---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writers seldom choose as friends those…"
description: "\"Writers seldom choose as friends those self-contained characters who are never in trouble, never unhappy or ill, never make mistakes, and always count ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_change_writers-seldom-choose-as-friends-those-s_2122354.png"
---

#  Writers seldom choose as friends those self-contained…

![“Writers seldom choose as friends those self-contained characters who are never in trouble, never unhappy or ill, never make mistakes, and always count their change when it is handed to them.” quote by Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_change_writers-seldom-choose-as-friends-those-s_2122354.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_change_writers-seldom-choose-as-friends-those-s_2122354.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_change_writers-seldom-choose-as-friends-those-s_2122354.png)

> “Writers seldom choose as friends those self-contained characters who are never in trouble, never unhappy or ill, never make mistakes, and always count their change when it is handed to them.”

[Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Writers avoid flat, trouble‑free characters because they lack depth and growth.

**In simple terms:** Flat characters lack depth.

Key Takeaway

Create flawed, challenged characters.

Themes

character development conflict realism

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

educational insightful

When to use this quote

- novel writing
- screenwriting
- character workshops

Key Concepts

literary theory psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you give a perfect character a believable flaw?
- What conflict reveals a character’s core?

A Different Perspective

Flat characters can feel unrealistic if not balanced with growth.

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[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Contained Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contained-characters-4335462/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Seldom Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seldom-choose-3773015/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writers Seldom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-seldom-2558185/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

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