Hemmingway on the truth

“Goddamn it you took liberties with peoples’ pasts and futures that
produced not people but damned marvellously faked case histories. You,
who can write better than anybody can, who are so lousy with talent
that you have to—the hell with it. Scott for gods sake write and write
truly no matter who or what it hurts but do not make these silly
compromises. You could write a fine book about Gerald and Sara for
instance if you knew enough about them and they would not have any
feeling, except passing, if it were true.”

via Letters of Note