Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.
—W. Somerset Maugham
The writer can only be fertile if he renews himself and he can only renew himself if his soul is constantly enriched by fresh experience.
There is no more fruitful source of this than the enchanting exploration of the great literatures of the past. For the production of a work of art is not the result of a miracle. It requires preparation.
The soil, be it ever so rich, must be fed. By taking thought, by deliberate effort, the artist must enlarge, deepen and diversify his personality. Then the soil must lie fallow.
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