“If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.”
— Dorothy Parker
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“If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.” — Dorothy Parker. Writing is a beautiful, agonizing journey of self-discovery, but wouldn't we all choose the craft over ignorance every single time? Tag a writer friend who understands the struggle! ✍️📚
About this quote
Dorothy Parker’s famously dark wit strikes a chord that every aspiring writer and creative soul understands in the quiet hours of the night. Behind the humorous exaggeration lies a profound truth about the pursuit of craft: creating something meaningful is a path paved with self-doubt, endless revisions, and the agonizing vulnerability of putting a piece of your soul onto the page. When we encourage young dreamers to chase their passions, we are also inviting them into a lifelong struggle with the blank page, where the pursuit of perfection can sometimes steal their effortless joy. Yet, this biting piece of life advice serves as an unexpected reminder of why we create anyway. The pain of writing is proof that we care deeply about expression, connection, and truth. While *The Elements of Style* teaches us the technical discipline of cutting away the unnecessary, the raw spark of happiness we feel before we ever pick up the pen is what we spend the rest of our lives trying to translate into art. Embrace the struggle, protect your joy, and remember that every great writer walks through the fire of self-doubt to find their voice.
Photo Credit:
Photo by Filip Knezevic on Unsplash
