"It was like there was a pile of kindling that was in the back of my imagination just waiting there. Once I lit it, it just flared up and I kept getting ideas and ideas"
About this Quote
The subtext is a defense of process, especially for a working, prolific author. “Once I lit it” implies a deliberate act, not passive waiting. The spark might be a deadline, a first paragraph, a single what-if question, a conversation with an editor. What matters is the commitment to ignition. After that, the “flared up” suggests feedback loops: one choice generates consequences, consequences breed complications, complications demand more choices. The story starts writing back.
Contextually, this metaphor sits comfortably in late-20th/early-21st century genre writing culture, where productivity is both celebrated and suspected. Anderson—known for collaborative work and expansive universes—pushes back against the romantic myth that art must arrive as suffering or rarefied brilliance. He’s describing momentum, not magic: the creative mind as combustible, primed by prior reading and lived experience, and activated by action. It’s also a quiet warning: if you never strike the match, the kindling just stays potential, and potential doesn’t warm anyone.
Quote Details
| Topic | Writing |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite | Cite this Quote |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Anderson, Kevin J. (n.d.). It was like there was a pile of kindling that was in the back of my imagination just waiting there. Once I lit it, it just flared up and I kept getting ideas and ideas. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/it-was-like-there-was-a-pile-of-kindling-that-was-104285/
Chicago Style
Anderson, Kevin J. "It was like there was a pile of kindling that was in the back of my imagination just waiting there. Once I lit it, it just flared up and I kept getting ideas and ideas." FixQuotes. Accessed February 2, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/it-was-like-there-was-a-pile-of-kindling-that-was-104285/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"It was like there was a pile of kindling that was in the back of my imagination just waiting there. Once I lit it, it just flared up and I kept getting ideas and ideas." FixQuotes, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/it-was-like-there-was-a-pile-of-kindling-that-was-104285/. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
