Quotation by

Jessamyn West

Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are the natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted, and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking.

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Understanding this quote AI Analysis

Jessamyn West is saying that writing requires being by yourself because other people and social distractions make it hard to focus. To finish a writing project, a writer needs to be isolated and a bit rough or fierce in order to protect their concentration.

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I have two ideas for novels at the moment, neither of them all that conventional, but I'm not ready to choose between them yet, let alone settle down to the process of writing.