I get to use fiction as a way to work out my thinking and to delight readers in the process. I can't think of any deal that's better for me, and I'm always so grateful that readers have indulged me as I argue with myself in my stories.
Ken LiuRead
It's true that misunderstanding and lack of understanding are often themes in my fiction, but I am grateful for the moments when true understanding is achieved, especially between writer and reader. It's miraculous.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the importance of understanding in literature and the joy when it is achieved between a writer and their audience.
Ken Liu reflects on the recurring theme of misunderstanding in his fiction but emphasizes the profound joy and gratitude he feels when genuine understanding occurs between a writer and reader. This relationship is seen as a miraculous connection that transcends the barriers often found in communication, highlighting the transformative power of literature.
Themes
UnderstandingFictionWriterReaderCommunicationConnection
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impact of literature at a book club meeting.
More from Ken Liu
All quotes →As a species, we tend to live in environments where our own artifacts dominate. The way we shape our environment and are in turn shaped by it is a key theme in my fiction - indeed, it's a key part of a great deal of science fiction.
Ken LiuRead
In creating the silkpunk aesthetic, I was influenced by the ideas of W. Brian Arthur, who articulates a vision of technology as a language.
Ken LiuRead
There are so many different narrative traditions across the world, and each of those traditions has evolved dramatically over time. Once I understood that, I felt truly free; I could write and invent the way I wanted to because there never has been only one way to tell a good story.
Ken LiuRead
The truth is not delicate and it does not suffer from denial—the truth only dies when true stories are untold.
Ken LiuRead
Labels like 'Chinese Science Fiction' or 'Western Science Fiction' summarize a vast field of work, all of which are diverse and driven by individual authors, with individual concerns.
Ken LiuRead
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