Let's stop reflexively comparing Chinese writers to Chinese writers, Indian writers to Indian writers, black writers to black writers. Let's focus on the writing itself: the characters, the language, the narrative style.
Celeste NgRead
It's so easy, as a writer, to get stuck in your own head, to live in the little worlds you create. To forget that there are people out there reading your work, people who may be deeply affected by what you do, that you are writing not just for yourself, but for them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writers should remember their audience and the impact of their words on others.
Celeste Ng emphasizes the importance of awareness in writing. It's common for writers to become absorbed in their own thoughts and narratives, losing sight of the readers who engage with their work. This quote serves as a reminder that writing is not solely a personal endeavor; it is an act that resonates with and influences others, making it crucial for writers to maintain a connection with their audience.
Themes
WritingAudienceImpactCreativityEngagement
In practice
Example use cases
In a writing workshop, to inspire aspiring authors about connecting with their readers.
More from Celeste Ng
All quotes →Spend enough time wrangling a toddler, and you get good at being kind but firm. Like your child, you must be doggedly single-minded when it matters.
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For me, any story I tackle begins with the human relationships and not the plot.
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What I remember about race relations in the 1990s is that you showed your awareness by saying you didn't see race, that you were colour-blind.
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In fiction you're not often writing about the typical; you are interested in outliers, the points of interest. Part of it comes from feeling I was the only Asian or person of colour... another part comes from my personality: I'm an introvert, and my usual survival mode in a large group is to stand by a wall and watch everybody.
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Writing is like shouting into the world. So when someone shouts back, it's a really big deal. To have people who read hundreds and hundreds of books a year say, 'Hey, we thought this was really great,' that's a huge self-esteem boost.
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