Page:The Craftsmanship of Writing.djvu/101

THE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE advice given by Thoreau is as good as any that can be devised for stimulating a sluggish imagination:

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The great trouble is that ideas, real ideas such as are likely to be of any importance or interest to a considerable number of people, are not so plentiful as to be easily found. They frequently represent well-nigh half the battle in a literary achievement of any importance. It is always so much easier to echo than to originate. One thing is certain: the central idea will not come at command; it must be patiently [87]