Thursday, December 13, 2007

Science Fiction Author Quote of the Day


A man is a fool not to put everything he has, at any given moment, into what he is creating. You're there now doing the thing on paper. You're not killing the goose, you're just producing an egg. So I don't worry about inspiration, or anything like that. It's a matter of just sitting down and working. I have never had the problem of a writing block. I've heard about it. I've felt reluctant to write on some days, for whole weeks, or sometimes even longer. I'd much rather go fishing. for example. or go sharpen pencils, or go swimming, or what not. But, later, coming back and reading what I have produced, I am unable to detect the difference between what came easily and when I had to sit down and say, 'Well, now it's writing time and now I'll write.' There's no difference on paper between the two.

Frank Herbert

1 comment:

Eric said...

I see Herbert's point. There are lots of time we need to just put our noses to the grindstone.

I write code, not prose. The code I write while inspired is much better and comes more quickly than at other times. Yes, many times I need to force myself to work when I don't feel like it. And inspiration eventually will come. But other times I'm much more efficient backing off and waiting a bit for my mind to relax and re-energize. Maybe I'm not like Herbert.