Appropriate Quote by Jonathan Santlofer
“I have a total responsibility to the reader. The reader has to trust me and never feel betrayed. There's a double standard between writers and readers. Readers can be unfaithful to writers anytime they like, but writers must never ever be unfaithful to the readers. And it's appropriate, because the writer is getting paid and the reader isn't.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: On Writing Ethics, 2015
Writers must uphold trust, never betray readers, despite power imbalance.
In simple terms: Writers must stay honest to readers.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize reader trust.
Themes
ethics
trust
power dynamics
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
ethical
advisory
When to use this quote
- publishing contracts
- journalism
- blogging
- creative writing
Key Concepts
authorial responsibility
reader expectation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you maintain integrity when financially motivated?
- What safeguards protect reader trust?
A Different Perspective
Readers may also betray writers, creating a double standard.
![“[T]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be6/arthur-schopenhauer-226_addresses_t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between_32897.jpg)
