And enough for me that when my hand touched your shoulder, you leaned on me; and when you felt me slip away, you called my name.
Orson Scott CardRead
The danger that keeps me just a little frightened with every book I write, however, is that I'll overreach myself once too often and try to write a story that I'm just plain not talented or skilful enough to write. That's the dilemma every storyteller faces. It is painful to fail. But it is far sadder when a storyteller stops wanting to try.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the fear of failure that writers face, balanced by the importance of perseverance in storytelling.
Orson Scott Card expresses the anxiety that comes with the creative process, highlighting the struggle that every storyteller faces: the fear of attempting a narrative beyond their current abilities. While the possibility of failure is painful, it underscores the greater tragedy of losing the desire to create and innovate. The pursuit of storytelling is fraught with challenges, yet the willingness to keep trying is what truly defines a storyteller's journey.
Themes
FearFailureStorytellingCreativityPerseverance
In practice
Example use cases
During a writing workshop, I reminded participants of the importance of facing their fears, quoting Orson Scott Card.
More from Orson Scott Card
All quotes →The world is always a democracy in times of flux, and the man with the best voice will win.
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Never mind that the story had turned out to be lies and foolishness—there was always folks stupid enough to say, Where there's smoke there's fire, when the saying should have been, Where there's scandalous lies there's always malicious believers and spreaders-around, regardless of evidence.
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The lives of all people flow through time, and, regardless of how brutal one moment may be, how filled with grief or pain or fear, time flows through all lives equally.
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You take a step, then another. That's the journey. But to take a step with your eyes open is not a journey at all, it's a remaking of your own mind.
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I've had your tears with mine, and you've had mine with yours. I think that's more intimate even than a kiss.
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