--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps this is simply the way it is with…" description: "\"“Perhaps this is simply the way it is with writers. It's when they don't see you that you matter. Because then you can belong to them in a way that per..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39c/alice-walker-347_possession_perhaps-this-is-simply-the-way-it-is-wit_1070813.png" --- # Perhaps this is simply the way it is with writers. It's… ![“Perhaps this is simply the way it is with writers. It's when they don't see you that you matter. Because then you can belong to them in a way that permits them complete possession. You are determined by them. You are controlled. You are, generally speaking, exaggerated.” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39c/alice-walker-347_possession_perhaps-this-is-simply-the-way-it-is-wit_1070813.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39c/alice-walker-347_possession_perhaps-this-is-simply-the-way-it-is-wit_1070813.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39c/alice-walker-347_possession_perhaps-this-is-simply-the-way-it-is-wit_1070813.png) > ““Perhaps this is simply the way it is with writers. It's when they don't see you that you matter. Because then you can belong to them in a way that permits them complete possession. You are determined by them. You are controlled. You are, generally speaking, exaggerated.”” [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers may feel controlled by readers' expectations, leading to exaggerated self‑perception and loss of autonomy. **In simple terms:** Writers feel owned by readers, causing exaggeration. Key Takeaway Maintain creative independence despite audience pressure. Themes creativity control identity reader‑author relationship Mood reflective critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - publishing - social media - workshops - author talks Key Concepts literary theory psychology authorship Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance audience expectations with personal vision? - What boundaries protect your creative voice? A Different Perspective Audience influence can inspire growth, not just control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complete Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complete-possession-1451567/) [Controlled Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlled-generally-2667422/) [Matter Belong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-belong-2667421/) [Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) [Possession Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession-determined-2667420/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“And it happens all at once—just looking at him, I fall in love. But it doesn’t matter—because I can belong to no one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-scott/and-it-happens-all-at-once-just-looking-at-him-i-fall-in-love-but-it/) [Ginger Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-scott/) > [Complete possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/complete-possession-is-proved-only-by-giving-all-you-are-unable-to/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [At no time are we ever in such complete possession of a journey, down to its last nook and cranny, as when we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/at-no-time-are-we-ever-in-such-complete-possession-of-a-journey-down-2/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [“I felt as though I owned the whole world. And little wonder, because at no time are we ever in such complete possession of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/i-felt-as-though-i-owned-the-whole-world-and-little-wonder-because-at/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [At no time are we ever in such complete possession of a journey, down to its last nook and cranny, as when we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/at-no-time-are-we-ever-in-such-complete-possession-of-a-journey-down/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [The great master key to riches is nothing more or less than the self-discipline necessary to help you take full and complete possession of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-great-master-key-to-riches-is-nothing-more-or-less-than-the-self/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope. For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts exclusively in human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-not-perfectly-free-until-we-live-in-pure-hope-for-when-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [My job is unbearable to me because it conflicts with my only desire and my only calling, which is literature. Since I am nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/my-job-is-unbearable-to-me-because-it-conflicts-with-my-only-desire/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [First kill me before you take possession of my Fatherland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sitting-bull/first-kill-me-before-you-take-possession-of-my-fatherland/) [Sitting Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sitting-bull/) > [The good Bishop of Assisi expressed a sort of horror at the hard life which the Little Brothers lived at the Portiuncula, without comforts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-good-bishop-of-assisi-expressed-a-sort-of-horror-at-the-hard-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The gospel assures you that your value is not dependent on your looks or material possessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-l-jack/the-gospel-assures-you-that-your-value-is-not-dependent-on-your-looks/) [Elaine L. Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-l-jack/) > [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [In sports teams, apart from talk of sporting prowess and the imparting of inspirational thought, an extraordinary amount of time is spent discussing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harsha-bhogle/in-sports-teams-apart-from-talk-of-sporting-prowess-and-the-imparting/) [Harsha Bhogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harsha-bhogle/) ## More by Alice Walker > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Remember this-- say it & know it is true: Alice loves me Alice loves me and I am not blamed for this. ... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/remember-this-say-it-know-it-is-true-alice-loves-me-alice-loves-me/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Why aren't you happy in America, if everyone there drives motorcars?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-aren-t-you-happy-in-america-if-everyone-there-drives-motorcars/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“She saw poetry where other writers merely saw failure to cope with English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-saw-poetry-where-other-writers-merely-saw-failure-to-cope-with/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother had handed down respect for the possibilities...and the will to grasp them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-had-handed-down-respect-for-the-possibilities-and-the-will/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“As others might prepare for an exam whose subject matter is unknown to them, so I must study, cram, for every conversation with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/as-others-might-prepare-for-an-exam-whose-subject-matter-is-unknown/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) [Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More Possession quotes > [In sports teams, apart from talk of sporting prowess and the imparting of inspirational thought, an extraordinary amount of time is spent discussing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harsha-bhogle/in-sports-teams-apart-from-talk-of-sporting-prowess-and-the-imparting/) [Harsha Bhogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harsha-bhogle/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [The gospel assures you that your value is not dependent on your looks or material possessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-l-jack/the-gospel-assures-you-that-your-value-is-not-dependent-on-your-looks/) [Elaine L. Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-l-jack/) > [The good Bishop of Assisi expressed a sort of horror at the hard life which the Little Brothers lived at the Portiuncula, without comforts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-good-bishop-of-assisi-expressed-a-sort-of-horror-at-the-hard-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [First kill me before you take possession of my Fatherland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sitting-bull/first-kill-me-before-you-take-possession-of-my-fatherland/) [Sitting Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sitting-bull/) > [My job is unbearable to me because it conflicts with my only desire and my only calling, which is literature. Since I am nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/my-job-is-unbearable-to-me-because-it-conflicts-with-my-only-desire/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope. For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts exclusively in human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-not-perfectly-free-until-we-live-in-pure-hope-for-when-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The glory of a workman, still more of a master workman, that he does his work well, ought to be his most precious possession;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-glory-of-a-workman-still-more-of-a-master-workman-that-he-does/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I put a lot of emphasis on how to treat people. The reason for this is simple. The real success of our personal lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/i-put-a-lot-of-emphasis-on-how-to-treat-people-the-reason-for-this-is/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [I was given a Roberts digital radio by my mum and dad. I think it's my favorite possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-ritchie/i-was-given-a-roberts-digital-radio-by-my-mum-and-dad-i-think-it-s-my/) [Charlotte Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-ritchie/) > [...it is a very risky thing for anyone to go about proclaiming the truth simply because he finds himself in possession of concrete documentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-amado/it-is-a-very-risky-thing-for-anyone-to-go-about-proclaiming-the-truth/) [Jorge Amado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-amado/) > [“... the Possession Diet. It's fast. It works. It introduces you to new, healthier foods. And it's almost never fatal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dolley/the-possession-diet-it-s-fast-it-works-it-introduces-you-to-new/) [Chris Dolley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dolley/) > [One's religion is one's own possession and he has a right to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harris/one-s-religion-is-one-s-own-possession-and-he-has-a-right-to-it/) [Paul Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harris/) [Browse all 2,076 Possession quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Perhaps this is simply the way it is with writers. It's when they don't see you that you matter. Because then you can belong to them in a way that permits them complete possession. You are determined by them. You are controlled. 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