If You Want to Write

“There is a reason why some women’s lives are vaguely unsatisfactory. They are always doing secondary and menial things (that do not require all their gifts and ability) for others and never anything for themselves. If you are always doing something for others, and never anything for yourself, you can make then physically more comfortable. But you cannot affect them spiritually. For to teach, encourage, cheer up, console, amuse, stimulate or advise a husband or children, you have to be something yourself. So, if you want your children to be musicians, then work at music yourself, seriously and with all your intelligence. If you want them to be scholars, study hard yourself. If you want them to be honest, be honest yourself, and so it goes.”

“And that is why I would say to the worn and hectored mothers in the class who longed to write and could find not a minute for it: ‘If you would shut your door against the children for an hour a day and say, “Mother is working on her five-act tragedy in blank verse!” you would be surprised how much they would respect you. They would probably all become playwrights.” And if women once learn to be something themselves, that the only way to teach is to be fine and shining examples, we will have in one generation the most remarkable and glorious children.”