--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always feel it is a shortcoming of mine…" description: "\"I always feel it is a shortcoming of mine as a reader and as a writer that I frankly need to like somebody.\" — Ann Patchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/ann-patchett-670_books_i-always-feel-it-is-a-shortcoming-of-min_1979281.jpg" --- # I always feel it is a shortcoming of mine as a reader and… ![“I always feel it is a shortcoming of mine as a reader and as a writer that I frankly need to like somebody.” quote by Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/ann-patchett-670_books_i-always-feel-it-is-a-shortcoming-of-min_1979281.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/ann-patchett-670_books_i-always-feel-it-is-a-shortcoming-of-min_1979281.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/ann-patchett-670_books_i-always-feel-it-is-a-shortcoming-of-min_1979281.jpg) > “I always feel it is a shortcoming of mine as a reader and as a writer that I frankly need to like somebody.” [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She admits a personal shortcoming: needing to like characters to engage fully as a reader and writer. **In simple terms:** Liking characters helps reading and writing. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy for characters. Themes empathy literature self‑awareness character development Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - book clubs - creative writing classes - editorial work - reading groups - personal reflection Key Concepts emotional connection bias narrative focus Questions to Reflect On - How does personal bias affect storytelling? - Can you appreciate a character you dislike? A Different Perspective Disliking characters can limit narrative depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Shortcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortcoming/) [Shortcomings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortcomings/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's a huge shortcoming of mine - this disconnect between the world of human and animals. We are animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zucker/i-think-it-s-a-huge-shortcoming-of-mine-this-disconnect-between-the/) [Rachel Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zucker/) > [“However far I’ve come, it’s probably somewhere less than halfway of where I could be if I simply believed in myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/however-far-i-ve-come-it-s-probably-somewhere-less-than-halfway-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [There is no effort without error or shortcoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-is-no-effort-without-error-or-shortcoming/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“Herein lies the beauty of the flaw: that a shortcoming is a spiritual sign that says "Look! There is a perfect opportunity right here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/herein-lies-the-beauty-of-the-flaw-that-a-shortcoming-is-a-spiritual/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Our own shortcomings should be distraction enough from pointing out the faults of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navaid-aziz/our-own-shortcomings-should-be-distraction-enough-from-pointing-out/) [Navaid Aziz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navaid-aziz/) > [It is far more useful to be aware of a single shortcoming in ourselves than it is to be aware of a thousand in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/it-is-far-more-useful-to-be-aware-of-a-single-shortcoming-in/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“Although he liked nearly everything else about himself, Keith hated his redeeming features. 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I didn't make a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-i-had-problems-i-kept-them-to-myself-i-didn-t-make-a-scene/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [I can't write the book I want to write, but I can and will write the book I am capable of writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-can-t-write-the-book-i-want-to-write-but-i-can-and-will-write-the/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Without worry to protect me, every thought that came into my mind received real attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/without-worry-to-protect-me-every-thought-that-came-into-my-mind/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“I wrote the last sentence of The Patron Saint of Liars in early April and stumbled out of my apartment and into the beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-wrote-the-last-sentence-of-the-patron-saint-of-liars-in-early-april/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“In the future, he will try to say her name enough, but he never can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/in-the-future-he-will-try-to-say-her-name-enough-but-he-never-can/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [My novels are very much the same, as I think many people's novels are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/my-novels-are-very-much-the-same-as-i-think-many-people-s-novels-are/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“He was in love, and never had he felt such kindness towards another person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/he-was-in-love-and-never-had-he-felt-such-kindness-towards-another/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Gen was sleeping the sleep of the heavily drugged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/gen-was-sleeping-the-sleep-of-the-heavily-drugged/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [If I was a waitress, I was too tired at the end of the day when I came home to try to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-i-was-a-waitress-i-was-too-tired-at-the-end-of-the-day-when-i-came/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“She didn't know how to hate her mother yet, but every time she left her father crying in the airport she came that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/she-didn-t-know-how-to-hate-her-mother-yet-but-every-time-she-left/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“When you think of love you think as an American. 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