"Well, I think writing is basically about time and rhythm. Like with jazz. You have your basic melody and then you just riff off of it. And the riffs are about timing"

In this quote, author Kathy Acker compares writing to jazz music, stating that both are focused around the ideas of time and rhythm. Simply as a jazz artist has a fundamental melody to work with, an author has a main idea or style to build on. Nevertheless, both jazz and composing enable improvisation and imagination, represented by the "riffs" that are included on to the basic structure. Acker emphasizes the value of timing in both jazz and writing, as the success of a piece depends upon the exact execution of these riffs or additions. In general, Acker recommends that writing, like jazz, is a fluid and dynamic procedure that needs a strong sense of timing and rhythm.