“It's true that writing is a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of imaginary characters can offer once you get to know them.”

Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Anne Tyler22

American novelist 1941

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“Writing is indeed, some kind of affliction in its demands as the most solitary and introspective of occupations.”

Nadine Gordimer (1923–2014) South african Nobel-winning writer

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Context: I certainly find being the recipient at this celebratory dinner more pleasurable and rewarding than chicken-pox, having now in my life experienced both. But the small girl was not entirely wrong. Writing is indeed, some kind of affliction in its demands as the most solitary and introspective of occupations.

“Anyhow, I've learned one thing now. You only really get to know people when you've had a jolly good row with them. Then and then only can you judge their true characters!”

Anne Frank (1929–1945) victim of the Holocaust and author of a diary

Variant translation: The only way to truly know a person is to argue with them. For when they argue in full swing, then they reveal their true character.
28 September 1942
Variant: I've learned one thing: you only really get to know a person after a fight. Only then can you judge their true character!
Source: The Diary of a Young Girl (1942 - 1944)

“All novels… are concerned with the enigma of the self. As soon as you create an imaginary being, a character, you are automatically confronted by the question: what is the self? How can it be grasped?”

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“If you want to get to know a person well, wait for them to get angry. An angry person always acts on instinct showing his true character and authentic thoughts of him.”

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Original: Se vuoi conoscere bene una persona, aspetta che si arrabbi. Una persona arrabbiata agisce sempre d'istinto mostrando il suo vero carattere ed i suoi autentici pensieri.
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James Richardson (1950) American poet

#139
Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten Second Essays (2001)