but he was surprised by the role of sheer doggedness—
Cricket had had time to sketch, then correct, then sketch, then refine. He measured proportions and improved. He grew more confident with each pass on his drawing, and realized—was almost embarrassed to finally realize—that much of the rightness of the drawing, of any drawing, came through time and diligence and discernment. It came from work and humility—being able to recognize if something is wrong, and knowing how to address it. There was room for talent, yes, talent was much of it, but he was surprised by the role of sheer doggedness—the determination to get it right. He had gotten it right, he was sure, here and there.
— Dave Eggers, Contrapposto: A Novel (Knopf, June 9, 2026)
