Try any goddam thing you like, no matter how boringly normal or outrageous. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, toss it. Toss it even if you love it.
Stephen KingRead
As it happened, all three of us turned out to be real writers--a coincidence almost too large to be termed mere coincidence in a society where literally tens of thousands (maybe hundreds of thousands) of college students aspire to the writer's trade and where bare hundreds actually break through.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the rarity of success in writing amidst many aspiring writers.
Stephen King reflects on the remarkable coincidence that three individuals who aspired to be writers ended up achieving that dream, emphasizing that while many pursue writing, very few actually succeed. He points out the stark contrast between the multitude of hopeful college students and the limited number of those who genuinely make it as successful writers, suggesting that success in this field is indeed a significant achievement.
Themes
SuccessWritingAspirationRareAchievement
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech to aspiring writers.
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