Let's stop reflexively comparing Chinese writers to Chinese writers, Indian writers to Indian writers, black writers to black writers. Let's focus on the writing itself: the characters, the language, the narrative style.
Celeste NgRead
Writing is like shouting into the world. So when someone shouts back, it's a really big deal. To have people who read hundreds and hundreds of books a year say, 'Hey, we thought this was really great,' that's a huge self-esteem boost.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writing is a powerful expression that, when acknowledged by others, can greatly enhance a writer's confidence.
In this quote, Celeste Ng compares the act of writing to shouting into the world, suggesting that it is an act of vulnerability and communication. When writers receive recognition and positive feedback from their readers, especially from those well-versed in literature, it serves as a significant affirmation of their work, fostering a sense of validation and self-worth.
Themes
WritingRecognitionSelf-EsteemValidationAuthors
In practice
Example use cases
During a writing workshop, a speaker might use this quote to emphasize the importance of feedback.
More from Celeste Ng
All quotes →Spend enough time wrangling a toddler, and you get good at being kind but firm. Like your child, you must be doggedly single-minded when it matters.
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For me, any story I tackle begins with the human relationships and not the plot.
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It's so easy, as a writer, to get stuck in your own head, to live in the little worlds you create. To forget that there are people out there reading your work, people who may be deeply affected by what you do, that you are writing not just for yourself, but for them.
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What I remember about race relations in the 1990s is that you showed your awareness by saying you didn't see race, that you were colour-blind.
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In fiction you're not often writing about the typical; you are interested in outliers, the points of interest. Part of it comes from feeling I was the only Asian or person of colour... another part comes from my personality: I'm an introvert, and my usual survival mode in a large group is to stand by a wall and watch everybody.
Celeste NgRead
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