Quote by Christopher Hitchens

Every article and review and book that I have ever published has constituted an appeal to the person or persons to whom I should have talked before I dared to write it. I never launch any little essay without the hope and the fear, because the encounter may also be embarrassing that I shall draw a letter that begins, 'Dear Mr. Hitchens, it seems that you are unaware that' It is in this sense that authorship is collaborative with 'the reader.' And there's no help for it: you only find out what you ought to have known by pretending to know at least some of it already.It doesn't matter how obscure or arcane or esoteric your place of publication may be: some sweet law ensures that the person who should be scrutinizing your work eventually does do so.

Every article and review and book that I have ever published

Summary

The quote suggests that every piece of writing, whether it be an article, review, or book, is a plea to the person or people to whom it pertains, as if the author is speaking directly to them. The author acknowledges that they often write with hope and fear, knowing that they may receive feedback or criticism that reveals information they were not initially aware of. The collaborative nature of authorship is emphasized, as the reader plays a vital role in completing the dialogue between reader and writer. Regardless of the obscurity of the publication, eventually, the person who should be scrutinizing the work will come across it.

Topics

Books Writing Writers Readers Book Reviews Authorship Articles Collaboration Essays

By Christopher Hitchens

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