---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He looks like a man.' 'How descriptive,'…"
description: "\"He looks like a man.' 'How descriptive,' Susan said in a droll tone. 'Remind me never to advise you to seek work as a novelist.\" — Julia Quinn"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/julia-quinn-282_advise_he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susa_2207344.jpg"
---

#  He looks like a man.' 'How descriptive,' Susan said in a…

![“He looks like a man.' 'How descriptive,' Susan said in a droll tone. 'Remind me never to advise you to seek work as a novelist.” quote by Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/julia-quinn-282_advise_he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susa_2207344.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/julia-quinn-282_advise_he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susa_2207344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/julia-quinn-282_advise_he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susa_2207344.jpg)

> “He looks like a man.' 'How descriptive,' Susan said in a droll tone. 'Remind me never to advise you to seek work as a novelist.”

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A witty remark about a man's appearance, hinting at the speaker’s reluctance to recommend a writing career.

**In simple terms:** A man is described, and the speaker doubts advising a novelist path.

Key Takeaway

Consider the suitability of advice before giving it.

Themes

humor advice career self-awareness

Mood

lighthearted skeptical

Type

observational conversational

When to use this quote

- social conversation
- career counseling
- creative writing
- friendship

Key Concepts

literary criticism personal doubt

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you often give advice that reflects your own experiences?
- How can you separate personal bias from helpful guidance?

A Different Perspective

The speaker may be projecting personal bias onto the advice.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist/) [Novelists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelists/) [Tone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tone/)

## Related quotes

> [“Although yoga has its origins in ancient India, its methods and purposes are universal, relying not on cultural background, faith or deity, but simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-fraser/although-yoga-has-its-origins-in-ancient-india-its-methods-and/)

Tara Fraser

> [“I enjoyed your book. You are a descriptive writer who paints well with pen in hand. Your story had a bit of everything…suspense, humor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-angod/i-enjoyed-your-book-you-are-a-descriptive-writer-who-paints-well-with/)

Josie Angod

> [“The trees were like black skeletons reaching to the sky, pleading with their bony arms for the sun to get stronger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/the-trees-were-like-black-skeletons-reaching-to-the-sky-pleading-with/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“The schools wear the blank faces of war buildings, their windows blown blind by rocks or guns or mortars. Their plaster is an acne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-fuller/the-schools-wear-the-blank-faces-of-war-buildings-their-windows-blown/)

[Alexandra Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-fuller/)

> [I wouldn't call myself a synaesthete in the sense that Nabokov was. But I'll talk about a sound as being cold blue or dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-wouldn-t-call-myself-a-synaesthete-in-the-sense-that-nabokov-was/)

[Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/)

> [I like writing in an illustrative, descriptive way. I prefer describing to rather than explaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iron-wine/i-like-writing-in-an-illustrative-descriptive-way-i-prefer-describing/)

[Iron &amp; Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iron-wine/)

> [“The words came so fast they seemed to roll down hill. Nobody ever calls it all that; it's just spring wheat, but I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mildred-walker/the-words-came-so-fast-they-seemed-to-roll-down-hill-nobody-ever/)

Mildred Walker

> [“Sai stands in his spineless way, young but antiquated, studious but not clever, a thick steel watch on his wrist, his oiled black hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-jospeh/sai-stands-in-his-spineless-way-young-but-antiquated-studious-but-not/)

Manu Jospeh

> [“Her long platinum blond hair fell in loose waves past her shoulders, with a few black peekaboo strands. She wore a black minidress and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/her-long-platinum-blond-hair-fell-in-loose-waves-past-her-shoulders/)

[Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/)

> [Descriptive geometry has two objects: the first is to establish methods to represent on drawing paper which has only two dimensions,-namely, length and width,-all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspard-monge/descriptive-geometry-has-two-objects-the-first-is-to-establish/)

Gaspard Monge

> [“The tree feels splintery, nasty to my touch; it feels Floridian, more reptile than vegetable, more stucco than stone. I do loathe this state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-gurganus/the-tree-feels-splintery-nasty-to-my-touch-it-feels-floridian-more/)

[Allan Gurganus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-gurganus/)

> [The only sort of descriptive adjective or catch phrase for my music would be 'eclectic.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/the-only-sort-of-descriptive-adjective-or-catch-phrase-for-my-music/)

[Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/)

> [I think every writer has a book that haunts them, and on some level, every book you write is a reaction to it. 'Lolita'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/i-think-every-writer-has-a-book-that-haunts-them-and-on-some-level/)

[Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/)

> [“Nightfall was approaching, the light pouring away past the world’s horizon in a gradually darkening cascade.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/obie-williams/nightfall-was-approaching-the-light-pouring-away-past-the-world-s/)

[Obie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/obie-williams/)

> [“Now here he was: sartorially, facially and interpersonally sharpened; every inch the beatific boffin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-byers/now-here-he-was-sartorially-facially-and-interpersonally-sharpened/)

Sam Byers

## More by Julia Quinn

> [“what a sad pair we are," she said. "Surely we can manage a conversation on a topic other than our respective terrible evenings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/what-a-sad-pair-we-are-she-said-surely-we-can-manage-a-conversation/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [It was the one dream he'd never permitted himself to consider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/it-was-the-one-dream-he-d-never-permitted-himself-to-consider/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [But Hyacinth Bridgerton, who at ten should have known the least about kisses of anyone, just blinked thoughtfully, and said, " I think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/but-hyacinth-bridgerton-who-at-ten-should-have-known-the-least-about/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [Daphne," he said with controlled gentleness, "what is wrong?" She sat down opposite him and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm so insensitive,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/daphne-he-said-with-controlled-gentleness-what-is-wrong-she-sat-down/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [You are always looking at people like this.” And then she made a face, one he couldn’t possibly begin to describe. “If I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/you-are-always-looking-at-people-like-this-and-then-she-made-a-face/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“Charlotte had tried to read his work. It seemed only polite, after all, given that they were neighbors. But after a while, she'd simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/charlotte-had-tried-to-read-his-work-it-seemed-only-polite-after-all/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“Yes?" "When you said you weren't angry..." "Yes?" "Were you?" "I was rather annoyed," he admitted. "But not angry?" She sounded as if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/yes-when-you-said-you-weren-t-angry-yes-were-you-i-was-rather-annoyed/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [Daniel held himself very still, waiting for the wave of jealousy that never came. He was furious with the man who’d taken advantage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/daniel-held-himself-very-still-waiting-for-the-wave-of-jealousy-that/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“ "What do you say, Miss Lyndon? Shall we have a go at it?" " 'Shall we have a go at it?' " Ellie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/what-do-you-say-miss-lyndon-shall-we-have-a-go-at-it-shall-we-have-a/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“Just curious,she mouthed. "What? I didn't catch that." Jjuussttccuurriioouuss.She drew it out this time, hoping he'd be able to read her lips. "If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/just-curious-she-mouthed-what-i-didn-t-catch-that/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“It was nearly impossible to keep anything a secret, especially from her sisters, the youngest of whom—Hyacinth—could probably have won the war against Napoleon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/it-was-nearly-impossible-to-keep-anything-a-secret-especially-from/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“Something important is always about to happen... And if not, you'd do well to act as if it were. You'll enjoy life better that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/something-important-is-always-about-to-happen-and-if-not-you-d-do/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“Sophie picked her way through the forest, stepping over tree roots, and pushing aside low-lying branches, letting them snap back behind her with reckless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/sophie-picked-her-way-through-the-forest-stepping-over-tree-roots-and/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [People will think you're courting me.' 'Nonsense, everyone knows I don't court respectable women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/people-will-think-you-re-courting-me-nonsense-everyone-knows-i-don-t/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“If you cannot recognize the problem, there is no way that I could explain it to you." He laughed, damn the man. "My goodness,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/if-you-cannot-recognize-the-problem-there-is-no-way-that-i-could/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

[Explore all 726 Julia Quinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

## More Advise quotes

> [Choosing a job or business is the same thing. I'm not the best one to advise someone how to make billions of dollars; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/choosing-a-job-or-business-is-the-same-thing-i-m-not-the-best-one-to/)

[Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/)

> [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Sometimes curiosity is a poison, not only for those who drink it but for everyone around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/sometimes-curiosity-is-a-poison-not-only-for-those-who-drink-it-but/)

[G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/)

> [Dont ever wrestle with a pig u'll both get dirty but the pig will enj0y it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udechukwu-d0navan/dont-ever-wrestle-with-a-pig-u-ll-both-get-dirty-but-the-pig-will/)

Udechukwu D0navan

> [Some writing courses will advise you to write what you know. I've always thought this is very odd advice ... because it means, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/some-writing-courses-will-advise-you-to-write-what-you-know-i-ve/)

[Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/)

> [I advise women to invest in real estate. It is the collateral to be preferred above all others, and the safest means of investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hetty-green/i-advise-women-to-invest-in-real-estate-it-is-the-collateral-to-be/)

Hetty Green

> [You bomb ISIL. You're not trying to bomb innocent people. And that requires intelligence and confidence in our military to be able to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-bomb-isil-you-re-not-trying-to-bomb-innocent-people-and-that/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/)

[Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/)

> [I do not allow fan-fiction. The characters are copyrighted. It upsets me terribly to even think about fan-fiction with my characters. I advise my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-do-not-allow-fan-fiction-the-characters-are-copyrighted-it-upsets/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

> [Only a foolish man wil keep on doing one ting and expect another result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordons/only-a-foolish-man-wil-keep-on-doing-one-ting-and-expect-another/)

Gordons

> [I do believe that where there is a choice between cowardice and non-violence I would advise violence. Thus when my eldest son asked me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-believe-that-where-there-is-a-choice-between-cowardice-and-non/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [You are lucky in life if you have the right heroes. I advise all of you, to the extent you can, to pick out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/you-are-lucky-in-life-if-you-have-the-right-heroes-i-advise-all-of/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [“I don't advise. You mutn't give any weight to what I say, except in so far as your own judgment approves it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/i-don-t-advise-you-mutn-t-give-any-weight-to-what-i-say-except-in-so/)

[George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/)

> [Parents can only advise their children or point them in the right direction. Ultimately people shape their own characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/parents-can-only-advise-their-children-or-point-them-in-the-right/)

[Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/)

Browse all 507 Advise quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "He looks like a man.' 'How descriptive,' Susan said in a droll tone. 'Remind me never to advise you to seek work as a novelist.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Julia Quinn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susan-said-in-a-droll-tone-remind/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Advise"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susan-said-in-a-droll-tone-remind/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/julia-quinn-282_advise_he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susa_2207344.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/julia-quinn-282_advise_he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susa_2207344.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/julia-quinn-282_advise_he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susa_2207344.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“He looks like a man.' 'How descriptive,' Susan said in a droll tone. 'Remind me never to advise you to seek…” — Julia Quinn",
                "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": "Julia Quinn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "He looks like a man.' 'How...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susan-said-in-a-droll-tone-remind/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-looks-like-a-man-how-descriptive-susan-said-in-a-droll-tone-remind/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
