--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had to see and feel and be with the…" description: "\"I had to see and feel and be with the thing that I wanted to write about.\" — Ernest Gaines" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ernest-gaines-15825_feels_i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-th_1429956.jpg" --- # I had to see and feel and be with the thing that I wanted… ![“I had to see and feel and be with the thing that I wanted to write about.” quote by Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ernest-gaines-15825_feels_i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-th_1429956.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ernest-gaines-15825_feels_i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-th_1429956.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ernest-gaines-15825_feels_i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-th_1429956.jpg) > “I had to see and feel and be with the thing that I wanted to write about.” [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authentic writing requires immersive experience with the subject matter. **In simple terms:** Live the story to write it. Key Takeaway Engage deeply with your topic. Themes authenticity experience craft Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - journalism - fiction writing - documentary work - field studies Key Concepts creative immersion research methods Questions to Reflect On - What safe ways can you experience your subject? - How much distance is needed for objectivity? A Different Perspective Immersion can be risky or impractical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not human. I'm a piece of machinery. I don't need to feel a thing. Just forge on ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-m-not-human-i-m-a-piece-of-machinery-i-don-t-need-to-feel-a-thing/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [There really isn't a time to pause and have a celebration. I feel so serious about the whole thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/story-musgrave/there-really-isn-t-a-time-to-pause-and-have-a-celebration-i-feel-so/) [Story Musgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/story-musgrave/) > [I swear I cant even feel a thing I swear u can hear my silent screams My past is so vivid To the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/i-swear-i-cant-even-feel-a-thing-i-swear-u-can-hear-my-silent-screams/) Patience > [“When you open yourself to somebody, when you feel these thing that you feel, well, what do you do? You can try to ignore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/when-you-open-yourself-to-somebody-when-you-feel-these-thing-that-you/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [I don't know if there's a reason I'm here, I feel the only thing that's driving me is reason and fear and seeing death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/i-don-t-know-if-there-s-a-reason-i-m-here-i-feel-the-only-thing-that/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [I can't feel a thing when I am lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-t-feel-a-thing-when-i-am-lonely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The truth is you can be or­phaned again and again and again. The truth is you will be. And the se­cret is, this will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/the-truth-is-you-can-be-or-phaned-again-and-again-and-again-the-truth/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Too many commercials. Too many lies. Too many celebrities. I don't recognize. Too many brand names. Too many magazines. I got so much sensation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-small/too-many-commercials-too-many-lies-too-many-celebrities-i-don-t/) [Fred Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-small/) > [When I'm in New York, I just want to walk down the street and feel this thing like I'm in a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/when-i-m-in-new-york-i-just-want-to-walk-down-the-street-and-feel/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > […and I wonder if u feel it too if not here's the one thing I wish u knew I think about u every mornin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cr-a-a/and-i-wonder-if-u-feel-it-too-if-not-here-s-the-one-thing-i-wish-u/) Cr A&A > [If I had to feel one thing towards Jim Hellwig, I guess it would be pity a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dibiase-sr/if-i-had-to-feel-one-thing-towards-jim-hellwig-i-guess-it-would-be/) [Ted DiBiase Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dibiase-sr/) > [I feel that the thing that probably aided me the most in that scene with the dog was the utilization and using an actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-walston/i-feel-that-the-thing-that-probably-aided-me-the-most-in-that-scene/) [Ray Walston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-walston/) > [“It doesn’t matter what you think, what you believe or what you feel the only thing that ultimately matters is what you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zubair-ahmed/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-think-what-you-believe-or-what-you-feel/) Zubair Ahmed > [For me, it's a feel thing; it's a mechanical thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-harvey/for-me-it-s-a-feel-thing-it-s-a-mechanical-thing/) [Matt Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-harvey/) > [If my heart ran away and I didn't even feel a thing if I shut you out in front of the door how would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtneyhood/if-my-heart-ran-away-and-i-didn-t-even-feel-a-thing-if-i-shut-you-out/) Courtneyhood ## More by Ernest Gaines > [I try to write something that would interest anybody and keep them turning the page. You must have a plot and good storyline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-try-to-write-something-that-would-interest-anybody-and-keep-them/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Words mean nothing. Action is the only thing. Doing. That's the only thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/words-mean-nothing-action-is-the-only-thing-doing-that-s-the-only/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [In all my stories and novels, no one ever escapes Louisiana. Maybe that is because my soul never left Louisiana, although my body did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/in-all-my-stories-and-novels-no-one-ever-escapes-louisiana-maybe-that/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [I think I'm a very religious person. I think I believe in God as much as any man does. I don't only believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-think-i-m-a-very-religious-person-i-think-i-believe-in-god-as-much/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [There will always be men struggling...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/there-will-always-be-men-struggling/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [What for?" I said. "What for, Tante Lou? He treated me the same way he treated her. He wants me to feel guilty, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/what-for-i-said-what-for-tante-lou-he-treated-me-the-same-way-he/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [We all have much more in common than we have difference. I would say that about people all over the world. They don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/we-all-have-much-more-in-common-than-we-have-difference-i-would-say/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. I believe in creating characters and suspense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-believe-that-the-writer-should-tell-a-story-i-believe-in-plot-i/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [A myth is an old lie that people believe in. White people believe that they're better than anyone else on earth - and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/a-myth-is-an-old-lie-that-people-believe-in-white-people-believe-that/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [I have learned as much about writing about my people by listening to blues and jazz and spirituals as I have by reading novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-have-learned-as-much-about-writing-about-my-people-by-listening-to/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [When I'm sitting in the church alone, I can hear singing of the old people. I can hear their singing and I can hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/when-i-m-sitting-in-the-church-alone-i-can-hear-singing-of-the-old/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Question everything. Every stripe, every star, every word spoken. Everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/question-everything-every-stripe-every-star-every-word-spoken/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Now, about that mulatto teacher and me. There was no love there for each other. There was not even respect. We were enemies if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/now-about-that-mulatto-teacher-and-me-there-was-no-love-there-for/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Without love for my fellow man and respect for nature, to me, life is an obscenity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/without-love-for-my-fellow-man-and-respect-for-nature-to-me-life-is/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [I knew I wanted to be a writer and I knew if I had a wife and family, I would neglect something, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-and-i-knew-if-i-had-a-wife-and-family/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) [Explore all 41 Ernest Gaines quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) ## More Feel quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/i-feel-i-handle-the-pressure-situations-well-and-that-s-why-i-want-to/) [AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I feel as though I've fooled the world into thinking I'm an adult and now they're letting me procreate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-feel-as-though-i-ve-fooled-the-world-into-thinking-i-m-an-adult-and/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [I like to wear bodysuits and things that make me feel really active and athletic and also really sensual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hawley-weld/i-like-to-wear-bodysuits-and-things-that-make-me-feel-really-active/) [Sophie Hawley-Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hawley-weld/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [You make me feel brand new today. Even my day is full of trials and pain…Thanks for everything...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lantapi/you-make-me-feel-brand-new-today-even-my-day-is-full-of-trials-and/) [Richard Lantapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lantapi/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) Browse all 26,675 Feel quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had to see and feel and be with the thing that I wanted to write about.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Gaines" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-thing-that-i-wanted-to-write/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-thing-that-i-wanted-to-write/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ernest-gaines-15825_feels_i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-th_1429956.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ernest-gaines-15825_feels_i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-th_1429956.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ernest-gaines-15825_feels_i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-th_1429956.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had to see and feel and be with the thing that I wanted to write about.” — Ernest Gaines", "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": "Ernest Gaines", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had to see and feel...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-thing-that-i-wanted-to-write/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-had-to-see-and-feel-and-be-with-the-thing-that-i-wanted-to-write/#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 } } ] } ```