--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The difficult part of writing about…" description: "\"The difficult part of writing about someone you don't admire is that it's easy to demonize them. What you get then is a cackling villain, twirling thei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/andrew-shaffer-9890_admire_the-difficult-part-of-writing-about-some_733303.jpg" --- # The difficult part of writing about someone you don't… ![“The difficult part of writing about someone you don't admire is that it's easy to demonize them. What you get then is a cackling villain, twirling their mustache at every dastardly deed they commit.” quote by Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/andrew-shaffer-9890_admire_the-difficult-part-of-writing-about-some_733303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/andrew-shaffer-9890_admire_the-difficult-part-of-writing-about-some_733303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/andrew-shaffer-9890_admire_the-difficult-part-of-writing-about-some_733303.jpg) > “The difficult part of writing about someone you don't admire is that it's easy to demonize them. What you get then is a cackling villain, twirling their mustache at every dastardly deed they commit.” [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing about disliked people often leads to caricature, reducing complexity to villainy. **In simple terms:** Avoid demonizing subjects; seek nuance. Key Takeaway Seek nuance, avoid caricature. Themes bias characterization empathy Mood critical reflective Type analytical ethical When to use this quote - biographies - journalism - fiction - editorial pieces Key Concepts psychology narrative ethics literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - Can you portray flaws without villainizing? - How does empathy change narrative tone? A Different Perspective Complex subjects may resist simple empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [When everybody goes into their separate corners, it's just real easy to demonize the other side instead of saying, 'Okay, how can we come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/when-everybody-goes-into-their-separate-corners-it-s-just-real-easy/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [It's easy to demonize from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/it-s-easy-to-demonize-from-a-distance/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [In wrestling, my mustache made me look more like a villain. A good mustache can give you the look of the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/in-wrestling-my-mustache-made-me-look-more-like-a-villain-a-good/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [“Oh! Do not excite yourself. Shall I say that he interested me because he was trying to grow a mustache and as yet the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/oh-do-not-excite-yourself-shall-i-say-that-he-interested-me-because/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [I can tell by your fake mustache that youre clever!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-can-tell-by-your-fake-mustache-that-youre-clever/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I'm an old fashioned theater major at heart. I love to do a show, do something with friends; I'm kind of a nerd in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lenk/i-m-an-old-fashioned-theater-major-at-heart-i-love-to-do-a-show-do/) [Tom Lenk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lenk/) > [“Battle not with monsters lest you become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.’ Nietzsche, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/battle-not-with-monsters-lest-you-become-a-monster-and-if-you-gaze/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [I grew my mustache when I was nineteen in order to look older. I never shaved it off even though it overran its usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-grew-my-mustache-when-i-was-nineteen-in-order-to-look-older-i-never/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I should never, ever try and grow a mustache again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccready/i-should-never-ever-try-and-grow-a-mustache-again/) [Mike McCready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccready/) > [I was curious. Here was a character where I just didn't know how they were going to write him into 13 episodes without it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-hatosy/i-was-curious-here-was-a-character-where-i-just-didn-t-know-how-they/) [Shawn Hatosy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-hatosy/) > [Since 99.362% of women love mustache rides, it seems only a fool would have a bare upper lip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/since-99-362-of-women-love-mustache-rides-it-seems-only-a-fool-would/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Nowadays, if you have a mustache, people look at you like you're crazy. But when I was growing up, I never saw my dad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-connolly/nowadays-if-you-have-a-mustache-people-look-at-you-like-you-re-crazy/) [Kevin Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-connolly/) > [Ladies if you wanna show that you're wacky and totally original, draw a mustache on your finger and take a picture with it under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ladies-if-you-wanna-show-that-you-re-wacky-and-totally-original-draw/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I didn’t have time to grow out a mustache, so I wore a squirrel to the party. Women looked at me like they knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-didn-t-have-time-to-grow-out-a-mustache-so-i-wore-a-squirrel-to-the/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a mustache - it is better for the health. However, I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/since-i-don-t-smoke-i-decided-to-grow-a-mustache-it-is-better-for-the/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) ## More by Andrew Shaffer > [When Patrick finally broke his silence with 2008's 'Anthems For the Damned' - the first Filter album that he recorded sober - fans were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/when-patrick-finally-broke-his-silence-with-2008-s-anthems-for-the/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [“Who is this man I’m supposed to interview, this man whose last name is the same as the color of my sweatpants? Is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/who-is-this-man-i-m-supposed-to-interview-this-man-whose-last-name-is/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [“She hands me a security badge that says VIRGIN. How could she know that I’m a virgin? Is it that obvious? “How did you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/she-hands-me-a-security-badge-that-says-virgin-how-could-she-know/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [If you're looking for a behind-the-scenes rock-n-roll biography, pick up Nikki Sixx's 'The Heroin Diaries'. If you want the world's most narcissistic high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/if-you-re-looking-for-a-behind-the-scenes-rock-n-roll-biography-pick/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [“ Stop it, girl. There’s no way he’s five-years-old. Or one hundred. He’s probably like every other CEO on the planet: Late twenties, handsome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/stop-it-girl-there-s-no-way-he-s-five-years-old-or-one-hundred-he-s/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [Chicago is a city built on architecture, and there are plenty of buildings to scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/chicago-is-a-city-built-on-architecture-and-there-are-plenty-of/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [Treat haters in your online spaces just the same as you would in the real world. If they're not respectful to you and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/treat-haters-in-your-online-spaces-just-the-same-as-you-would-in-the/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [In 2009, the American Library Association recorded 460 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/in-2009-the-american-library-association-recorded-460-challenges/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [“I growl with frustration at my reflection in the mirror. Damn my hair – it’s fifty shades of fucked up. The situation I’m in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/i-growl-with-frustration-at-my-reflection-in-the-mirror-damn-my-hair/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [Young adult author Richelle Mead holds the distinction to perhaps be the only author ever to have a book banned... before it was even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/young-adult-author-richelle-mead-holds-the-distinction-to-perhaps-be/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [In their political careers, Obama and Biden faced down lobbyists, Tea Party carpetbaggers, and Washington gridlock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/in-their-political-careers-obama-and-biden-faced-down-lobbyists-tea/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [I catch Filter in Des Moines doing their soundcheck at a small club. After tearing through a few songs, they spend nearly an hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/i-catch-filter-in-des-moines-doing-their-soundcheck-at-a-small-club/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [In the White House, Obama was driven around in an armored Cadillac limo nicknamed 'The Beast.' In 'Hope Never Dies,' he blows his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/in-the-white-house-obama-was-driven-around-in-an-armored-cadillac/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [Celebrating Christmas without subscribing to Christianity is like watching the Super Bowl without watching a regular season game. Some people watch the Super Bowl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/celebrating-christmas-without-subscribing-to-christianity-is-like/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [Biden is actually a wonk at heart. Despite his gaffes, he's very cerebral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/biden-is-actually-a-wonk-at-heart-despite-his-gaffes-he-s-very/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) [Explore all 67 Andrew Shaffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) ## More Admire quotes > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I admire Serena Williams, because, I mean, who doesn't admire Serena Williams?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-admire-serena-williams-because-i-mean-who-doesn-t-admire-serena/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [How proud I am to be compared to Oprah. I really admire her. She's a minority woman and she's done all this by herself...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/how-proud-i-am-to-be-compared-to-oprah-i-really-admire-her-she-s-a/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [I admire President Obama's ability to trust strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-admire-president-obama-s-ability-to-trust-strangers/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I really admire people's interactions with technology that aren't tech-centric but use it as a tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-really-admire-people-s-interactions-with-technology-that-aren-t/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [During my first years in the Sierra, I was ever calling on everybody within reach to admire them, but I found no one half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/during-my-first-years-in-the-sierra-i-was-ever-calling-on-everybody/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Shaw's works make me admire the magnificent tolerance and broadmindedness of the english.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/shaw-s-works-make-me-admire-the-magnificent-tolerance-and/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I think it's really good and helpful to have the people you most admire in some other discipline than what you work in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-it-s-really-good-and-helpful-to-have-the-people-you-most/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [Part of what we admire about a painting or a piece of music is the order which the artist has imposed upon what would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/part-of-what-we-admire-about-a-painting-or-a-piece-of-music-is-the/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [I respect and admire the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/i-respect-and-admire-the-premier-league/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) > [“The thing I admire most about you is no matter how hard, or how much the world has tried to beat you, break you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-gill/the-thing-i-admire-most-about-you-is-no-matter-how-hard-or-how-much/) [Nikita Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-gill/) Browse all 2,369 Admire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The difficult part of writing about someone you don't admire is that it's easy to demonize them. 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