<p>As I novelist, I would say it’s completely untrue. My extreme interest in other people and people skills have elicited all the stories that are a background to my writing, as have all my adventures with people. </p>
<p>As a poet, if I didn’t attend poetry readings etc. I would not be “in the loop” and wouldn’t be published. I must say, I don’t enjoy that about writing poetry, but there it is.</p>
<p>I might agree more with the quote if it suggested we needed to be a little “obsessive-compulsive,” because extreme attention to detail is necessary, and sometimes I do drive the people I know a bit crazy with that.</p>
<p>But many professions require that. And I must be extremely focused when as, a college professor, I grade my students’ essays. To teach them to write I have to ferret out all the mistakes. Taxing work.</p>
<p>However, I know that quotations like that are very soothing for kids with Auspergers (we have a close family member who really likes them) so I am happy to have them continue to be bandied about.</p>