But let us not forget that cities are like human beings. They are born, they go through childhood and adolescence, they grow old, and eventually they die
Elif SafakRead
For me, writing stories is one way of feeling connected to the universe and God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writing stories helps the author feel a deep connection to the universe and spirituality.
In this quote, Elif Safak expresses that for her, the act of writing is not just a creative endeavor but a profound way to engage with the larger cosmos and the divine. It highlights the transformative power of storytelling, suggesting that through the process of writing, one can find a sense of belonging and purpose that transcends the individual experience.
Themes
WritingStoriesConnectionUniverseGod
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about creativity, you might say, 'As Elif Safak said, for me, writing stories is one way of feeling connected to the universe and God.'
More from Elif Safak
All quotes βI like to question cultural biases wherever I go, and I question Islamophobia as much as I question anti-western sentiment because I think all extremist ideologies are very similar.
Elif SafakRead
Stories cannot demolish frontiers, but they can punch holes in our mental walls, and through those holes we can get a glimpse of the other and sometimes even like what we see.
Elif SafakRead
What iβm saying is, my friends, one ought to be able to let go. If a path does not please us, instead of insisting on going that specific way, of making our selfishness the guide, we ought to forsake. The books we cannot write, the films we cannot shoot, the projects we cannot develop, the jobs we cannot pursue and the people who no longer love us. Being able to let go, at times, is the most beautiful of all!
Elif SafakRead
I write as if I were drunk. It is a process of intuition rather than placing myself above my story like a puppeteer pulling strings. For me, it's a scary, chaotic process over which I have little control. Words demand other words, characters resist me.
Elif SafakRead
I like to borrow a metaphor from the great poet and mystic Rumi who talks about living like a drawing compass. One leg of the compass is static. It is fixed and rooted in a certain spot. Meanwhile, the other leg draws a huge wide circle around the first one, constantly moving. Just like that, one part of my writing is based in Istanbul. It has strong local roots. Yet at the same time the other part travels the whole wide world, feeling connected to several cities, cultures, and peoples.
Elif SafakRead
Similar quotes
The job of a storyteller is to speak the truth. But what we feel most deeply canβt be spoken in words alone. At this level, only images connect. And here, story becomes symbol; symbol is myth. And myth is truth.
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When I came to El Bulli, right away I knew I was becoming part of something incredible. It was like watching the Big Bang happening right in front of me.
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No design can exist in isolation. It is always related, sometimes in very complex ways, to an entire constellation of influencing situations and attitudes. What we call a good design is one which achieves integrity β that is, unity or wholeness β in balanced relation to its environment.
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I create my own backstory regardless of if I'm told something about the background or not. There's always more that you can develop in your head that makes a character more layered, more honest.
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Some people try to get very philosophical and cerebral about what they're trying to say with jazz. You don't need any prologues, you just play. If you have something to say of any worth then people will listen to you.
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I think that's why I put my energy into making music. That's how I get my thoughts out, instead of being crazy all the time.
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