"People are always asking me if the university stifles writers. I reply that it hasn't stifled enough of them. There's many a bestseller that could have been prevented by a good writing teacher."
I've always loved this quote and the sideways irony. There's nothing like a great teacher, but there are also plenty of well-meaning teachers who instill certain writing rules or whatever, or insist that kids should only read or write certain things, and by so doing, stifle creativity. They don't mean to, but creative people sometimes don't react well to good teachers they admire who maybe lead away from creativity. We're too sensitive, and sometimes to ready to follow those examples.
2 comments:
But there are others, we would have missed out on, too.
Great quote though. I do believe there are some books the world would have been better off not seeing in print.
I've always loved this quote and the sideways irony. There's nothing like a great teacher, but there are also plenty of well-meaning teachers who instill certain writing rules or whatever, or insist that kids should only read or write certain things, and by so doing, stifle creativity. They don't mean to, but creative people sometimes don't react well to good teachers they admire who maybe lead away from creativity. We're too sensitive, and sometimes to ready to follow those examples.
Post a Comment