--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a novelist, so I can't write about…" description: "\"I'm a novelist, so I can't write about ideas unless they're attached to people.\" — Julian Barnes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/julian-barnes-522_ideas_i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-id_1829145.png" --- # I'm a novelist, so I can't write about ideas unless… ![“I'm a novelist, so I can't write about ideas unless they're attached to people.” quote by Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/julian-barnes-522_ideas_i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-id_1829145.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/julian-barnes-522_ideas_i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-id_1829145.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/julian-barnes-522_ideas_i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-id_1829145.png) > “I'm a novelist, so I can't write about ideas unless they're attached to people.” [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believes ideas must be grounded in human characters to be compelling in fiction. **In simple terms:** Ideas need characters. Key Takeaway Write characters to explore ideas. Themes writing character ideas Mood analytical inquisitive Type literary reflective When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - teaching creative writing - story workshops Key Concepts literature narrative theory Questions to Reflect On - How do characters shape ideas? - Can ideas exist without people? A Different Perspective May limit abstract exploration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attached People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached-people-951984/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Unless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-unless-1101120/) [Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist/) [Novelist Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist-write-1976801/) [Novelists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelists/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Write Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-ideas-347380/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not sure if you can strive your way into a career as a novelist. You have to write books; there are no short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-kushner/i-m-not-sure-if-you-can-strive-your-way-into-a-career-as-a-novelist/) [Rachel Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-kushner/) > [As a novelist, you write about social mores, but not everything can be explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/as-a-novelist-you-write-about-social-mores-but-not-everything-can-be/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [I'm a very old-fashioned novelist. I write 19th-century novels, where a lot of rules apply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-a-very-old-fashioned-novelist-i-write-19th-century-novels-where-a/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think of myself as a songwriter, a weaver of story and imagination in a way that a novelist might write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-think-of-myself-as-a-songwriter-a-weaver-of-story-and-imagination/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [You can't have good ideas unless you have lots of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-pauling/you-can-t-have-good-ideas-unless-you-have-lots-of-ideas/) [Linus Pauling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-pauling/) > [You can't have good ideas unless you're willing to generate a lot of bad ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-can-t-have-good-ideas-unless-you-re-willing-to-generate-a-lot-of/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“You can always borrow ideas; but unless you improve them very significantly, never behave as if they are your own!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-can-always-borrow-ideas-but-unless-you-improve-them-very/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [As both an essayist and science fiction and fantasy novelist, I write about and for the future. I talk about the past to remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kameron-hurley/as-both-an-essayist-and-science-fiction-and-fantasy-novelist-i-write/) [Kameron Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kameron-hurley/) > [It's almost a sort of fairy story tale, just what a novelist would write about a discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hard-townes/it-s-almost-a-sort-of-fairy-story-tale-just-what-a-novelist-would/) [Charles Hard Townes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hard-townes/) > [I think it's really boring, from the point of view of the novelist, to write about yourself. Tedious. But that's very hard to explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/i-think-it-s-really-boring-from-the-point-of-view-of-the-novelist-to/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [“I think that if Mozart were alive today and decided to become a novelist, he would write humorous fantasy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-p-ryan/i-think-that-if-mozart-were-alive-today-and-decided-to-become-a/) [Frank P. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-p-ryan/) > [Every novelist should write something for children at least once in his lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henryk-sienkiewicz/every-novelist-should-write-something-for-children-at-least-once-in/) [Henryk Sienkiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henryk-sienkiewicz/) > [I sometimes feel that my goal as a novelist would be to write a novel in which the language was so transparent that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-sometimes-feel-that-my-goal-as-a-novelist-would-be-to-write-a-novel/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [I think if I was interested in writing on my own, I would be a novelist - then you could write about yourself, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zal-batmanglij/i-think-if-i-was-interested-in-writing-on-my-own-i-would-be-a/) [Zal Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zal-batmanglij/) > [I am not much of a researcher as a novelist; I write mainly from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/i-am-not-much-of-a-researcher-as-a-novelist-i-write-mainly-from/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) ## More by Julian Barnes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-greatest-patriotism-is-to-tell-your-country-when-it-is-behaving/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“There is only good vodka and very good vodka—there is no such thing as bad vodka.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/there-is-only-good-vodka-and-very-good-vodka-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/alice-munro-can-move-characters-through-time-in-a-way-that-no-other/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [How rarely do our emotions meet the object they seem to deserve? How hopelessly we signal; how dark the sky; how big the waves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/how-rarely-do-our-emotions-meet-the-object-they-seem-to-deserve-how/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [You put together two people who have not been put together before. Sometimes it is like that first attempt to harness a hydrogen balloon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-people-who-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Also, when you are young, you think you can predict the likely pains and bleaknesses that age might bring. You imagine yourself being lonely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/also-when-you-are-young-you-think-you-can-predict-the-likely-pains/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Why slum it where people were burdened by yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that? By history? Here, on the Island,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/why-slum-it-where-people-were-burdened-by-yesterday-and-the-day/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“In those years before mobile phones, email and Skype, travelers depended on the rudimentary communications system known as the postcard. Other methods--the long-distance phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-those-years-before-mobile-phones-email-and-skype-travelers/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“My train was late, slowed by the usual Sunday engineering work. I got home in the early evening. I remember that I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/my-train-was-late-slowed-by-the-usual-sunday-engineering-work-i-got/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [In life, every ending is just the start of another story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-life-every-ending-is-just-the-start-of-another-story/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Indeed, isn’t the whole business of ascribing responsibility kind of a cop-out? We want to blame an individual so that everyone else is exculpated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/indeed-isn-t-the-whole-business-of-ascribing-responsibility-kind-of-a/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/some-of-the-freckles-i-once-loved-are-now-closer-to-liver-spots-but/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“And what percentage of people take up the option to die off?’ She looked at me, her glance telling me to be calm. ‘Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/and-what-percentage-of-people-take-up-the-option-to-die-off-she/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Explore all 454 Julian Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## More Ideas quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 24,908 Ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a novelist, so I can't write about ideas unless they're attached to people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barnes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-ideas-unless-they-re-attached/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ideas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-ideas-unless-they-re-attached/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/julian-barnes-522_ideas_i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-id_1829145.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/julian-barnes-522_ideas_i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-id_1829145.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/julian-barnes-522_ideas_i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-id_1829145.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a novelist, so I can't write about ideas unless they're attached to people.” — Julian Barnes", "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": "Julian Barnes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a novelist, so I can't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-ideas-unless-they-re-attached/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-m-a-novelist-so-i-can-t-write-about-ideas-unless-they-re-attached/#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 } } ] } ```