Literature is not a picture of life, but is a separate experience with its own kind of flow and enhancement.
William StaffordRead
The writing process for a short story feels more like field geology, where you keep turning the thing over and over, noting its qualities in detail, hammering at it, putting it near flame, pouring different acids on it, and then finally you figure out what it is, or you just give up and mount it on a ring and have an awkward chunky piece of jewelry that seems weirdly dominating but that you for some reason like. I could be wrong about field geology here.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writing a short story is a detailed and experimental process, much like geological exploration.
In this quote, Rivka Galchen compares the intricate and often challenging process of writing a short story to the meticulous nature of field geology. Both involve careful observation, testing, and refining to uncover the essence of what you are working with, and sometimes the end result may feel awkward or unconventional, yet still holds personal value to the creator.
Themes
WritingStorytellingCreativityArtProcess
In practice
Example use cases
An author could use this quote during a writers' workshop to emphasize the complexity of the creative process.
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