--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's true that it's a solitary…" description: "\"It's true that it's a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of imaginary characters can offer once you get ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/anne-tyler-1837_companionship_it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupatio_2764165.png" --- # It's true that it's a solitary occupation, but you would… ![“It's true that it's a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of imaginary characters can offer once you get to know them.” quote by Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/anne-tyler-1837_companionship_it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupatio_2764165.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/anne-tyler-1837_companionship_it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupatio_2764165.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/anne-tyler-1837_companionship_it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupatio_2764165.png) > “It's true that it's a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of imaginary characters can offer once you get to know them.” [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker finds companionship in imaginary characters, highlighting the value of imagination for loneliness. **In simple terms:** Imaginary friends provide companionship. Key Takeaway Embrace imagination to alleviate solitude. Themes loneliness imagination companionship Mood hopeful contemplative Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - creative writing - mental health - social isolation Key Concepts psychology creative coping Questions to Reflect On - How can imagination complement real relationships? - When does reliance on fiction become escapism? A Different Perspective Imaginary companionship may not replace real connections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Companionship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companionship/) ## Related quotes > [It's true that writing is a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of imaginary characters can offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/it-s-true-that-writing-is-a-solitary-occupation-but-you-would-be/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [Fiction has consisted either of placing imaginary characters in a true story, which is the Iliad, or of presenting the story of an individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-queneau/fiction-has-consisted-either-of-placing-imaginary-characters-in-a/) [Raymond Queneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-queneau/) > [I like to create imaginary characters and events around a real historical situation. I want readers to feel: OK, this probably didn't happen, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/i-like-to-create-imaginary-characters-and-events-around-a-real/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [I like to mix the real and the imaginary. Sometimes it is characters inspired by real people I know or know of. Sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-spiotta/i-like-to-mix-the-real-and-the-imaginary-sometimes-it-is-characters/) [Dana Spiotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-spiotta/) > [“The writers we love often serve us through their comfort and example without their ever knowing it, and in this sense, they're as imaginary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricio-pron/the-writers-we-love-often-serve-us-through-their-comfort-and-example/) Patricio Pron > [They are imaginary characters. But perhaps not solely the products of my imagination, since there are some aspects of the characters that relate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mahy/they-are-imaginary-characters-but-perhaps-not-solely-the-products-of/) [Margaret Mahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mahy/) > [The novel is a meditation on existence as seen through the medium of imaginary characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-novel-is-a-meditation-on-existence-as-seen-through-the-medium-of/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Writing is a solitary occupation; we don't really have any colleagues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/writing-is-a-solitary-occupation-we-don-t-really-have-any-colleagues/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted and slightly savage if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/writing-is-a-solitary-occupation-family-friends-and-society-are/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [Writing is a solitary occupation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/writing-is-a-solitary-occupation/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [Writing is a solitary occupation, and we like it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-maclean/writing-is-a-solitary-occupation-and-we-like-it-that-way/) [Julianne MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-maclean/) > [Writing, and especially writing a novel, where you get to sit in a room by yourself with either a pen and a paper or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/writing-and-especially-writing-a-novel-where-you-get-to-sit-in-a-room/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Writing is such a solitary occupation that it takes a long time to build up a group of professional peers with whom you genuinely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/writing-is-such-a-solitary-occupation-that-it-takes-a-long-time-to/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Well I've been writing books. So that, by its nature, is kind of a solitary occupation. And from time to time I have research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-kennedy/well-i-ve-been-writing-books-so-that-by-its-nature-is-kind-of-a/) [Caroline Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-kennedy/) > [Writing fiction is a solitary occupation but not really a lonely one. The writer's head is mobbed with characters, images and language, making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilma-wolitzer/writing-fiction-is-a-solitary-occupation-but-not-really-a-lonely-one/) [Hilma Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilma-wolitzer/) ## More by Anne Tyler > [Try Jesus, you won't regret it, a billboard read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/try-jesus-you-won-t-regret-it-a-billboard-read/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [“Every place I go I miss another place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/every-place-i-go-i-miss-another-place/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [I'm falling into disrepair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/i-m-falling-into-disrepair/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [None of my own experiences ever finds its way into my work. However, the stages of my life - motherhood, middle age, etc. -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/none-of-my-own-experiences-ever-finds-its-way-into-my-work-however/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [For my own family, I would always choose the makeshift, surrogate family formed by various characters unrelated by blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/for-my-own-family-i-would-always-choose-the-makeshift-surrogate/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [Mostly it's lies, writing novels. You set out to tell an untrue story and you try to make it believable, even to yourself. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/mostly-it-s-lies-writing-novels-you-set-out-to-tell-an-untrue-story/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [When I read, I'm purely a reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/when-i-read-i-m-purely-a-reader/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [“You wake in the morning, you’re feeling fine, but all at once you think, “Something’s not right. Something’s off somewhere; what is it?” And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/you-wake-in-the-morning-you-re-feeling-fine-but-all-at-once-you-think/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [“...that was Julian for you: reckless. A dashing sailor, a speedy driver, a frequenter of single bars, he was the kind of man who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/that-was-julian-for-you-reckless-a-dashing-sailor-a-speedy-driver-a/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [“Disaster followed disaster... the hero stuck in there, though. Macon had long ago noticed that all adventure movies had the same moral: Perseverance pays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/disaster-followed-disaster-the-hero-stuck-in-there-though-macon-had/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [It struck her all at once that dealing with other human beings was an awful lot of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/it-struck-her-all-at-once-that-dealing-with-other-human-beings-was-an/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [“Justine hated pantsuits. Whenever she saw one, she had an urge to tell the owner some scandalous fortune, loudly enough to be heard everywhere:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/justine-hated-pantsuits-whenever-she-saw-one-she-had-an-urge-to-tell/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [My family can always tell when I'm well into a novel because the meals get very crummy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/my-family-can-always-tell-when-i-m-well-into-a-novel-because-the/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [“She liked to think that she was wearing her beauty out—using it up, she liked to think. She took some satisfaction in it, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/she-liked-to-think-that-she-was-wearing-her-beauty-out-using-it-up/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [It is not how much you love someone, but who you are when you are with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/it-is-not-how-much-you-love-someone-but-who-you-are-when-you-are-with/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) [Explore all 202 Anne Tyler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) ## More Companionship quotes > [“Maybe some people were destined to be alone. But, I reminded myself, you're never alone if you read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-raisin/maybe-some-people-were-destined-to-be-alone-but-i-reminded-myself-you/) [Rebecca Raisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-raisin/) > [Deliver me from all evildoers that talk nothing but sickness and failure. Grant me the companionship of men who think success and men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/deliver-me-from-all-evildoers-that-talk-nothing-but-sickness-and/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [The thing that counts most in the pursuit of happiness is choosing the right companion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/the-thing-that-counts-most-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-is-choosing/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [What's Minnie without Mickey, what's Tigger without Pooh, what's Patrick without Spongebob, what's me without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sierra-rakes/what-s-minnie-without-mickey-what-s-tigger-without-pooh-what-s/) Sierra Rakes > [A true leader must have enough backbone to stand alone - even when the crowd wants to take the easy road home. A true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-ludy/a-true-leader-must-have-enough-backbone-to-stand-alone-even-when-the/) [Leslie Ludy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-ludy/) > [We all smile and we all cry but it takes someone very special to make us smile when we already have tears in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chee-vai-tang/we-all-smile-and-we-all-cry-but-it-takes-someone-very-special-to-make/) [Chee Vai Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chee-vai-tang/) > [“Here's what I think. We all want someone to build a fort with. We want somebody to swap crayons with and play hide-and-seek with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/here-s-what-i-think-we-all-want-someone-to-build-a-fort-with-we-want/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?" Will demanded with mock horror. "Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/are-you-implying-that-shreds-of-my-reputation-remain-intact-will/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The Voice of Heaven is a still small voice. The voice of peace in the home is a quiet voice. There is need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/the-voice-of-heaven-is-a-still-small-voice-the-voice-of-peace-in-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [We all need someone to talk to, someone who listens, someone who understands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/we-all-need-someone-to-talk-to-someone-who-listens-someone-who/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Older Americans are perfect telemarketing customers, analysts say, because they are often at home, rely on delivery services, and are lonely for the companionship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/older-americans-are-perfect-telemarketing-customers-analysts-say/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“If a man knows a woman finds him the most important anything in his life, he just got the green light to invest a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-keephimattracted/if-a-man-knows-a-woman-finds-him-the-most-important-anything-in-his/) Brian Keephimattracted > [A bore is someone who takes away my solitude and doesn't give me companionship in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-bore-is-someone-who-takes-away-my-solitude-and-doesn-t-give-me/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Hannah Tinti writes with uncommon grace and stunning insight. Her quirky tribe of outcasts will break into your dreams and steal your spirit. Surrender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-rae-thon/hannah-tinti-writes-with-uncommon-grace-and-stunning-insight-her/) Melanie Rae Thon [Browse all 653 Companionship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companionship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's true that it's a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of imaginary characters can offer once you get to know them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne Tyler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupation-but-you-would-be-surprised/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Companionship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupation-but-you-would-be-surprised/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/anne-tyler-1837_companionship_it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupatio_2764165.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/anne-tyler-1837_companionship_it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupatio_2764165.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/anne-tyler-1837_companionship_it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupatio_2764165.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's true that it's a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of…” — Anne Tyler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anne Tyler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's true that it's a solitary...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupation-but-you-would-be-surprised/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/it-s-true-that-it-s-a-solitary-occupation-but-you-would-be-surprised/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```