--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you start off with your first book…" description: "\"When you start off with your first book, people assume that you're like all the characters in the book - and it does complicate things, when you're bei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/irvine-welsh-843_assuming_when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book_1081245.png" --- # When you start off with your first book, people assume… ![“When you start off with your first book, people assume that you're like all the characters in the book - and it does complicate things, when you're being constantly bombarded with it, but you have to embrace it.” quote by Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/irvine-welsh-843_assuming_when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book_1081245.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/irvine-welsh-843_assuming_when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book_1081245.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/irvine-welsh-843_assuming_when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book_1081245.png) > “When you start off with your first book, people assume that you're like all the characters in the book - and it does complicate things, when you're being constantly bombarded with it, but you have to embrace it.” [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. People project characters onto an author, complicating perception; embracing the role is necessary. **In simple terms:** Readers see you as your characters; it’s complex. Key Takeaway Accept and shape public perception of your work. Themes identity perception authorial image Mood thoughtful defensive Type literary self‑reflective When to use this quote - book launch - media interviews - fan interactions Key Concepts literary criticism public persona Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate self from characters? - What strategies help manage public expectations? A Different Perspective Overidentification can limit creative freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Bombarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombarded/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-book-1102003/) [Complicate Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicate-things-732475/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Does Complicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-complicate-2745797/) [Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Like Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-characters/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Start Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-book-370972/) ## Related quotes > [I'm so glad I never feel important, it does complicate life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-m-so-glad-i-never-feel-important-it-does-complicate-life/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [People come, people go theyll drift in and out of your life, almost like characters in a favorite book. When you finally close the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/people-come-people-go-theyll-drift-in-and-out-of-your-life-almost/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [People come, people go'' they'll drift in and out of your life, almost like characters in a favorite book. When you finally close the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/people-come-people-go-they-ll-drift-in-and-out-of-your-life-almost/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [I think a lot of people want me to be like the characters in the books: they want that kind of congruence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-think-a-lot-of-people-want-me-to-be-like-the-characters-in-the/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Characters in a book are very much like personalities divvied up within a family. In the end, it all averages out to a sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/characters-in-a-book-are-very-much-like-personalities-divvied-up/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Whenever you write a character, you want to make them themselves, you want to make them unique. You don't want fifty characters in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/whenever-you-write-a-character-you-want-to-make-them-themselves-you/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“The good characters in my book are loosely based on folks I know. All the bad stuff is made up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bove/the-good-characters-in-my-book-are-loosely-based-on-folks-i-know-all/) [Mike Bove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bove/) > [“Q:Alaska wasn't introduced as fully as the other characters even though the book largely centres around the effect she had on people (like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/q-alaska-wasn-t-introduced-as-fully-as-the-other-characters-even/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The characters within a book were, from a certain point of view, identical on some fundamental level ‒ there weren't any images of them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/the-characters-within-a-book-were-from-a-certain-point-of-view/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“All the characters in my book are fictional, but every single one of them was inspired by someone I knew and loved who didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanela-ramic-jurich/all-the-characters-in-my-book-are-fictional-but-every-single-one-of/) [Sanela Ramic Jurich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanela-ramic-jurich/) > [The characters in the book grow up with us. My voice has broken as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-grint/the-characters-in-the-book-grow-up-with-us-my-voice-has-broken-as-well/) [Rupert Grint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-grint/) > [There are twenty-four characters in this book named Max. Let there be an end to this silly business of authors never giving their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-shulman/there-are-twenty-four-characters-in-this-book-named-max-let-there-be/) [Max Shulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-shulman/) > [Whenever you have two characters in a book, whether it's a novel or nonfiction, you run the risk that the reader is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/whenever-you-have-two-characters-in-a-book-whether-it-s-a-novel-or/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“I feel that the characters in my book, if they were real, would be like, "Seriously, another plot twist?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-carvajal/i-feel-that-the-characters-in-my-book-if-they-were-real-would-be-like/) [Kaya Carvajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-carvajal/) > [Don't complicate things. If it makes you happy do it! Don't worry about what other people think! you have to live for you! LIFE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-complicate-things-if-it-makes-you-happy-do-it-don-t-worry-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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. A day without a morning run is a day you fumble through, rather than one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/without-this-kickstart-to-my-day-i-d-be-lost-a-day-without-a-morning/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“There's nae reasoning wi some cats. You say 'reason', they mew 'treason'. Ken?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-nae-reasoning-wi-some-cats-you-say-reason-they-mew-treason-ken/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [It's crazy for somebody who's kind of empowered and wealthy like myself to say, "Oh, I don't need to be patronized by the state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/it-s-crazy-for-somebody-who-s-kind-of-empowered-and-wealthy-like/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [When you go away, you see where you come from in a different light. I see Scotland, and the rest of Britain, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-go-away-you-see-where-you-come-from-in-a-different-light-i/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [If it's something that I feel uncomfortable with, that's a reason for me to write it. I kind of like to make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/if-it-s-something-that-i-feel-uncomfortable-with-that-s-a-reason-for/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [There's nothing worse than a violent beating from an unremarkable person. Physical violence with someone is too much like shagging them. Too much id…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-violent-beating-from-an-unremarkable/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [If I stop working and publishing, and TV, and film and all that, I would be dead within a couple of weeks. 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. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-m-more-of-a-warrior-than-you-ll-ever-be-i-believe-in-the-class-war/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) [Explore all 348 Irvine Welsh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) [James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/) > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) [Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you start off with your first book, people assume that you're like all the characters in the book - and it does complicate things, when you're being constantly bombarded with it, but you have to embrace it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Irvine Welsh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book-people-assume-that-you-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assuming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book-people-assume-that-you-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/irvine-welsh-843_assuming_when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book_1081245.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/irvine-welsh-843_assuming_when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book_1081245.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/irvine-welsh-843_assuming_when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book_1081245.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you start off with your first book, people assume that you're like all the characters in the book - and…” — Irvine Welsh", "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": "Irvine Welsh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you start off with your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book-people-assume-that-you-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-start-off-with-your-first-book-people-assume-that-you-re/#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 } } ] } ```