Once again I'm referring to Ray Bradbury's 'Zen in the Art of Writing', but this image is just too good to be locked away in a book when it can be free in cyberspace.
Okay, alright, it probably is already anyway, but I'm bringing it to you, my little audience of writers and readers, because it is gorgeous.
p. 134:
"As soon as things get difficult, I walk away. That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you. If you try to approach a cat and pick it up, hell, it won't let you do it.
You've got to say, 'Well, to hell with you.' And the cat says 'Wait a minute. He's not behaving the way most humans do.' Then the cat follows you out of curiosity: 'Well, what's wrong with you that you don't love me?'
Well, that's what an idea is. See? You just say, 'Well, hell, I don't need depression. I don't need worry. I don't need to push.' Then idea will follow me. When they're off-guard, and ready to be born, I'll turn around and grab them."
As my parents have a very... haughty? ... aloof?... self-centred, egotistical and with a divinity complex?... cat, this image works very well for me. Though I'm not sure if I can really convince my ideas I don't need them, as they know too well that I am totally at a loss without them. Oh well, I can't convince the cat either.
Good writing over the weekend, little cat chasers.
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