The child behind the fencepost

Writing attracts some people as a way of concealing themselves, hiding inside imaginary characters, in the same way that an actor can hide inside the role he is playing. Certainly concealment is part of writing, and we all hide in our characters; but writing is also a way of revealing ourselves. Either we do this voluntarily and courageously, or we do it out of timidity and in spite of ourselves. The unhappy young writer who invents heroes of stupefying intelligence, wisdom, beauty, strength, and virtue is like a child trying to hide behind a fencepost. She can’t hide all of herself, or even choose what parts to reveal.

—Damon Knight