Meaning: Ivy Compton-Burnett, a British novelist known for her distinctive writing style and darkly comic portrayal of family life, expressed her view on the completion of her novels with the quote, "At a certain point my novels set. They set just as hard as that jam jar. And then I know they are finished." This statement provides insight into her approach to the writing process and the criteria she used to determine when a novel was complete.

Compton-Burnett's comparison of her novels to a "jam jar" that sets hard offers a vivid and tangible metaphor for the finalization of her work. In this analogy, the setting of the jam jar represents a point of irrevocable change, indicating that the contents have reached a state of completion and cannot be altered further. By likening her novels to this process, she suggests that there comes a definitive moment in the writing process when the narrative, characters, and themes solidify into a coherent and finished form.

The notion of a novel "setting" aligns with the idea that the creative process is not entirely open-ended but rather reaches a point of resolution and closure. This perspective reflects the discipline and precision that Compton-Burnett brought to her writing, indicating that she had a clear sense of when her work had achieved its intended shape and structure. It also implies that she had a keen awareness of when to resist the temptation to endlessly revise and refine, recognizing when the novel had reached its optimal form.

Furthermore, the comparison to a jam jar suggests that this point of "setting" is not arbitrary but rather a natural outcome of the writing process. Just as the ingredients in a jam jar undergo a transformation to become a cohesive and preserved product, Compton-Burnett's novels undergo a similar process of development and consolidation. This comparison conveys the idea that the completion of a novel is not just a matter of reaching a certain word count or meeting a deadline, but rather a transformational journey in which the narrative elements come together to create a unified and enduring work.

Compton-Burnett's statement also hints at the personal intuition and instinct that informed her decision-making as a writer. The phrase "And then I know they are finished" suggests a deep-seated understanding that transcends any external measures of completion. This insight into her creative process underscores the importance of subjective judgment and authorial confidence, emphasizing that the completion of a novel is a deeply internal and intuitive realization.

In conclusion, Ivy Compton-Burnett's quote provides a compelling perspective on the completion of her novels, offering a metaphorical and introspective view of the writing process. By comparing her novels to a "jam jar" that sets hard, she conveys the idea that there is a definitive moment when a work reaches a state of completion and cannot be further altered. This perspective reflects her disciplined approach to writing, her awareness of the natural evolution of the creative process, and her reliance on personal intuition to determine when a novel has achieved its final form. Overall, Compton-Burnett's quote offers valuable insight into the creative journey and the moment of realization when a writer knows that their work is truly finished.