‘You Write Until You Come to a Place Where You Still Have Your Juice and Know What Will Happen Next’

Ernest Hemingway, in a terrific 1958 interview with George Plimpton:

When I am working on a book or a story I write every morning as soon after first light as possible. There is no one to disturb you and it is cool or cold and you come to your work and warm as you write. You read what you have written and, as you always stop when you know what is going to happen next, you go on from there. You write until you come to a place where you still have your juice and know what will happen next and you stop and try to live through until the next day when you hit it again.

I have a collection of creators-on-creating quotes, but this one might be my favorite. Strikes me as good advice for any sort of creative work.

And, regarding getting work done:

But I have worked well everywhere. I mean I have been able to work as well as I can under varied circumstances. The telephone and visitors are the work destroyers.

★ Wednesday, 9 May 2012