But there is a wide spread curiosity about writers and how they work, and when a writer talks on this subject, there are always misconceptions and mental rubble for him to clear away before he can even begin to see what he wants to talk about. I am not, of course, as innocent as I look. I know well enough that very few people who are supposedly interested in writing are interested in writing well. They’re interested in publishing something, and if possible in making a “killing.” They are interested in seeing their names at the top of something printed, it matters not what. And they seem to feel that this can be accomplished by learning certain things about working habits and about markets and about what subjects are currently acceptable.
From “The Nature and Aim of Fiction” by Flannery O’Connor. Collected in Mystery and Manners.
Biblioklept 
the ego does have a habit of being over bearing, fine post
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Reblogged this on Kat Webber and commented:
I would agree with this. I, however, think that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Especially something that will have MY name on it.
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Indeed, and one of my pet peeves as I read books in the genre in which I have written is the white-washing of language. Sometimes I can’t tell one author from another because their voices are all the same.
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O’Connor always has good things to say.
No one really learns their writing habits from other writers: It boils down to your own experience. But sometimes you can find something inspiring in hearing what others have to say — especially if it’s O’Connor. For what it’s worth, I’d direct you to my blog, Call of the Siren, where I have a section of interviews with writers called “The Craft.”
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[…] Another great Flannery O’Connor quote, via Biblioklept: “I know well enough that very few people who are supposedly interested in writing are interested in writing well. They’re interested in publishing something, and if possible in making a ‘killing.’” […]
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