--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know when I go and see a writer, the…" description: "\"I know when I go and see a writer, the first thing I think to myself is, 'Are they the character in the book?' You just can't help it; it's the way peo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/irvine-welsh-843_book_i-know-when-i-go-and-see-a-writer-the-fi_1784892.png" --- # I know when I go and see a writer, the first thing I think… ![“I know when I go and see a writer, the first thing I think to myself is, 'Are they the character in the book?' You just can't help it; it's the way people are.” quote by Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/irvine-welsh-843_book_i-know-when-i-go-and-see-a-writer-the-fi_1784892.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/irvine-welsh-843_book_i-know-when-i-go-and-see-a-writer-the-fi_1784892.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/irvine-welsh-843_book_i-know-when-i-go-and-see-a-writer-the-fi_1784892.png) > “I know when I go and see a writer, the first thing I think to myself is, 'Are they the character in the book?' You just can't help it; it's the way people are.” [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing a writer as a character reflects our tendency to project narratives onto real people, blurring fact and fiction. **In simple terms:** We often imagine real people as story characters. Key Takeaway Recognize the line between observation and imagination. Themes perception projection human nature Mood curious reflective Type observational analytical When to use this quote - meeting writers - reading groups - creative workshops Key Concepts psychology identity narrative literature Questions to Reflect On - How does this projection affect our relationships? - When does it become harmful? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I know I am a writer; it is the only thing I am sure of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/i-know-i-am-a-writer-it-is-the-only-thing-i-am-sure-of/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [If I could play any character from the book though it’d be Church. Who wouldn’t want to be a cat?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-campbell-bower/if-i-could-play-any-character-from-the-book-though-it-d-be-church-who/) [Jamie Campbell Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-campbell-bower/) > [Some days I wish I were a character from a book with set lines to say and the best possible ending written out for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/some-days-i-wish-i-were-a-character-from-a-book-with-set-lines-to-say/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [I think I write what's interesting to me, and so if I'm reading I like to have a very thorough idea of a character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-think-i-write-what-s-interesting-to-me-and-so-if-i-m-reading-i-like/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“I am a character in someone's book whose end has not yet been written”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mbarreto-condado/i-am-a-character-in-someone-s-book-whose-end-has-not-yet-been-written/) MBarreto Condado > [When you're playing a character in a book, there's already a lot of pressure because all of the millions of people who have read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-reed/when-you-re-playing-a-character-in-a-book-there-s-already-a-lot-of/) [Nikki Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-reed/) > [Sometimes I wish I were a character in a book and there was a writer out there giving me things to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/sometimes-i-wish-i-were-a-character-in-a-book-and-there-was-a-writer/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [I like characters like Ignatius Reilly in 'A Confederacy of Dunces' and Ricky Gervais's character in 'The Office.' They think one thing about themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/i-like-characters-like-ignatius-reilly-in-a-confederacy-of-dunces-and/) [Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/) > [Sometimes, when I have to do something I don't want to do, I pretend I'm a character from a book. 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I just want to make sure the character is by the book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/i-m-not-mr-no-by-the-book-i-just-want-to-make-sure-the-character-is/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) ## More by Irvine Welsh > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“Without this kickstart to my day, I'd be lost. 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I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/if-i-stop-working-and-publishing-and-tv-and-film-and-all-that-i-would/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I can see why the Russians love Robert Burns, I think that Russians and Koreans have a very similar outlook to Scots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-can-see-why-the-russians-love-robert-burns-i-think-that-russians/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [If you continue to transfer the wealth of the population of the planet to a very small amount of people, it becomes untenable at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/if-you-continue-to-transfer-the-wealth-of-the-population-of-the/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Most middle-class people I know don't really live like me. Middle-class people worry a lot about money. They worry a lot about job security,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/most-middle-class-people-i-know-don-t-really-live-like-me-middle/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [As soon as you've written it, you're thinking about how it can move into different mediums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/as-soon-as-you-ve-written-it-you-re-thinking-about-how-it-can-move/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“Begbie doesnae even notice; he's in his element, particularly good at funerals in the way a lot ay psychopaths tend tae be. Ah suppose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/begbie-doesnae-even-notice-he-s-in-his-element-particularly-good-at/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I'm more of a warrior than you'll ever be. I believe in the class war. I believe in the battle of the sexes. 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