Married couples who quarrel bitterly every day may really need each other as deeply as those who appear to be desperately in love.
Edward AbbeyRead
The writer concerned more with technique than truth becomes a technician, not an artist.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Focusing solely on technique in writing can strip away the artistic essence and authenticity of the work.
Edward Abbey emphasizes that a writer who prioritizes technical skills over the truth of their expression risks diminishing their artistic integrity. Art is not merely a skill to be perfected but a reflection of genuine feelings and experiences; thus, when technique overshadows truth, the work becomes mechanical and devoid of emotional depth.
Themes
ArtWritingTechniqueTruthCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at a literary conference might reference this quote to stress the importance of authenticity in creative writing.
More from Edward Abbey
All quotes βI love America because it is a confused, chaotic mess - and I hope we can keep it this way for at least another thousand years. The permissive society is the free society.
Edward AbbeyRead
If it's knowledge and wisdom you want, then seek out the company of those who do real work for an honest purpose.
Edward AbbeyRead
The earth is real. Only a fool, milking his cow, denies the cow's reality.
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I believe in nothing that I cannot touch, kiss, embrace.... The rest is only hearsay.
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Why can't we simply borrow what is useful to us from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, especially Zen, as we borrow from Christianity, science, American Indian traditions and world literature in general, including philosophy, and let the rest go hang? Borrow what we need but rely principally upon our own senses, common sense and daily living experience.
Edward AbbeyRead
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