--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People love talking about writers as…" description: "\"People love talking about writers as storytellers, but I hate being called that: it suggests I got it from my grandmother or something, when my writing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/colm-toibin-3377_about_people-love-talking-about-writers-as-sto_2694810.jpg" --- # People love talking about writers as storytellers, but I… ![“People love talking about writers as storytellers, but I hate being called that: it suggests I got it from my grandmother or something, when my writing really comes out of silence. If a storyteller came up to me, I'd run away.” quote by Colm Toibin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/colm-toibin-3377_about_people-love-talking-about-writers-as-sto_2694810.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/colm-toibin-3377_about_people-love-talking-about-writers-as-sto_2694810.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/colm-toibin-3377_about_people-love-talking-about-writers-as-sto_2694810.jpg) > “People love talking about writers as storytellers, but I hate being called that: it suggests I got it from my grandmother or something, when my writing really comes out of silence. If a storyteller came up to me, I'd run away.” [Colm Toibin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-toibin/) ## 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 rejects the label “storyteller” because it feels inherited and superficial, preferring the quiet, internal source of his work. **In simple terms:** He wants his writing seen as arising from silence, not tradition. Key Takeaway Embrace your own quiet source of inspiration. Themes identity creativity authenticity Mood reflective defensive Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal reflection - creative retreats Key Concepts self‑definition artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How does silence shape your creative process? - What does “storyteller” imply to you? A Different Perspective Labels can still influence perception despite personal intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Grandmother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandmother/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Silence Storyteller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence-storyteller-2686927/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Storyteller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storyteller/) [Storytellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytellers/) [Storytellers Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytellers-hate-2686928/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writers Storytellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-storytellers-1154823/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Writers are storytellers. 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