Of the widow's countless death-duties there is really just one that matters: on the first anniversary of her husband's death the widow should think I kept myself alive.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writing requires a lot of positive energy, and negativity can drain that energy.
This quote by Joyce Carol Oates emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive mindset when engaging in creative endeavors such as writing. The act of writing demands considerable emotional and mental energy, and negative feedback or comments can significantly undermine an artist's motivation and enthusiasm, illustrating the fragility of creative inspiration.
Themes
EnergyEncouragementWritingNegativityCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
During a writing workshop, this quote can be used to encourage participants to support each other and create a positive environment.
More from Joyce Carol Oates
All quotes βI never really knew I wanted to 'be' a writer, but I was always writing from a very young age. It became more conscious as an ideal when I was in my twenties.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
I'm drawn to write about upstate New York in the way in which a dreamer might have recurring dreams. My childhood and girlhood were spent in upstate New York, in the country north of Buffalo and West of Rochester. So this part of New York state is very familiar to me and, with its economic difficulties, has become emblematic of much of American life.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
My writing is often a way of 'bearing witness' for others who lack the education and the opportunity to tell their own stories, so I hope that my writing won't be affected too much by my personal life.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
The worst cynicism: a belief in luck.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
. . . there is a wish in the heart of mankind to be distracted and confused. Truth is but one attraction, and not always the most powerful.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
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