You don't write a novel out of sheer pity any more than you blow a safe out of a vague longing to be rich. A certain ruthlessness and a sense of alienation from society is as essential to creative writing as it is to armed robbery.

Nelson Algren
About This Quote

I think this quote is a great reminder that a writer must have a very strong sense of purpose. The desire to be rich and famous can get in the way of writing a good novel. We all have a lot of things we want to get out of life, but we need to remember that they are not the only things that matter. In order to write a novel, you must have a reason for writing it.

That reason might be revenge on society or the desire to publish your story before someone else does. Whatever it is, you need to find it and then follow through on it.

Source: Nonconformity

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