--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know what needs to be done when…" description: "\"You know what needs to be done when you're a writer. You know what the job is, particularly if you're an African American writer, or if you deal with p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/james-mcbride-4758_african-american_you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you_2400538.png" --- # You know what needs to be done when you're a writer. You… ![“You know what needs to be done when you're a writer. You know what the job is, particularly if you're an African American writer, or if you deal with people, or if your subjects are poor people or people who need voice. So you don't really need to know whether or not you are doing the right thing…” quote by James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/james-mcbride-4758_african-american_you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you_2400538.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/james-mcbride-4758_african-american_you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you_2400538.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/james-mcbride-4758_african-american_you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you_2400538.png) > “You know what needs to be done when you're a writer. You know what the job is, particularly if you're an African American writer, or if you deal with people, or if your subjects are poor people or people who need voice. So you don't really need to know whether or not you are doing the right thing. What you have to be wary of if you're doing the right thing to the right level that will surpass your own life. I'm hoping that my work will surpass my own life.” [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A writer must recognize their responsibility to represent marginalized voices authentically, aiming for work that transcends personal limits. **In simple terms:** Writers must be aware of their impact and strive for lasting, meaningful work. Key Takeaway Create work that outlives you. Themes responsibility representation legacy authenticity Mood reflective determined hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - journalism - fiction writing - community advocacy - social justice projects Key Concepts ethical storytelling cultural duty self-transcendence Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure authentic representation? - What does it mean for art to surpass the artist's life? A Different Perspective Balancing personal expression with community expectations can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [American writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-writer/) [Doing right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-right/) [Doing the right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-right-thing/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [My own life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own-life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Someone had asked me who I thought was better, John Cena or Rock. I said Rock needs a teleprompter. Rock needs a writer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-orton/someone-had-asked-me-who-i-thought-was-better-john-cena-or-rock-i/) [Randy Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-orton/) > [“Every life has a story and every story needs a writer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-jane-hills-orford/every-life-has-a-story-and-every-story-needs-a-writer/) Emily-Jane Hills Orford > [“By the age of four one has experienced nearly everything one needs to be a writer of fiction; love, pain, loss, boredom, rage, guilt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-delbanco/by-the-age-of-four-one-has-experienced-nearly-everything-one-needs-to/) [Nicholas Delbanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-delbanco/) > [I know who I am. When you get comfortable with yourself like that and you know you're doing the right thing, you can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-hammon/i-know-who-i-am-when-you-get-comfortable-with-yourself-like-that-and/) [Becky Hammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-hammon/) > [Next to doing the right thing, the most important thing is to let people know you are doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/next-to-doing-the-right-thing-the-most-important-thing-is-to-let/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [As long as you know that you're doing the right thing, do not care about what other people think about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-wolfe-herd/as-long-as-you-know-that-you-re-doing-the-right-thing-do-not-care/) [Whitney Wolfe Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-wolfe-herd/) > [I'm one of the few Black writers, or African American writers, who managed to work my way through the system so that it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/i-m-one-of-the-few-black-writers-or-african-american-writers-who/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [I felt like a Tinker toy kid building my own self out of one of those toy building sets; for as she laid her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/i-felt-like-a-tinker-toy-kid-building-my-own-self-out-of-one-of-those/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“To be a writer and know the pain of artistic block is to know real frustration (though it's not quite as bad as constipation)!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rhodes/to-be-a-writer-and-know-the-pain-of-artistic-block-is-to-know-real/) John D. Rhodes > [The worst thing for a writer is to know another writer, and worse than that, to know a number of other writers. Like flies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-worst-thing-for-a-writer-is-to-know-another-writer-and-worse-than/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Virtually every writer I know would rather be a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/virtually-every-writer-i-know-would-rather-be-a-musician/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“One writer I know tells me that he sits down every morning and says to himself nicely, "It's not like you don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/one-writer-i-know-tells-me-that-he-sits-down-every-morning-and-says/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I don't understand how you can be a decent writer and not know people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-don-t-understand-how-you-can-be-a-decent-writer-and-not-know-people/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [Every writer I know has trouble writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/every-writer-i-know-has-trouble-writing/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [“Every writer I know, when asked how to become a writer, responds with one word:Read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/every-writer-i-know-when-asked-how-to-become-a-writer-responds-with/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) ## More by James McBride > [Some things in this world just ain't meant to be, not in the times we want 'em to, and the heart has to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/some-things-in-this-world-just-ain-t-meant-to-be-not-in-the-times-we/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [There are some really great books that have been written about slavery, but I don't think that the discourse about it in society has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/there-are-some-really-great-books-that-have-been-written-about/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“Whatever you is, Onion," he said, "be it full.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/whatever-you-is-onion-he-said-be-it-full/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [There are two responses to really awful things. One is to lament and say, "Oh my God, oh lord." And the other is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/there-are-two-responses-to-really-awful-things-one-is-to-lament-and/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [If you're going to cheat and take people's history and you're not writing the Bible, you ain't really so great. But if you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/if-you-re-going-to-cheat-and-take-people-s-history-and-you-re-not/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“Most cars drove through there because the drivers is either from The Bottom and wanna get home - or they ain't from The Bottom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/most-cars-drove-through-there-because-the-drivers-is-either-from-the/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [There has to be some mystery in life, because the joy of being a writer and the joy of being a musician is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/there-has-to-be-some-mystery-in-life-because-the-joy-of-being-a/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“And when James asked what color God was, she said, God is the color of water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/and-when-james-asked-what-color-god-was-she-said-god-is-the-color-of/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [I'm proud of 'Miracle at St. Anna' and I loved it; there's no question in my mind it's as good as any movie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/i-m-proud-of-miracle-at-st-anna-and-i-loved-it-there-s-no-question-in/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“back,” Daddy said. “It’ll work out.” He had no idea what to do about Helen. They spoke a completely different language. He was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/back-daddy-said-it-ll-work-out-he-had-no-idea-what-to-do-about-helen/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [I'm one of the few Black writers, or African American writers, who managed to work my way through the system so that it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/i-m-one-of-the-few-black-writers-or-african-american-writers-who/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/god-is-the-color-of-water-water-doesn-t-have-a-color/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [First person narrative is a very effective tool but you have to know as a writer how to make it work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/first-person-narrative-is-a-very-effective-tool-but-you-have-to-know/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [The act of choosing what to place in your piece when you're a historian or a non-fiction writer already renders it into fiction for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/the-act-of-choosing-what-to-place-in-your-piece-when-you-re-a/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [...since I was a little boy, she had always wanted me to go. She was always sending me off on a bus someplace, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/since-i-was-a-little-boy-she-had-always-wanted-me-to-go-she-was/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) [Explore all 106 James McBride quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) ## More African american quotes > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“This popularity extended to Trump himself, who, according to private demographic research conducted at the time, was even more popular with African American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/this-popularity-extended-to-trump-himself-who-according-to-private/) [Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [I think it's easier for African American and white comics to be praised than it is Latinos because they think our culture or our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/i-think-it-s-easier-for-african-american-and-white-comics-to-be/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [I'm just trying to touch the world and touch the people and just get good material. And show them that we can get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-m-just-trying-to-touch-the-world-and-touch-the-people-and-just-get/) [Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/) [Browse all 1,848 African american quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know what needs to be done when you're a writer. You know what the job is, particularly if you're an African American writer, or if you deal with people, or if your subjects are poor people or people who need voice. So you don't really need to know whether or not you are doing the right thing. What you have to be wary of if you're doing the right thing to the right level that will surpass your own life. I'm hoping that my work will surpass my own life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James McBride" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you-re-a-writer-you-know-what-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "African american" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you-re-a-writer-you-know-what-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/james-mcbride-4758_african-american_you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you_2400538.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/james-mcbride-4758_african-american_you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you_2400538.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/james-mcbride-4758_african-american_you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you_2400538.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know what needs to be done when you're a writer. You know what the job is, particularly if you're an…” — James McBride", "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": "James McBride", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You know what needs to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you-re-a-writer-you-know-what-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/you-know-what-needs-to-be-done-when-you-re-a-writer-you-know-what-the/#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 } } ] } ```