---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I grew up on British fiction, and I write…"
description: "\"I grew up on British fiction, and I write perhaps more directly out of that tradition.\" — Claire Messud"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/claire-messud-1372_british_i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write_2794482.png"
---

#  I grew up on British fiction, and I write perhaps more…

![“I grew up on British fiction, and I write perhaps more directly out of that tradition.” quote by Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/claire-messud-1372_british_i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write_2794482.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/claire-messud-1372_british_i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write_2794482.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/claire-messud-1372_british_i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write_2794482.png)

> “I grew up on British fiction, and I write perhaps more directly out of that tradition.”

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

## About This Quote

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

The author acknowledges that her writing is shaped by the British literary tradition she grew up reading.

**In simple terms:** British fiction influences her writing style.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how early reading shapes creative voice.

Themes

literary influence cultural heritage identity writing

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

literary reflective

When to use this quote

- creative writing workshops
- literary criticism
- teaching literature
- personal memoir

Key Concepts

intertextuality tradition creative development

Questions to Reflect On

- How does tradition inspire versus limit you?
- In what ways can you diverge from your influences?

A Different Perspective

The statement may underplay individual innovation beyond tradition.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [The British and American literary worlds operate in an odd kind of symbiosis: our critics think our contemporary novelists are not the stuff of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/the-british-and-american-literary-worlds-operate-in-an-odd-kind-of/)

[Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/)

> [I grew up in a very British family who had been transplanted to Canada, and my grandmother's house was filled with English books. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bradley/i-grew-up-in-a-very-british-family-who-had-been-transplanted-to/)

[Alan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bradley/)

> [I grew up with British rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-adams/i-grew-up-with-british-rock/)

[Bryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-adams/)

> [“I lose myself in the fiction I write in the same way I would lose myself as a younger man in the sport that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kemp/i-lose-myself-in-the-fiction-i-write-in-the-same-way-i-would-lose/)

[Daniel Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kemp/)

> [If you don't care about science enough to be interested in it on its own, you shouldn't try to write hard science fiction. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederik-pohl/if-you-don-t-care-about-science-enough-to-be-interested-in-it-on-its/)

[Frederik Pohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederik-pohl/)

> [You feel undervalued when you write the kind of fiction I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jewell/you-feel-undervalued-when-you-write-the-kind-of-fiction-i-write/)

[Lisa Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jewell/)

> [“We all write fiction when we write about the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/we-all-write-fiction-when-we-write-about-the-past/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [I suppose writing nonfiction did prepare me for writing fiction. Whenever you write anything, you're honing your skills for writing anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-suppose-writing-nonfiction-did-prepare-me-for-writing-fiction/)

[Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/)

> [To be perfectly frank: I don't write women's fiction. I write intimate, gritty, realistic, character-driven fiction that happens to be thrown into the women's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-medoff/to-be-perfectly-frank-i-don-t-write-women-s-fiction-i-write-intimate/)

[Jillian Medoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-medoff/)

> [With crime fiction, you have to write a half-dozen before they catch on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/with-crime-fiction-you-have-to-write-a-half-dozen-before-they-catch-on/)

[John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/)

> [I don't write fiction but I do write narrative; I write memoirs that I treat like stories, so whenever I'm using somebody I actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/i-don-t-write-fiction-but-i-do-write-narrative-i-write-memoirs-that-i/)

[Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/)

> [I write my first draft by hand, at least for fiction. For non-fiction, I write happily on a computer, but for fiction I write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-write-my-first-draft-by-hand-at-least-for-fiction-for-non-fiction-i/)

[Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/)

> [I really need to know where I'm going with fiction to write it in a way that at least I'm happy with. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-really-need-to-know-where-i-m-going-with-fiction-to-write-it-in-a/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [“You know, one of the interesting things you find about writing fiction is that any fiction you write has to be political. Otherwise, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/you-know-one-of-the-interesting-things-you-find-about-writing-fiction/)

[Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/)

> [The trouble with science fiction is that you can write about everything: time, space, all the future, all the past, all of the universe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-j-klass/the-trouble-with-science-fiction-is-that-you-can-write-about/)

Philip J. Klass

## More by Claire Messud

> [I'd wish for my work to be remembered rather than myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-d-wish-for-my-work-to-be-remembered-rather-than-myself/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [I have said it somewhere - our literary lived lives are as important as our literally lived lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-have-said-it-somewhere-our-literary-lived-lives-are-as-important-as/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [“Life is about deciding what matters. It’s about the fantasy that determines the reality. Have you ever asked yourself whether you’d rather fly or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/life-is-about-deciding-what-matters-it-s-about-the-fantasy-that/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [Life's funny. You have to find a way to keep going, to keep laughing, even after you realize that none of your dreams will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/life-s-funny-you-have-to-find-a-way-to-keep-going-to-keep-laughing/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [It's the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-s-the-strangest-thing-about-being-human-to-know-so-much-to/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [The fictional narratives that television, film, and the news provide for girls and young women are appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/the-fictional-narratives-that-television-film-and-the-news-provide/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [“I don't want to sleep,' my mother said. 'I want -- for God's sake, I want to wake up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-don-t-want-to-sleep-my-mother-said-i-want-for-god-s-sake-i-want-to/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [“It was supposed to say “Great Artist” on my tombstone, but if I died right now it would say “such a good teacher/​daughter/​friend” instead;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-was-supposed-to-say-great-artist-on-my-tombstone-but-if-i-died/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [“Live, my dear Nora. Satisfy your hunger. There's food all around you, you know.' 'What kind of food, I'd like to know?' 'Ah'-he smiled-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/live-my-dear-nora-satisfy-your-hunger-there-s-food-all-around-you-you/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [I digress a lot - it's how I experience the world. I would like to write in a way that will convey that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-digress-a-lot-it-s-how-i-experience-the-world-i-would-like-to-write/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [We think that - as kids, you know - that kids make up stories and live in a sort of fictional place, but that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/we-think-that-as-kids-you-know-that-kids-make-up-stories-and-live-in/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [“It makes sense that if you stand almost daily in the middle of a perfect crescent of shore, with a vista open to eternity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-makes-sense-that-if-you-stand-almost-daily-in-the-middle-of-a/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [“Once aware of my isolation, I was afraid not of it but of its interruption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/once-aware-of-my-isolation-i-was-afraid-not-of-it-but-of-its/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [“who I am in my head, very few people really get to see that. Almost none. It’s the most precious gift I can give,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/who-i-am-in-my-head-very-few-people-really-get-to-see-that-almost/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [“My everyday Appleton life, my phones calls to my father, my occasional beers with friends, my Saturday-morning jobs around the reservoir - what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/my-everyday-appleton-life-my-phones-calls-to-my-father-my-occasional/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

[Explore all 249 Claire Messud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

## More British quotes

> [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/)

[Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/)

> [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/)

[Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/)

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/)

[Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/)

> [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/)

[Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/)

> [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/)

[Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/)

> [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/)

[Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/)

> [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/)

[Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/)

> [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/)

[Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/)

> [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [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/)

> [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/)

[Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/)

> [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/)

[Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/)

> [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/)

[Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/)

[Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I grew up on British fiction, and I write perhaps more directly out of that tradition.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Claire Messud"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write-perhaps-more-directly-out-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "British"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write-perhaps-more-directly-out-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/claire-messud-1372_british_i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write_2794482.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/claire-messud-1372_british_i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write_2794482.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/claire-messud-1372_british_i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write_2794482.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I grew up on British fiction, and I write perhaps more directly out of that tradition.” — Claire Messud",
                "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": "Claire Messud",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I grew up on British fiction,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write-perhaps-more-directly-out-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-grew-up-on-british-fiction-and-i-write-perhaps-more-directly-out-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```