When you believe you have a future, you think in terms of generations and years. When you do not, you live not just by the day β but by the minute.
Iris ChangRead
Your first duty as a writer is to write to please yourself. And you have no duty towards anyone else.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A writer's primary responsibility is to create works that satisfy their own creative desires rather than cater to external expectations.
Iris Chang emphasizes that the essence of writing lies in self-fulfillment. By prioritizing personal satisfaction, writers can authentically express themselves, which ultimately leads to more genuine and impactful work. This perspective encourages writers to remain true to their own voice and not succumb to the pressures of pleasing others, maintaining artistic integrity in their craft.
Themes
WritingAuthenticitySelf-ExpressionCreativityArtistic Integrity
In practice
Example use cases
In a writing workshop, to encourage participants to embrace their personal style.
More from Iris Chang
All quotes βThe spoken word vanished with the wind. Likewise, the unrecorded life disappears as if it never existed.
Iris ChangRead
For some reason, I seem to be bothered whenever I see acts of injustice and assaults on people's civil liberties. I imagine what I write in the future will follow in that vein. Whether it's fiction or non-fiction.
Iris ChangRead
Racism is always there underneath, but usually it is exploited in these times of economic crisis, and it's hard to find out when one slides into another.
Iris ChangRead
Almost all people have this potential for evil, which would be unleashed only under certain dangerous social circumstances.
Iris ChangRead
Similar quotes
When I began making electronic music, the only thing I was thinking about was creating music that I really liked. I didn't think about what effect it would have; I was busy doing it.
Jean Michel JarreRead
They are fairies; he that speaks to them shall die. I'll wink and couch; no man their works must eye.
William ShakespeareRead
It is my feeling that a story is not finished until it is read, and that the reader finishes it through his or her life experience, prejudices, worldview and thoughts.
Annie ProulxRead
Singing has always seemed to me the most perfect means of expression. It is so spontaneous. And after singing, I think the violin. Since I cannot sing, I paint.
Georgia O'KeeffeRead
I wanted to write about what we were doing at the French Laundry, the recipes and the stories.
Thomas KellerRead
I gave my life to the Group Theatre, because in it I'm building something for myself. What I build, I am.
Elia KazanRead