In "The Children's Book" by A.S. Byatt, Olive Wellwood experiences a common sensation among writers confronted with reality. She feels that the richness of true experiences can overshadow the imaginative elements that are essential for fiction, leading to a struggle to weave creativity into such factual narratives.

This tension between fact and fiction illustrates the challenges authors face when attempting to balance realism with artistic invention. Olive’s perception highlights the somewhat restrictive nature of reality, which can leave little room for the necessary embellishments that make storytelling engaging and resonant.