I cannot imagine life without books any more than I can imagine life without breathing.
This is for writers yet to be published who think the uphill climb will never end. Keep believing. This is also for published writers grown jaded by the process. Remember how lucky you are.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Perseverance is essential for writers, both aspiring and established, reminding them to appreciate their journey.
Terry Brooks' quote emphasizes the importance of perseverance in the writing journey. For those who have not yet been published, the struggle may seem endless, but maintaining belief in oneself is crucial. For published authors who may feel disillusioned, it's a reminder to cherish their achievements and recognize the fortune in their accomplishments. Ultimately, it encourages all writers to keep pushing forward and to maintain a positive outlook on their craft.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech to aspiring authors, you could use this quote to encourage them to keep writing despite challenges.
More from Terry Brooks
All quotes →The muse whispers to you when she chooses, and you can't tell her to come back later, because you quickly learn in this business that she might not come back at all.
After all, you put a lot into creating a universe and everything that goes with it, and it seems a shame to use it only once.
If you don't think there is magic in writing, you probably won't write anything magical.
Fiction writing is a twenty-four-hou r-a-day occupation. You never leave your work behind. It is always with you, and to some extent, you are always thinking about it. You don't take your work home; your work never leaves home. It lives inside you. It resides and grows and comes alive in your mind.
Writing fantasy lets me imagine a great deal more than, say, writing about alligators, and lets me write about places more distant than Florida, but I can tell you things about Florida and alligators, let you make the connection all on your own.
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I'm always trying to push myself to the limit to see what I can do. It's my strong will that I've always had since I was a kid.
Saying no to loud people gives you the resources to say yes to important opportunities.
There's high, and there's high, and to get really high - I mean so high that you can walk on the water, that high-that's where I'm going.
I have always liked running, so it wasn't particularly difficult to make it a habit. All you need is a pair of running shoes and you can do it anywhere. It does not require anybody to do it with, and so I found the sport perfectly fits me as a person who tends to be independent and individualistic.