--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm writing about real things. Real…" description: "\"I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any attention at all.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/lou-reed-1654_attention_i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-peopl_1106003.png" --- # I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real… ![“I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any attention at all.” quote by Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/lou-reed-1654_attention_i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-peopl_1106003.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/lou-reed-1654_attention_i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-peopl_1106003.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/lou-reed-1654_attention_i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-peopl_1106003.png) > “I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any attention at all.” [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer must convey authenticity so readers trust and engage with the narrative. **In simple terms:** Write truthfully to earn readers' trust. Key Takeaway Be genuine in your storytelling. Themes authenticity trust storytelling Mood reflective serious Type advice literary When to use this quote - novel writing - journalism - screenwriting - personal essays - biographies Key Concepts realism authorial responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure factual integrity? - What techniques build reader trust? A Different Perspective If the story feels fabricated, readers disengage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Real character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-character/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I used to tell my mother, 'Mom, when they write really flattering things about your son, don't believe it all. And when they write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-laettner/i-used-to-tell-my-mother-mom-when-they-write-really-flattering-things/) [Christian Laettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-laettner/) > [If you want to be an artist, truly try to write what you believe, and if you write when you don't believe then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/if-you-want-to-be-an-artist-truly-try-to-write-what-you-believe-and/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [You don't really have to believe what you write in a blog for more than the moment when you're writing it. You don't bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/you-don-t-really-have-to-believe-what-you-write-in-a-blog-for-more/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“I do not believe that I should only write about what I know but that I should write also of the other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felisberto-hernandez/i-do-not-believe-that-i-should-only-write-about-what-i-know-but-that/) Felisberto Hernandez > [I believe you have to write every day–make the time. It’s about having an organized mind instead of a chaotic and untidy one. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-believe-you-have-to-write-every-day-make-the-time-it-s-about-having/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [As you write plays, you discover what you believe. And until you know what you believe, you can't write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/as-you-write-plays-you-discover-what-you-believe-and-until-you-know/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [Learning to exist in a world quite different from that which formed you is the condition, these days, of pursuing research you can on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-geertz/learning-to-exist-in-a-world-quite-different-from-that-which-formed/) [Clifford Geertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-geertz/) > [I believe that when we write things down, we being the process of activating the fundamentals in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-tressel/i-believe-that-when-we-write-things-down-we-being-the-process-of/) [Jim Tressel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-tressel/) > [I believe if you write it down it's more likely to stick in the memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-watt/i-believe-if-you-write-it-down-it-s-more-likely-to-stick-in-the-memory/) [T. J. Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-watt/) > [I believe if you write a great book, the chances are it'll get a great reception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/i-believe-if-you-write-a-great-book-the-chances-are-it-ll-get-a-great/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [If you truly believe that you write the tale of your own life, then the end is up to you now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/if-you-truly-believe-that-you-write-the-tale-of-your-own-life-then/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [“Writers are magicians. They write down words, and, if they’re good, you believe that what they write is real, just as you believe a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella-2/writers-are-magicians-they-write-down-words-and-if-they-re-good-you/) [W.P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella-2/) > [As I wrote more I became more critical of myself and I think that you have to be your harshest judge. I don't ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-hickam/as-i-wrote-more-i-became-more-critical-of-myself-and-i-think-that-you/) [Homer Hickam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-hickam/) > [“Truth is something that happens whether or not we see it, or believe it, or write about. Truth just is. We can call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-is-something-that-happens-whether-or-not-we-see-it-or-believe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lou Reed > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [Perfect Night is minimalistic and that's what makes it so forceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/perfect-night-is-minimalistic-and-that-s-what-makes-it-so-forceful/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I think life is far too short to concentrate on your past. I rather look into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-think-life-is-far-too-short-to-concentrate-on-your-past-i-rather/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [The only thing constantly changing is change, and change is always changing for the worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/the-only-thing-constantly-changing-is-change-and-change-is-always/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [The first generation of CDs sounded terrible. Any chance to remaster would make the music sound better than what was already out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/the-first-generation-of-cds-sounded-terrible-any-chance-to-remaster/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [Perfect Night has that magic and it has the raw energy that grabs you by the throat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/perfect-night-has-that-magic-and-it-has-the-raw-energy-that-grabs-you/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [Eve kissed Able, that's how he got murdered by Cain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/eve-kissed-able-that-s-how-he-got-murdered-by-cain/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [Music should come crashing out of your speakers and grab you, and the lyrics should challenge whatever preconceived notions that listener has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/music-should-come-crashing-out-of-your-speakers-and-grab-you-and-the/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [Underachievers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose except your fright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/underachievers-of-the-world-unite-you-have-nothing-to-lose-except/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [“There's a bit of magic in everything And then some loss to even things out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/there-s-a-bit-of-magic-in-everything-and-then-some-loss-to-even/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [You've gotta blow the roof off of your heart and let the universe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/you-ve-gotta-blow-the-roof-off-of-your-heart-and-let-the-universe-in/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [Sometimes, you've got to be in a place. You're just another guy. You can just blend in. I live out in the wilds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/sometimes-you-ve-got-to-be-in-a-place-you-re-just-another-guy-you-can/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [How could you even dream or think something of someone who is as uncommercial as I am?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/how-could-you-even-dream-or-think-something-of-someone-who-is-as/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [All the people have gone to war leaving no interrogator to mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/all-the-people-have-gone-to-war-leaving-no-interrogator-to-mind/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I always thought martial arts was the most modern choreography we could have right now, and I always wanted to put it to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-always-thought-martial-arts-was-the-most-modern-choreography-we/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) [Explore all 219 Lou Reed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm writing about real things. 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