--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason some crime writers have a chip…" description: "\"The reason some crime writers have a chip on their shoulder about the label is because their good books are shelved beside books about nuns and birdwat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/george-pelecanos-3616_book_the-reason-some-crime-writers-have-a-chi_1564612.jpg" --- # The reason some crime writers have a chip on their… ![“The reason some crime writers have a chip on their shoulder about the label is because their good books are shelved beside books about nuns and birdwatchers and cats who solve crimes. Overseas, my books are reviewed alongside those of authors like Robert Stone and Don DeLillo, and I have to live…” quote by George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/george-pelecanos-3616_book_the-reason-some-crime-writers-have-a-chi_1564612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/george-pelecanos-3616_book_the-reason-some-crime-writers-have-a-chi_1564612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/george-pelecanos-3616_book_the-reason-some-crime-writers-have-a-chi_1564612.jpg) > “The reason some crime writers have a chip on their shoulder about the label is because their good books are shelved beside books about nuns and birdwatchers and cats who solve crimes. Overseas, my books are reviewed alongside those of authors like Robert Stone and Don DeLillo, and I have to live and die by that comparison. They don't ghettoize crime writers in other countries, and of course they shouldn't.” [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Crime writers feel marginalized when their work is grouped with unrelated genres, leading to unfair comparisons that affect reputation and sales. **In simple terms:** Crime writers are unfairly grouped with unrelated topics, harming their image. Key Takeaway Advocate for genre-specific recognition. Themes genre bias literary reputation marketing author identity Mood frustrated determined Type observational critical When to use this quote - publishing decisions - bookstore shelving - award nominations - media reviews Key Concepts cultural perception literary hierarchy genre classification Questions to Reflect On - How does genre labeling affect a writer’s career? - What steps can publishers take to avoid misclassification? A Different Perspective Not all markets treat genre the same; some may still stereotype. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Comparison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparison/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Nun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nun/) [Other countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other-countries/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [My liking for Scandinavian crime fiction led me into exploring literary writers from the same countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/my-liking-for-scandinavian-crime-fiction-led-me-into-exploring/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [After all everybody, that is, everybody who writes is interested in living inside themselves in order to tell what is inside themselves. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/after-all-everybody-that-is-everybody-who-writes-is-interested-in/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Crime has no color. Crime has no type. Crime has no gender. The reason why crime doesn't end. It is being categorized to certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/crime-has-no-color-crime-has-no-type-crime-has-no-gender-the-reason/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [The reason crime doesn't pay is that when it does, it is called a more respectable name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-reason-crime-doesn-t-pay-is-that-when-it-does-it-is-called-a-more/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Stress is the reason for crime and all other kinds of frustration. To relieve it will eliminate everything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/stress-is-the-reason-for-crime-and-all-other-kinds-of-frustration-to/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [TRIGGER CITY secures Sean Chercover's place as one of the best crime writers of his generation. It grabs you hard on the first page…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-alexander/trigger-city-secures-sean-chercover-s-place-as-one-of-the-best-crime/) [Tasha Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-alexander/) > [I feel more related to some American crime writers than I do to Stieg Larsson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesbo/i-feel-more-related-to-some-american-crime-writers-than-i-do-to-stieg/) [Jo Nesbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesbo/) > [Scandinavian crime fiction has become a great success all across the world and rightfully so. Sjowall and Wahloo ushered in a whole generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-l-ckberg/scandinavian-crime-fiction-has-become-a-great-success-all-across-the/) [Camilla Lackberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-l-ckberg/) > [There is a very conservative element of crime writers that don't recognise what I do is crime fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/there-is-a-very-conservative-element-of-crime-writers-that-don-t/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [My influence is probably more from American crime writers than any Europeans. And I hardly read any Scandinavian crime before I started writing myself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesbo/my-influence-is-probably-more-from-american-crime-writers-than-any/) [Jo Nesbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesbo/) > [Most crime fiction, no matter how 'hard-boiled' or bloodily forensic, is essentially sentimental, for most crime writers are disappointed romantics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/most-crime-fiction-no-matter-how-hard-boiled-or-bloodily-forensic-is/) [John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/) > [A lot of writers, especially crime writers, have an image that we think we're trying to keep up with. You've got to be seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/a-lot-of-writers-especially-crime-writers-have-an-image-that-we-think/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [I'm always interested in what classic crime writers got into when they stepped away from the genre stuff they were known for. That's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-haynes/i-m-always-interested-in-what-classic-crime-writers-got-into-when/) [Todd Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-haynes/) > [Delaying and withholding tactics, red herrings, partial and doubtful outcomes are stock in trade for fiction writers, especially crime writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-disher/delaying-and-withholding-tactics-red-herrings-partial-and-doubtful/) [Garry Disher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-disher/) > [“Crime writers, I've noticed, can be jumpy. They live in a world where there are murderers on the loose and they haven't been caught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/crime-writers-i-ve-noticed-can-be-jumpy-they-live-in-a-world-where/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) ## More by George Pelecanos > [I want to be read. When you write a TV show like 'The Wire,' you've got three to four million readers watching your work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-want-to-be-read-when-you-write-a-tv-show-like-the-wire-you-ve-got/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I'm more apt to shed a tear than my wife about family matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-m-more-apt-to-shed-a-tear-than-my-wife-about-family-matters/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [People like to talk to me. 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I don't have any hobbies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-can-t-relax-i-don-t-have-any-hobbies/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I've seen firsthand how books can change people's lives. It happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-ve-seen-firsthand-how-books-can-change-people-s-lives-it-happened/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I was a movie freak before I was a book lover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-was-a-movie-freak-before-i-was-a-book-lover/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [Is there a more violent book than the Bible?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/is-there-a-more-violent-book-than-the-bible/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [My father was a Marine who fought in the Pacific in WW II. 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Black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/but-when-i-do-book-signings-and-personal-appearances-the-audiences/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) [Explore all 126 George Pelecanos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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