The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic and self-complacent is erroneous; on the contrary it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant and kind.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
A writer need not devour a whole sheep in order to know what mutton tastes like, but he must at least eat a chop. Unless he gets his facts right, his imagination will lead him into all kinds of nonsense, and the facts he is most likely to get right are the facts of his own experience.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writers should draw from their own experiences and knowledge to create authentic narratives.
This quote emphasizes the importance of grounding one's creative writing in real experiences and factual knowledge. Maugham suggests that while a writer doesn't need to fully immerse themselves in every aspect of a subject, they do need to have some first-hand experience or understanding to avoid creating absurd or misleading content. The essence of creativity is enriched through personal encounters and insights reflected in one's writing.
Themes
WritingExperienceCreativityImaginationAuthenticity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a writing workshop to encourage participants to reflect on their personal experiences.
More from W. Somerset Maugham
All quotes βCronshaw stopped for a moment to drink. He had pondered for twenty years the problem whether he loved liquor because it made him talk or whether he loved conversation because it made him thirsty.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
Are you sure you can prevent yourself from falling in love one of these days? Such things do happen, you know, even to the most prudent men.' Simon gave him a strange, one might even have thought a hostile, look. I should tear it out of my heart as I'd wrench out of my mouth a rotten tooth.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
I don't think of the past. The only thing that matters is the everlasting present.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
The world is quickly bored by the recital of misfortune, and willing avoids the sight of distress.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
There in the mist, enormous, majestic, silent and terrible, stood the Great Wall of China. Solitarily, with the indifference of nature herself, it crept up the mountain side and slipped down to the depth of the valley.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
Similar quotes
We frequently find that the influence of good women is underrated. It is an influence that is often subtle but yet has tremendous consequences. One woman can make a great difference for a whole nation.
James E. FaustRead
I relax and cast aside all mental burdens, allowing God to express through me His perfect love, peace, and wisdom.
Paramahansa YoganandaRead
To be candid, some people have given positive thinking a bad name. I can't stand to hear some gung-ho individual say that with positive thinking you can just do 'anything.' If you think about that one for a moment, you recognize the absurdity of it.
Zig ZiglarRead
It is much more intelligent, more practical, to be good rather than evil.
Paulo CoelhoRead
We never know which lives we influence, or when, or why. Not until the future eats the present, anyway. We know when it's too late.
Stephen KingRead
But I learned that there's a certain character that can be built from embarrassing yourself endlessly. If you can sit happy with embarrassment, there's not much else that can really get to ya.
Christian BaleRead