No illusion is more crucial than the illusion that great success and huge money buy you immunity from the common ills of mankind, such as cars that won't start.
Larry McmurtryRead
You expect far too much of a first sentence. Think of it as analagous to a good country breakfast: what we want is something simple, but nourishing to the imagination. Hold the philosophy, hold the adjectives, just give us a plain subject and verb and perhaps a wholesome, nonfattening adverb or two.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of simplicity in writing, particularly in the opening sentence.
Larry McMurtry likens the opening sentence of a text to a good country breakfast, suggesting that it should be straightforward yet fulfilling. He advocates for simplicity in writing, encouraging writers to avoid overly complicated language or excessive philosophical musings in favor of clarity and nourishment for the reader’s imagination.
Themes
SimplicityWritingEducationImaginationClarity
In practice
Example use cases
A writing workshop discussing the art of crafting effective opening sentences.
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All quotes →-she remembered them kindly, for there was a sweetness in boys that didn't last long, once they became men.
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