the profound connection that a writer has with their characters. When he begins to write, a creative door opens, allowing the characters to enter his reality, making them a constant presence in his thoughts and experiences, even during mundane tasks. This illustrates the deep bond between the writer and their fictional creations, showcasing the blurred lines between imagination and reality.
In practice
A writer might use this quote to express the depth of their creative process during a book reading.
You're gutless. It's how you were made. And that's not such a bad thing because your saving grace is that you've never lied to yourself about it. Not about that. Nothing wrong with cowardice as long as it comes with prudence. But when a coward stops remembering who he is... God help him.
There was brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that even time could not break. - Amir
I don't outline at all; I don't find it useful, and I don't like the way it boxes me in. I like the element of surprise and spontaneity, of letting the story find its own way.
And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.
Perspective [is] a luxury when your head [is] constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons.
The desert weed lives on, but the flower of spring blooms and wilts.
I love the art of acting, so I don't care if I'm in a movie with 10 people, two people, or by myself. I just really enjoy it.
A story begins with this nebulous feeling that’s hard to get a hold of and you’re testing your feelings and assumptions, testing what you believe. They end up turning into keepsakes and mementos –like amber in which a memory gets trapped.
I often painted fragments of things because it seemed to make my statement as well as or better than the whole could.
You are either born a writer or you are not.
It's always about the music, never about anything else.
Good novels are produced by people who voluntarily isolate themselves and go deep, and report from the depths on what they find.
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