There was more of a flow to my output of writing in the past, certainly. Having no contemporaries left means you cannot say, 'Well, so-and-so will like this,' which you do when you're younger. You realize there is no so-and-so anymore. You are your own so-and-so. There is a bleak side to it.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Vidal reflects that writing output decreased with age because the community of peers was gone, leaving only self-validation.
- In plain terms
- Vidal writes less now because his peers are dead and he must judge himself.
- What can you take from it?
- Peer communities fuel creative output.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who keeps you writing?
- Can you create alone?
Another view
It links output solely to social presence.
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