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Few sensible authors are happy discussing the creative process--it is, after all, black magic.
Edward Albee
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The creative process is often mysterious and difficult to articulate, akin to 'black magic'.

In this quote, Edward Albee suggests that the act of creating art is a complicated and often enigmatic process that defies logical explanation. Authors and artists may struggle to discuss their own creative journeys, as they can feel like they are tapping into something mysterious and profound, much like a form of sorcery or black magic that cannot be fully understood or conveyed.

Themes

Creative ProcessArtMysteryExpressionCreativity

In practice

Example use cases

During a workshop on writing, someone might quote Albee to illustrate the challenges authors face when discussing their craft.

More from Edward Albee

Do you know what a playwright is? A playwright is someone who lets his guts hang out on the stage.
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When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he is no longer a critic; he is a censor.
Edward AlbeeRead
I am convinced that no one is fully educated without a full grounding in the arts.
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Good writers define reality; bad ones merely restate it.
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Remember one thing about democracy. We can have anything we want and at the same time, we always end up with exactly what we deserve.
Edward AlbeeRead
Your source material is the people you know, not those you don't know, but every character is an extension of the author's own personality.
Edward AlbeeRead

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