"Writers seem to me to be people who need to retire from social life and do a lot of thinking about what's happened - almost to calm themselves"

In this quote, author Helen Garner suggests that authors have a need to withdraw from social life in order to reflect and process their experiences. She believes that this self-questioning is required for writers to discover a sense of calm and understand the events that have occurred in their lives. Garner suggests that writing is a solitary and reflective activity, which authors require a particular level of isolation in order to fully engage with their thoughts and feelings. This quote highlights the significance of self-reflection and self-questioning in the imaginative procedure, and the role it plays in the lives of writers.