By some strange, unknown, inward urgency they are not really alive unless they are creating. The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To them… a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create — so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, their very breath is cut off… They must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency they are not really alive unless they are creating.

More quotes by Pearl S. Buck

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"A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love."

- Pearl S. Buck

Love

"The test of a civilization is in the way that it cares for its helpless members."

- Pearl S. Buck

Compassion

"There is an alchemy in sorrow. It can be transmuted into wisdom, which, if it does not bring joy, can yet bring happiness."

- Pearl S. Buck

Hope

"You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings."

- Pearl S. Buck

Integrity

"I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work."

- Pearl S. Buck

Motivation

More Creativity Quotes

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"You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."

- Maya Angelou

Creativity

"Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless."

- Jamie Paolinetti

Creativity

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation."

- Herman Melville

Creativity

"I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying."

- Oscar Wilde

Creativity

"Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too."

- Isabel Allende

Creativity