“Good writing is remembering detail. Most of us go through life with our eyes half-closed.”
What this quote means
John Irving reminds us here that quality writing relies on attention to detail. Too often, we go through life without truly seeing, absorbed by our thoughts or habits. Observing the world with acuity is about capturing the essence of things and people. This quote encourages us to open our eyes, to be present, in order to feed our memory and our writing with these little nothings that make all the difference.
How to apply it daily
Today, choose a familiar place and observe it as if seeing it for the first time. Note three details you had never noticed before.
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