Writing for children is bloody difficult; books for children are as complex as their adult counterparts, and they should therefore be accorded the same respect.
Mark HaddonRead
And I know I can do this because I went to London on my own, and because I solved the mystery…and I was brave and I wrote a book and that means I can do anything.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the belief in one's abilities and the power of personal experiences to inspire confidence.
In this quote, Mark Haddon reflects on the transformative experiences that have built his confidence and self-efficacy. By recounting his adventures and accomplishments, he illustrates that overcoming challenges and pursuing one's passions can lead to a strong belief in one's capabilities. His assertion that he can achieve anything underscores the importance of bravery and personal growth in realizing one's potential.
In practice
During a motivational speech to high school students about pursuing their dreams.
Writing for children is bloody difficult; books for children are as complex as their adult counterparts, and they should therefore be accorded the same respect.
As to the number of novels I've abandoned... I shudder to think. I have thrown away five completed novels, and that's a gruesome enough figure. But not necessarily a waste of effort.
At twenty life was like wrestling an octopus. Every moment mattered. At thirty it was a walk in the country. Most of the time your mind was somewhere else. By the time you got to seventy, it was probably like watching snooker on the telly.
And Father said, "Christopher, do you understand that I love you?" And I said "Yes," because loving someone is helping them when they get into trouble, and looking after them, and telling them the truth, and Father looks after me when I get into trouble, like coming to the police station, and he looks after me by cooking meals for me, and he always tells me the truth, which means that he loves me.
From a good book, I want to be taken to the very edge. I want a glimpse into that outer darkness.
At 20, 25, 30, we begin to realise that the possibilities of escape are getting fewer. We have jobs, children, partners, debts. This is the part of us to which literary fiction speaks.
Work while others are wishing.
I don't think that once you get to one level, you can relax. You've got to keep pushing.
With the opening of the New Year, all the closed portals of limitations will be thrown open and I shall move through them to vaster fields, where my worthwhile dreams of life will be fulfilled.
Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but that's the only way you can do anything really good.
Don't keep forever on the public road, going only where others have gone and following one after the other like a flock of sheep. Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods.
I believe in myself like a five-year-old believes in himself. They say look at me, look at me! Then they do a flip in the backyard. It won't even be that amazing, but everyone will be clapping for them.
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