The moment a man sets his thoughts down on paper, however secretly, he is in a sense writing for publication.
Interpretation
Writing is an inherent act of communication and expression, even if intended to be private.
Raymond Chandler's quote emphasizes the idea that once someone commits their thoughts to paper, they are engaging in the broader act of writing, which is ultimately a means of sharing oneβs inner thoughts with the world. This reflects the intimate relationship between writing and the intent to communicate, suggesting that even private writing holds the potential for public impact and connection.
In practice
Use this quote during a writing workshop to inspire participants about the power of sharing their stories.
Undoubtedly the stories about them [hard-boiled detectives] had a fantastic element. Such things happened, but not so rapidly, nor to so close-knit a group of people, nor within so narrow a frame of logic. This was inevitable because the demand was for constant action; if you stopped to think you were lost. When in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand.
There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge.
Organized crime is the dirty side of the sharp dollar.
When in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand.
The flood of print has turned reading into a process of gulping rather than savoring.
If my books had been any worse, I should not have been invited to Hollywood, and if they had been any better, I should not have come.
The essential thing is to work in a state of mind that approaches prayer.
A movie camera is like having someone you have a crush on watching you from afar - you pretend it's not there.
All writing is the same: It's just making up lies until it starts to sound like the truth. That's what I do.
A product can live on one great idea. An interior needs 1,000 great ideas to really live, which makes interior design a whole orchestration of this art of juxtaposition, placement, and combination.
Do everything by hand, even when using the computer.
Good writing ... involves the agony of turning profoundly difficult thoughts into lucid form, then forcing them into the tight-fitting uniform of language, making them visible and clear.
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