#sharpen

A novel's whole pattern is rarely apparent at the outset of writing, or even at the end; that is when the writer finds out what a novel is about, and the job becomes one of understanding and deepening or sharpening what is already written. That is finding the theme. ↗

— Diane Johnson

#already #apparent #becomes #deepening #end

Solitude sharpens awareness of small pleasures otherwise lost. ↗

— Kevin Patterson

#lost #otherwise #pleasures #sharpens #small

Great literature should do some good to the reader: must quicken his perception though dull, and sharpen his discrimination though blunt, and mellow the rawness of his personal opinions. ↗

— A. E. Housman

#discrimination #dull #good #great #great literature

He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper. ↗

— Edmund Burke

#helper #nerves #our #sharpens #skill

The hard part of writing at all is sitting your ass down in a chair and writing it. There's always something better to do, like I've got an interview, sharpening the pencils, trimming the roses. There's always something better to do. Going to a writer's club? ↗

— Jerry Pournelle

#ass #better #chair #club #down

As selfishness and complaint pervert the mind, so love with its joy clears and sharpens the vision. ↗

— Helen Keller

#complaint #joy #love #mind #pervert

Races always are good to show where you are reaching in your training as well as to keep you sharpened. Every race, in my program, I put it in a special way like a ladder, climbing up slowly and slowly to the next one. I see where my training is, and that is like a test. ↗

— David Rudisha

#climbing #every #good #i #i see

The journalistic vision sharpens to the point of maximum impact every event, every individual and social configuration; but the honing is uniform. ↗

— George Steiner

#event #every #honing #impact #individual

I do not weep at the world I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife. ↗

— Zora Neale Hurston

#busy #i #i am #i do #knife

There is no such whetstone, to sharpen a good wit and encourage a will to learning, as is praise. ↗

— Roger Ascham

#good #learning #praise #sharpen #such