A gift for you
Here you go, then:
“We who make stories know that we tell lies for a living. But they are good lies that say true things, and we owe it to our readers to build them as best we can. Because somewhere out there is someone who needs that story. Someone who will grow up with a different landscape, who without that story will be a different person. And who with that story may have hope, or wisdom, or kindness, or comfort. And that is why we write."
-Neil Gaiman
You're welcome.
“We who make stories know that we tell lies for a living. But they are good lies that say true things, and we owe it to our readers to build them as best we can. Because somewhere out there is someone who needs that story. Someone who will grow up with a different landscape, who without that story will be a different person. And who with that story may have hope, or wisdom, or kindness, or comfort. And that is why we write."
-Neil Gaiman
You're welcome.
I feel like such a doof. I never know about Neil Gaiman until that graduation speech (which was wonderful), and now he's everywhere. I LOVE this quote. I kind of feel like this about new book~ <3
ReplyDeleteWhy, thank you. I loved his speech too, LTM.
ReplyDeleteGotta love Neil Gaiman! Great quote. Love that part about good lies that say true things. Wasn't it Stephen King who said the way to write is to write one true sentence? Then another true sentence, etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Faith.
Thank you for that!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteOh, dear, I feel an attack of the crocheties coming on. :)
ReplyDeleteI always chafe at this "fiction writers are telling lies" business. Just as there's a difference between truth and facts, there's a difference between lies and invention. We can praise the virtues of story without having to issue an apology that really doesn't apply.
Hmm, I like using the word "invention." I've never become sensitive to the difference, and I don't think Neil Gaiman is trying to "apologize," but I see your point.
DeleteThe sad fact is there are people who belittle fiction because it is not true in the sense of "all facts, nothing else!" and they do need to be reminded that truth is not the opposite of fiction but something that can be made more clear through fiction.
Oh, I don't think he's trying to apologize either. I think the apologetic tone is inadvertent, and perhaps more inferred than implied. I can understand the urge to keep saying things like this, though, because people DO belittle fiction "because it's not true." But good fiction IS true. One of my favorite quotes is "Nonfiction is facts; fiction is truth." :)
DeleteOoh, I like that! Do you know who said it?
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