One of the great things about books is you can afford to do anything.
George R. R. MartinRead
There is magic in my universe, but it's pretty low magic compared to other fantasies.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the idea that while one's own experiences may feel magical, they are often quite ordinary compared to grander fantasies.
George R. R. Martin's quote suggests that every individual perceives their own universe as magical in some way, yet this magic is often subtle and less extraordinary than the epic fantasies found in literature or imagination. It emphasizes the unique personal experiences that shape our perception of life, while also acknowledging that these experiences may not compare to the fantastical worlds depicted in stories of great adventure and imagination.
Themes
MagicUniverseFantasyOrdinaryExperience
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about creativity, one might say, 'Remember, there is magic in your universe, but it's pretty low magic compared to other fantasies.'
More from George R. R. Martin
All quotes βI hate outlines. I have a broad sense of where the story is going; I know the end, I know the end of the principal characters, and I know the major turning points and events from the books, the climaxes for each book, but I don't necessarily know each twist and turn along the way. That's something I discover in the course of writing and that's what makes writing enjoyable. I think if I outlined comprehensively and stuck to the outline the actual writing would be boring.
George R. R. MartinRead
There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: βNot today.
George R. R. MartinRead
I did not do it. Yet now I wish I had.β He turned to face the hall, that sea of pale faces. βI wish I had enough poison for you all. You make me sorry that I am not the monster you would have me be, yet there it is. I am innocent, but I will get no justice here.
George R. R. MartinRead
But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. 'Life is not a song, sweetling,' he'd told her, 'You may learn that one day to your sorrow.' In life, the monsters win, she told herself.
George R. R. MartinRead
I write from this tight third-person viewpoint, where each chapter is seen through the eyes of one individual character. When I'm writing that character, I become that character and identify with that character.
George R. R. MartinRead
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