--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever people may say about my books…" description: "\"Whatever people may say about my books - and it always amazes me when people don't like them, but sometimes they don't - the epigraphs have always been..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/geoff-dyer-8822_book_whatever-people-may-say-about-my-books-a_1714202.jpg" --- # Whatever people may say about my books - and it always… ![“Whatever people may say about my books - and it always amazes me when people don't like them, but sometimes they don't - the epigraphs have always been top-drawer. I think having that at the outset protects me from a lot of potential problems.” quote by Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/geoff-dyer-8822_book_whatever-people-may-say-about-my-books-a_1714202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/geoff-dyer-8822_book_whatever-people-may-say-about-my-books-a_1714202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/geoff-dyer-8822_book_whatever-people-may-say-about-my-books-a_1714202.jpg) > “Whatever people may say about my books - and it always amazes me when people don't like them, but sometimes they don't - the epigraphs have always been top-drawer. I think having that at the outset protects me from a lot of potential problems.” [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Epigraphs set expectations, shielding the author from criticism and guiding readers, establishing a protective framework for the work. **In simple terms:** Epigraphs protect author and guide readers. Key Takeaway Use epigraphs to frame your work. Themes literature self‑protection expectations Mood analytical thoughtful Type literary reflective When to use this quote - book launches - creative writing - marketing pitches Key Concepts narrative strategy reader response Questions to Reflect On - How do epigraphs influence your perception? - Can they constrain a narrative? A Different Perspective Overreliance may limit interpretive freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [From the almost total absence of fossil evidence relative to the origin of the phyla, it follows that any explanation of the mechanism in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/from-the-almost-total-absence-of-fossil-evidence-relative-to-the/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [He would stab his best friend for the sake of writing an epigraph on his tombstone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-would-stab-his-best-friend-for-the-sake-of-writing-an-epigraph-on/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [One of the things I try to do is try to make repetitions, rhymes, and mirrorings across the subject matter of my own books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-warner/one-of-the-things-i-try-to-do-is-try-to-make-repetitions-rhymes-and/) [Marina Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-warner/) > [I've always used Southern rappers in epigraphs for my novels. 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