--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I remember how surprised I was when my…" description: "\"I remember how surprised I was when my first novel was about to be published and I was informed that I could be sued for anything any one of my charact..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/jane-rule-15333_agree_i-remember-how-surprised-i-was-when-my-f_1611825.png" --- # I remember how surprised I was when my first novel was… ![“I remember how surprised I was when my first novel was about to be published and I was informed that I could be sued for anything any one of my characters said. 'But I often don't agree with what they say,' I protested. The lawyer was not interested in the clear distinction I make between my own…” quote by Jane Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/jane-rule-15333_agree_i-remember-how-surprised-i-was-when-my-f_1611825.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/jane-rule-15333_agree_i-remember-how-surprised-i-was-when-my-f_1611825.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/jane-rule-15333_agree_i-remember-how-surprised-i-was-when-my-f_1611825.png) > “I remember how surprised I was when my first novel was about to be published and I was informed that I could be sued for anything any one of my characters said. 'But I often don't agree with what they say,' I protested. The lawyer was not interested in the clear distinction I make between my own voice and the voices of my characters. Neither, I have found, are many of my readers.” [Jane Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rule/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author recounts surprise at legal risks when characters speak controversial things, highlighting tension between authorial voice and character autonomy. **In simple terms:** Authors can be sued for characters’ words, blurring voice boundaries. Key Takeaway Know legal limits when writing characters. Themes publishing law creative freedom Mood cautious thoughtful Type literary legal When to use this quote - writing workshops - legal counsel - editorial review Key Concepts speech rights authorial responsibility character autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate your voice from characters’? - What safeguards can writers use? A Different Perspective Legal advice may vary by jurisdiction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Distinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [“I will tell him something one of the characters said and I can see he is ready to laugh even before I tell it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-will-tell-him-something-one-of-the-characters-said-and-i-can-see-he/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [They weren't impatient for the boys to turn into cartoons again. They awarded sympathy, gave compassion. 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Some said 'you look too commercial,' and I would wonder what a 'commercial look' is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-chakraborty/people-told-me-you-can-t-do-intense-characters-some-said-you-look-too/) [Rhea Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-chakraborty/) > [President Donald Trump has now sued the New York Times, the Washington Post, and CNN over opinion pieces that they've published - and really,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/president-donald-trump-has-now-sued-the-new-york-times-the-washington/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [I've never sued anybody, though there have been one or two occasions I've wanted to strangle one or two people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-never-sued-anybody-though-there-have-been-one-or-two-occasions-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Sued King for $100 million, alleging the boxing promoter cheated him out of millions over more than a decade. It was settled out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/sued-king-for-100-million-alleging-the-boxing-promoter-cheated-him/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [A tree fell on Greg Abbott - he sued and got millions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/a-tree-fell-on-greg-abbott-he-sued-and-got-millions/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [I don't want to be sued and cursed-out later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-muthafuckin-exquire/i-don-t-want-to-be-sued-and-cursed-out-later/) Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire > [“In America, if you succeed, you get sued. If nobody is suing you in America, you haven’t made it there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-kelts/in-america-if-you-succeed-you-get-sued-if-nobody-is-suing-you-in/) Roland Kelts > [I got sued more times than Martha Stewart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-heyman/i-got-sued-more-times-than-martha-stewart/) [Paul Heyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-heyman/) > [In the case of The Thin Blue Line, I was surprised actually by many things. I was shooting down in Texas where the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/in-the-case-of-the-thin-blue-line-i-was-surprised-actually-by-many/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I have a great track record, and I have never been sued. If I can't find someone for someone, I refer them out. 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