--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a scary thing for fiction writers…" description: "\"It's a scary thing for fiction writers, when you're always writing from the point of view both as and for someone who is different.\" — Alice Mattison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/alice-mattison-11066_different_it-s-a-scary-thing-for-fiction-writers-w_1908953.jpg" --- # It's a scary thing for fiction writers, when you're always… ![“It's a scary thing for fiction writers, when you're always writing from the point of view both as and for someone who is different.” quote by Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/alice-mattison-11066_different_it-s-a-scary-thing-for-fiction-writers-w_1908953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/alice-mattison-11066_different_it-s-a-scary-thing-for-fiction-writers-w_1908953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/alice-mattison-11066_different_it-s-a-scary-thing-for-fiction-writers-w_1908953.jpg) > “It's a scary thing for fiction writers, when you're always writing from the point of view both as and for someone who is different.” [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing from another's perspective challenges empathy and authenticity, risking misrepresentation. **In simple terms:** Writing as someone else is hard but enriching. Key Takeaway Practice empathy in narrative. Themes writing empathy identity creativity Mood thoughtful reflective Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - role‑play - teaching Key Concepts voice perspective character development Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor another's experience while writing? - What techniques help maintain authenticity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fiction writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-writers/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Scary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scary/) [Scary things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scary-things/) [Thing Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-fiction-1064911/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writers Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-writing-657163/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [And yet, I do believe there is ultimately meaning in the chaos, and also in the doldrums. What I resist is not the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/and-yet-i-do-believe-there-is-ultimately-meaning-in-the-chaos-and/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Reality is the scary thing. Not my work, not comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/reality-is-the-scary-thing-not-my-work-not-comedy/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [One day I was 17 years old and I ended up trying to commit suicide and I ended up in the hospital. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pattie-mallette/one-day-i-was-17-years-old-and-i-ended-up-trying-to-commit-suicide/) [Pattie Mallette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pattie-mallette/) > [The world is scary, and things are overwhelming, and there's a lot at stake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/the-world-is-scary-and-things-are-overwhelming-and-there-s-a-lot-at/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [She's letting out her feelings. The scary thing is not being able to do that. When your feelings build up and harden and die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/she-s-letting-out-her-feelings-the-scary-thing-is-not-being-able-to/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I'm a good communicator, and I'm a good translator. 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I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/marriage-is-a-really-scary-thing-i-m-excited-about-it-i-know-it-s-not/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [The scary thing is that sometimes you are wrapping up animation on a sequence and you don't know how the movie ends or begins.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-scanlon/the-scary-thing-is-that-sometimes-you-are-wrapping-up-animation-on-a/) [Dan Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-scanlon/) > [Religion is a very scary thing, because a pastor is in a position of power. And if you use that power badly, you ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/religion-is-a-very-scary-thing-because-a-pastor-is-in-a-position-of/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [In an infinite multiverse, there is no such thing as fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adsit/in-an-infinite-multiverse-there-is-no-such-thing-as-fiction/) [Scott Adsit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adsit/) > [The great thing about fiction is you can talk about things without being didactic about them, but hopefully forge a connection with people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-joy/the-great-thing-about-fiction-is-you-can-talk-about-things-without/) [Lisa Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-joy/) > [The great thing about fiction is that everything you care about ends up going into the book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-heller/the-great-thing-about-fiction-is-that-everything-you-care-about-ends/) [Peter Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-heller/) > [I think that one thing fiction can offer, and must offer, is a place where someone's mind and their imagination can come to rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-h-winters/i-think-that-one-thing-fiction-can-offer-and-must-offer-is-a-place/) [Ben H. Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-h-winters/) ## More by Alice Mattison > [Sometimes indirect style and varying chronology is great, but quite often I've seen it be just something that gets in the way. It turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/sometimes-indirect-style-and-varying-chronology-is-great-but-quite/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [Every once in a while someone says, 'You can't really learn anything, if you're really a writer then you wouldn't need to do it.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/every-once-in-a-while-someone-says-you-can-t-really-learn-anything-if/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [Whoever would write books? It's suffering as well as greatly satisfying. And certainly there's suffering in the sense that you don't know for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/whoever-would-write-books-it-s-suffering-as-well-as-greatly/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [I get to a certain point, and I think in a novel it's about the third draft, when I want other eyes on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/i-get-to-a-certain-point-and-i-think-in-a-novel-it-s-about-the-third/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [It's hard to say which of us is luckier, the ones who go through long periods when they can't write or the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/it-s-hard-to-say-which-of-us-is-luckier-the-ones-who-go-through-long/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [“When a man I like touches my arm or my hair, I want to know if he'll touch the center of me, and whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/when-a-man-i-like-touches-my-arm-or-my-hair-i-want-to-know-if-he-ll/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [I heard a white writer say, 'Oh, I'd never put black people in my writing, I'm afraid I would offend someone by doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/i-heard-a-white-writer-say-oh-i-d-never-put-black-people-in-my/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [When I've taught writing to five, six, and seven year olds, it's not very different than talking to an adult writer. They're writers then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/when-i-ve-taught-writing-to-five-six-and-seven-year-olds-it-s-not/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [I find that I get very excited about what my students are up to and that I get to be the hurdle they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/i-find-that-i-get-very-excited-about-what-my-students-are-up-to-and/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [I love to read nonfiction and memoir, but I'm mostly interested in the piece of writing more than the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/i-love-to-read-nonfiction-and-memoir-but-i-m-mostly-interested-in-the/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [I think that inevitably, the trouble our characters go through is a kind of metaphor for what's happening in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/i-think-that-inevitably-the-trouble-our-characters-go-through-is-a/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [When an editor first explained to me the difference between direct and indirect writing, I just thought it was a stylistic choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/when-an-editor-first-explained-to-me-the-difference-between-direct/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [Writers sometimes are paid a great deal of money, but much more frequently they're not paid or are paid only a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/writers-sometimes-are-paid-a-great-deal-of-money-but-much-more/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [We're always inventing, even if we're making someone who's fairly close to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/we-re-always-inventing-even-if-we-re-making-someone-who-s-fairly/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [I just like doing it, I like writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/i-just-like-doing-it-i-like-writing/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) [Explore all 62 Alice Mattison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) ## More Different quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. 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