--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A writer's job is to imagine everything…" description: "\"A writer's job is to imagine everything so personally that the fiction is as vivid as memories.\" — John Irving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/john-irving-337_closeness_a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything_2225486.png" --- # A writer's job is to imagine everything so personally that… ![“A writer's job is to imagine everything so personally that the fiction is as vivid as memories.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/john-irving-337_closeness_a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything_2225486.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/john-irving-337_closeness_a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything_2225486.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/john-irving-337_closeness_a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything_2225486.png) > “A writer's job is to imagine everything so personally that the fiction is as vivid as memories.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## 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 internalize their story so deeply that the narrative feels as vivid as personal memory. **In simple terms:** Writers should make fiction feel as real as memory. Key Takeaway Write with personal immersion for vivid storytelling. Themes imagination memory craft empathy Mood creative inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - teaching creative writing - storytelling workshops Key Concepts narrative immersion creative writing psychology of memory Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal experience with universal appeal? - What techniques help make fiction feel vivid? A Different Perspective Too much personal immersion may limit objectivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Closeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closeness/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Vivid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivid/) [Vivid memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivid-memories/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The designer's job is to imagine the world not how it is, but how it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-designer-s-job-is-to-imagine-the-world-not-how-it-is-but-how-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best way to enjoy your job is to imagine yourself without one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-best-way-to-enjoy-your-job-is-to-imagine-yourself-without-one/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Imagine that everything you are typing is being read by the person you are applying to for your first job. Imagine that it's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-berners-lee/imagine-that-everything-you-are-typing-is-being-read-by-the-person/) [Tim Berners-Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-berners-lee/) > [That's my job. To imagine harder than you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-gorder/that-s-my-job-to-imagine-harder-than-you-can/) [Genevieve Gorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-gorder/) > [The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-way-to-appreciate-your-job-is-to-imagine-yourself-without-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As writers, it is our job not only to imagine, but to witness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-shapiro/as-writers-it-is-our-job-not-only-to-imagine-but-to-witness/) [Dani Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-shapiro/) > [I am simply impressed by the unexpected insights which shower down on me when my job is to imagine, as contrasted with the woodenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-am-simply-impressed-by-the-unexpected-insights-which-shower-down-on/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I love the job and I can't imagine doing anything other than coaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hansi-flick/i-love-the-job-and-i-can-t-imagine-doing-anything-other-than-coaching/) [Hansi Flick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hansi-flick/) > [I wanted to be a snowplow driver when I was a kid. Growing up in the Rocky Mountains, that's the most glorious job you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kip-thorne/i-wanted-to-be-a-snowplow-driver-when-i-was-a-kid-growing-up-in-the/) [Kip Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kip-thorne/) > [The history of a city was like the history of a family—there is closeness and even affection, but death eventually separates everyone from each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-history-of-a-city-was-like-the-history-of-a-family-there-is/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“The moving of the boulders was weary and painful work. We came to know every one of the stones by sight and touch, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/the-moving-of-the-boulders-was-weary-and-painful-work-we-came-to-know/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [I have many vivid memories of listening to the folk songs in my village.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/i-have-many-vivid-memories-of-listening-to-the-folk-songs-in-my/) [Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/) > [For my father, life was uni-dimensional. Reliance was his life. Yet, some of my most vivid memories are about spending time with him. However…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mukesh-ambani/for-my-father-life-was-uni-dimensional-reliance-was-his-life-yet-some/) [Mukesh Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mukesh-ambani/) > [There are vivid memories from my childhood - what we had to go through because of low wages and the conditions, basically because there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/there-are-vivid-memories-from-my-childhood-what-we-had-to-go-through/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Closeness quotes > [How could they say that they truly loved each other? 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Losing time is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/2019-fidelis-o-mkparu/how-long-has-it-been-since-you-and-me-hugs-and-kisses-blankets-and/) 2019 Fidelis O Mkparu > [“I'd watch his smooth chest rise and fall with each steady breath, I'd watch the pulsating of his stomach when he laughed, and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-d-watch-his-smooth-chest-rise-and-fall-with-each-steady-breath-i-d/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [Jesus Christ does not teach us a spirituality “of closed eyes”, but one of “alertness”, one which entails an absolute duty to take notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/jesus-christ-does-not-teach-us-a-spirituality-of-closed-eyes-but-one/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [This is really skin privilege, the ranking of color in terms of its closeness to white people or white-skinned people and its devaluation according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/this-is-really-skin-privilege-the-ranking-of-color-in-terms-of-its/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Daily fervent prayers seeking forgiveness and special help and direction are essential to our lives and the nourishment of our testimonies. When we become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-l-staheli/daily-fervent-prayers-seeking-forgiveness-and-special-help-and/) Donald L. Staheli > [Somewhere we know that without silence, words lose their meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/somewhere-we-know-that-without-silence-words-lose-their-meaning/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Women, understand that sex does not always equate to love, it just equates to a false sense of emotional closeness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/women-understand-that-sex-does-not-always-equate-to-love-it-just/) Enhance Dreams > [The aesthetic event is something as evident, as immediate, as indefinable as love, the taste of fruit, as water. We feel poetry as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-aesthetic-event-is-something-as-evident-as-immediate-as/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“I do not know what to do with the emotions inside me. I do not know how to be this close to someone and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-renee-jones/i-do-not-know-what-to-do-with-the-emotions-inside-me-i-do-not-know/) [Lisa Renee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-renee-jones/) > [The aesthetic event is something as evident, as immediate, as indefinable as love, the taste of fruit, of water. 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Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) [Browse all 316 Closeness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closeness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A writer's job is to imagine everything so personally that the fiction is as vivid as memories.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything-so-personally-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Closeness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything-so-personally-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/john-irving-337_closeness_a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything_2225486.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/john-irving-337_closeness_a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything_2225486.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/john-irving-337_closeness_a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything_2225486.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A writer's job is to imagine everything so personally that the fiction is as vivid as memories.” — John Irving", "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": "John Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A writer's job is to imagine...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything-so-personally-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/a-writer-s-job-is-to-imagine-everything-so-personally-that-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 } } ] } ```