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Young writers should be encouraged to write, and discouraged from thinking they are writers.
Wallace Stegner
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Writers should focus on the act of writing rather than labeling themselves as writers too soon.

This quote emphasizes the importance of the writing process for young writers. It suggests that rather than getting caught up in the identity of being a writer, they should concentrate on honing their craft and developing their skills through practice. This approach fosters creativity and growth without the pressure of self-identification that could hinder their development.

Themes

WritingCreativityYoung WritersEncouragementPractice

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be shared in a writing workshop to motivate students.

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Hope was always out ahead of fact, possibility obscured the outlines of reality.
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No place is a place until things that have happened in it are remembered in history, ballads, yarns, legends, or monuments. Fictions serve as well as facts.
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