By 
It was not in my nature to be an assertive person. I was used to looking to others for guidance, for influence, sometimes for the most basic cues of life. And yet writing stories is one of the most assertive things a person can do. Fiction is an act of willfulness, a deliberate effort to reconceive, to rearrange, to reconstitute nothing short of reality itself. Even among the most reluctant and doubtful of writers, this willfulness must emerge. Being a writer means taking the leap from listening to saying, “Listen to me.”
– Jhumpa Lahiri
via Notes from a Literary Apprenticeship: The New Yorker.
Currently blogless? You’re a click away from sharing your story.
Create your blog at WordPress.com
The Daily Post 
I love this post!! I couldn’t have said it better myself, very inspirational to all of us writers, published and unpublished 🙂
Astrid R.
LikeLike
Love Jhumpa Lahiri!
LikeLike
I agree!! Thank you for this Heartfelt expression! ♥ I am listening, and thank you for listening to me! 🙂
LikeLike
I think there is a time in your life that you realize that you want to write.You may be terrible with spelling, but the stories are there within you. We are here for so very little time and the older I get I realized now is the time. Who knows you could help someone without knowing.
LikeLike
♥ Great excerpt! 🙂
LikeLike
Great excerpt today.
LikeLike
You are right..It should be with passion..
LikeLike
You are so right. Writing takes you to yourself , your essence, a person that no one knows. Your stories and live education you can share and help others along the way. No one looks over your shoulder you are the manager of your work.
LikeLike
It actually describes my state of mind during most days. Honestly loved reading this. 🙂
LikeLike
I especially love that last line – so true!
LikeLike
“Being a writer means taking the leap from listening to saying, “Listen to me.” This is brilliant, and definitely an inspiration for youthful writers such as myself. I decided I want to write after beginning university – ironic, new adventures equals new stories. Hopefully people may listen to myself one day, as people are listening to you. Thank you for sharing!
LikeLike
Loved it!!!
LikeLike
Jhumpa Lahiri, Writing sometimes makes it easier for some people to express an idea and make a change in his or her own life or others.
“Listen to me” can shout to the world through words. Thanks for the post!
LikeLike
Mucho nos ayuda, y aún inesperadamente podemos ayudar.
En muchos casos una sola palabra o idea, pueden conseguir muy buenos cambios en nuestras Vidas, para con-llevarnos mejor con los demás, conocidos o no conocidos.
LikeLike
very inspiring.
LikeLike