Confidence is highly overrated when it comes to creating literature. A writer who is overly confident will not engage in the struggle to get it exactly right on the page - but rather, will assume that she's getting it right without the struggle.
Interpretation
Confidence can be detrimental to a writer's craft, leading to complacency instead of the rigorous effort needed for excellence.
In this quote, Dani Shapiro emphasizes that while confidence is often celebrated, it can be a hindrance for writers. Rather than striving for precision and truth in their work, an overly confident writer may bypass the necessary challenges and struggles, resulting in a lack of depth and authenticity in their literature. True craftsmanship requires humility and dedication to the writing process.
In practice
During a writing workshop, the instructor shared this quote to highlight the importance of humility in writing.
The writing life requires courage, patience, persistence, empathy, openness, and the ability to deal with rejection. It requires the willingness to be alone with oneself. To be gentle with oneself. To look at the world without blinders on. To observe and withstand what one sees. To be disciplined, and at the same time, take risks. To be willing to fail - not just once, but again and again, over the course of a lifetime.
Writing well involves walking the path of most resistance. Sitting still, being patient, allowing the lunatic dream to take shape on the page, then the shaping, the pencil on the page, breathing, slowing down, being willing–no, more than willing, being wide open–to press the bruise until it blossoms.
When we reach reflexively for something to dull an ache inside of us, in that very moment of reaching, we are hiding from our pain. We're storing it away. Tamping it down.
I try to remember that the job - as well as the plight, and the unexpected joy - of the artist is to embrace uncertainty, to be sharpened and honed by it.
It can be dangerous to weaken the strong in our attempts to strengthen the weak.
Let the wise guard their thoughts, which are difficult to perceive, extremely subtle, and wander at will. Thought which is well guarded is the bearer of happiness.
Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.
I was thanking him for...well, for something I'm not sure I can explain even now. For showing me that something besides cruelty could be found in the world, I suppose.
Compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use.
Don't be concerned about others not appreciating you. Be concerned about your not appreciating others.
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