[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fgFLDj-BQK77Vp94BbjdIZnJYxOIHlTzQ8-SH7fXOjZI":3,"$fQUFPtpSQ-yScjnf4sgIw8Wg2DeFhlIwJx4ACkvVdR-o":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"bio_jsonld":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},70179,"Matthew Joseph Bruccoli","M",1,null,"matthew-joseph-bruccoli",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":43},[14],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":42},474569,"The mortality rate of literary friendships is high. Writers tend to be bad risks as friends ~ probably for much the same reasons that they are bad matrimonial risks. They expend the best parts of themselves in their work. Moreover, literary ambition has a way of turning into literary competition; if fame is the spur, envy may be a concomitant.",2,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[22,27,32,37],{"id":23,"tag":24},2685611,{"id":25,"tag_name":26},89,"friendship",{"id":28,"tag":29},2685613,{"id":30,"tag_name":31},1739,"writers",{"id":33,"tag":34},2685612,{"id":35,"tag_name":36},11925,"hemingway",{"id":38,"tag":39},2685610,{"id":40,"tag_name":41},23245,"fitzgerald","**The Backstory**\n\nMatthew J. Bruccoli, a renowned scholar and critic, penned these words in his book \"The Composition of Literature: Selected Papers from the English Institute\" (1980). At that time, Bruccoli was reflecting on the high rate of failed friendships among writers, echoing his own experiences with literary figures of the 20th century. His observations were likely influenced by the tumultuous lives of writers like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\n\nBruccoli's quote reveals a profound paradox: that creative individuals often sacrifice their personal relationships in pursuit of artistic excellence, driven by an insatiable ambition to create something lasting. This tension highlights how the very qualities that make artists exceptional – passion, intensity, and dedication – can also lead them to neglect or abandon those closest to them.\n\n**How to Use This**\n\nTo apply this mindset today, consider prioritizing nurturing relationships alongside your creative endeavors. Schedule regular check-ins with loved ones, and establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to avoid the pitfalls of literary ambition turning into competition. By acknowledging and balancing these opposing forces, you can maintain healthier relationships while still pursuing your artistic goals.",{"currentPage":8,"totalPages":8,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":44},10]