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Writing's funny, it's like walking down a hall in the dark looking for the light switch, and suddenly you find it, flip it on, and then you discover the hallway you passed through is papered with the novel you've written.
Jonathan Safran Foer
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Writing can be an obscure process, but through exploration, the end result reveals itself in unexpected ways.

This quote by Jonathan Safran Foer illustrates the often elusive nature of writing, comparing it to the experience of navigating a dark hallway. The moment of discovery—finding the light switch—symbolizes the writer's breakthrough, while the papered hallway represents the culmination of their creative efforts, revealing that the journey of writing is fraught with uncertainty but ultimately leads to a tangible outcome.

Themes

WritingCreativityDiscoveryProcessExploration

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a writing workshop to inspire participants about the creative process.

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