Quote by Julie Burchill

Writing is more than anything a compulsion, like some people wash their hands thirty times a day for fear of awful consequences if they do not. It pays a whole lot better than this type of compulsion, but it is no more heroic.

Writing is more than anything a compulsion, like some people

Summary

This quote highlights the nature of writing as a compulsion rather than a choice. The comparison made to repetitive handwashing emphasizes the inherent need and urge to write. It suggests that writing is driven by an impulse or obsession, much like someone with a compulsion to wash their hands multiple times. While writing may offer better rewards, it is portrayed as a similar, seemingly irrational behavior. The quote challenges the notion that writing is a heroic act, suggesting that it is simply a result of an irresistible internal force that writers cannot resist.

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Authors & Writing

By Julie Burchill

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