Just be patient, she told herself, and with the mounting pages, the strength of her writing fist grew.
I think to be a writer, you have to enjoy being alone. I was a loner as a teenager and was always drawn to characters in books and films who were at the fringes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
To be a writer, one must embrace solitude and often feel a connection to characters who exist on the edges of society.
This quote by Markus Zusak highlights the importance of solitude in the writing process. It suggests that a writer's ability to thrive in isolation allows them to connect deeply with the stories and characters they create, often inspired by those who feel marginalized or different. This reflection on solitude is tied to the writer's personal experience of feeling like a 'loner' during adolescence, seeking solace in the worlds of books and films.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a workshop on creative writing to inspire students to embrace their solitude.
More from Markus Zusak
All quotes →It felt as though the whole globe was dressed in snow. Like it has pulled it on, the way you pull on a sweater. Next to the train line, footprints were sunken to their shins. Trees wore blankets of ice. As you may expect, someone has died.
Because you don't learn anything unless you can find the patience to read. TV takes that away from you. It robs you from your mind.
Or had she always loved him? It's likely. Restricted as she was from speaking, she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted him to drag her hand across and pull her over. It didn't matter where. Her mouth, her neck, her cheek. Her skin was empty for it, waiting.
I think it's a mistake to think, 'Am I going to write a young adult book, or do I desperately want to write a book for adults?' I think the better ambition is to try to write someone's favorite book, because those categorizations of adult, young adult, become kind of superfluous.
I could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.
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Beauty is a fruit which we look at without trying to seize it.
When the punk thing came along and I heard my friends saying, I hate these people with the pins in their ears. I said, Thank God, something got their attention.
One good song with a message can bring a point more deeply to more people than a thousand rallies.