--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have written really well, people…" description: "\"If you have written really well, people will swear that it happened to you.\" — Bruce Springsteen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/bruce-springsteen-546_happened_if-you-have-written-really-well-people-w_3036969.jpg" --- # If you have written really well, people will swear that it… ![“If you have written really well, people will swear that it happened to you.” quote by Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/bruce-springsteen-546_happened_if-you-have-written-really-well-people-w_3036969.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/bruce-springsteen-546_happened_if-you-have-written-really-well-people-w_3036969.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/bruce-springsteen-546_happened_if-you-have-written-really-well-people-w_3036969.jpg) > “If you have written really well, people will swear that it happened to you.” [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exceptional writing can feel so personal that observers assume the writer experienced it firsthand. **In simple terms:** Great writing feels like lived experience. Key Takeaway Write with authenticity to convey truth. Themes authenticity writing perception Mood introspective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - novel writing - journalism - songwriting Key Concepts narrative truth authorial voice Questions to Reflect On - Do you think authenticity or imagination is more vital? - How do you balance personal truth with creative license? A Different Perspective Readers may misinterpret artistic expression as literal fact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Forty years later, people still swear they can hear his offstage scream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brustein/forty-years-later-people-still-swear-they-can-hear-his-offstage-scream/) [Robert Brustein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brustein/) > [Some people swear you intentionally to get a reaction from you that would serve their cause. Be cautious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mufti-ismail-menk/some-people-swear-you-intentionally-to-get-a-reaction-from-you-that/) [Mufti Ismail Menk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mufti-ismail-menk/) > [People who swear a lot tend to be more honest, loyal and upfront with their friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-who-swear-a-lot-tend-to-be-more-honest-loyal-and-upfront-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Gramps always says people only swear because their vocabulary is limited...In certain trying circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity furnishes a relief denied even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherise-sinclair/gramps-always-says-people-only-swear-because-their-vocabulary-is/) [Cherise Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherise-sinclair/) > [I don't think it's natural for two people to swear to be together for the rest of their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/i-don-t-think-it-s-natural-for-two-people-to-swear-to-be-together-for/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [People often swear the first time they see my work. I like that,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/people-often-swear-the-first-time-they-see-my-work-i-like-that/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [“I do not know whether many people realize how much more than is ever written there really is in a story — how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-do-not-know-whether-many-people-realize-how-much-more-than-is-ever-2/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [Even when something's funny, it has to be well-written, too. So we are really aware of the craft part of pop music. We really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/even-when-something-s-funny-it-has-to-be-well-written-too-so-we-are/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [“She’s just this character to you. Both of us are! And we always have been. You don’t know what goes on in our heads.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/she-s-just-this-character-to-you-both-of-us-are-and-we-always-have/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [It's very common for people to recommend something to me because they're going on what I've already written, when, what really is the case,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/it-s-very-common-for-people-to-recommend-something-to-me-because-they/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I've also never written anything really in LA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-ve-also-never-written-anything-really-in-la/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [A lot of times, a bunch of songs have to be written to get to the next really good one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/a-lot-of-times-a-bunch-of-songs-have-to-be-written-to-get-to-the-next/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [“I do not know whether many people realize how much more than is ever written there really is in a story— how many parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-do-not-know-whether-many-people-realize-how-much-more-than-is-ever/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [When I write, I enjoy myself so much that what is being written really needs no reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-cabrera-infante/when-i-write-i-enjoy-myself-so-much-that-what-is-being-written-really/) [Guillermo Cabrera Infante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-cabrera-infante/) > [If it so happened that I had once written a best-seller, this was a pure accident, due to inattention and naivete, and I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-it-so-happened-that-i-had-once-written-a-best-seller-this-was-a/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## More by Bruce Springsteen > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [When I die throw my body in the back and drive me to the junk yard in my Cadillac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-i-die-throw-my-body-in-the-back-and-drive-me-to-the-junk-yard-in/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I got Mary pregnant and man that's all she wrote. And for my 19th birthday, I got a union card and a factory coat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-got-mary-pregnant-and-man-that-s-all-she-wrote-and-for-my-19th/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ I don't know if I know anyone, with the exception of the early inventors of rock music \[who wasn't influenced by something\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-don-t-know-if-i-know-anyone-with-the-exception-of-the-early/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [People see you onstage and, yeah, I'd want to be that guy.I want to be that guy myself very often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/people-see-you-onstage-and-yeah-i-d-want-to-be-that-guy-i-want-to-be/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [You know, my music utilizes things from the past, because that's what the past is for. It's to learn from. It's not to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/you-know-my-music-utilizes-things-from-the-past-because-that-s-what/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [From the town of Lincoln Nebraska with a sawed off .410 on my lap, through the Badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/from-the-town-of-lincoln-nebraska-with-a-sawed-off-410-on-my-lap/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I want a thousand guitars . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-want-a-thousand-guitars/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [In America everything's about who's number one today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/in-america-everything-s-about-who-s-number-one-today/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [A pop song is a condensed version of a life in three minutes, whereas, when you go to write your prose, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/a-pop-song-is-a-condensed-version-of-a-life-in-three-minutes-whereas/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I walked a thousand miles just to slip this skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-walked-a-thousand-miles-just-to-slip-this-skin/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The moment you begin to depend on audience reaction, you're doing the wrong thing. You're doin' it wrong, it's a mistake, it's not right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-moment-you-begin-to-depend-on-audience-reaction-you-re-doing-the/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The name 'Boss' started with people that worked for me... It was not meant like Boss, capital B, it was meant like 'Boss, where's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-name-boss-started-with-people-that-worked-for-me-it-was-not-meant/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-country-we-carry-in-our-hearts-is-waiting/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) [Explore all 484 Bruce Springsteen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## More Happened quotes > [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [The Parthenon is really only a farmyard over which someone put a roof; colonades and sculptures were added because there were people in Athens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-parthenon-is-really-only-a-farmyard-over-which-someone-put-a-roof/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [When somebody mentions that I did a play with George C. Scott, I'm like, it can't have happened. What was I doing on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/when-somebody-mentions-that-i-did-a-play-with-george-c-scott-i-m-like/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [When I was a sophomore at USC, I was a socialist, pretty much to the left. But not when I left the university. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/when-i-was-a-sophomore-at-usc-i-was-a-socialist-pretty-much-to-the/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [When you begin your work, nothing exists. When it is finished it looks as if it just happened, spontaneously, effortlessly, convincingly. It looks as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-zeisel/when-you-begin-your-work-nothing-exists-when-it-is-finished-it-looks/) [Eva Zeisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-zeisel/) Browse all 5,722 Happened quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you have written really well, people will swear that it happened to you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bruce Springsteen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/if-you-have-written-really-well-people-will-swear-that-it-happened-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happened" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/if-you-have-written-really-well-people-will-swear-that-it-happened-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/bruce-springsteen-546_happened_if-you-have-written-really-well-people-w_3036969.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/bruce-springsteen-546_happened_if-you-have-written-really-well-people-w_3036969.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/bruce-springsteen-546_happened_if-you-have-written-really-well-people-w_3036969.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you have written really well, people will swear that it happened to you.” — Bruce Springsteen", "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": "Bruce Springsteen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you have written really well,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/if-you-have-written-really-well-people-will-swear-that-it-happened-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/if-you-have-written-really-well-people-will-swear-that-it-happened-to/#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 } } ] } ```