--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't be up the reader's ass, as many…" description: "\"You can't be up the reader's ass, as many a writer I think is - cute as hell, ingratiating as hell. But that's not loving the reader in the right way. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/martin-amis-704_ass_you-can-t-be-up-the-reader-s-ass-as-many_1176672.jpg" --- # You can't be up the reader's ass, as many a writer I think… ![“You can't be up the reader's ass, as many a writer I think is - cute as hell, ingratiating as hell. But that's not loving the reader in the right way. That's toadying to the reader.” quote by Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/martin-amis-704_ass_you-can-t-be-up-the-reader-s-ass-as-many_1176672.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/martin-amis-704_ass_you-can-t-be-up-the-reader-s-ass-as-many_1176672.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/martin-amis-704_ass_you-can-t-be-up-the-reader-s-ass-as-many_1176672.jpg) > “You can't be up the reader's ass, as many a writer I think is - cute as hell, ingratiating as hell. But that's not loving the reader in the right way. That's toadying to the reader.” [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers should avoid pandering to readers; genuine connection requires honesty, not excessive flattery. **In simple terms:** Don't pander; be sincere. Key Takeaway Write honestly, not just to please. Themes writing authenticity reader relationship Mood reflective critical Type advice literary criticism When to use this quote - author workshops - editing - reader feedback sessions Key Concepts flattery self-awareness literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance reader engagement with artistic integrity? - When does praise become manipulation? A Different Perspective Excessive flattery can alienate discerning readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't for one second spend any time thinking about carefully ingratiating myself with someone for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/i-don-t-for-one-second-spend-any-time-thinking-about-carefully/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Honesty is seldom ingratiating and often discomfiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/honesty-is-seldom-ingratiating-and-often-discomfiting/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I tend to be the type who is overly polite and sort of ingratiating to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-tend-to-be-the-type-who-is-overly-polite-and-sort-of-ingratiating/) [Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/) > [Many religions now come before us with ingratiating smirks and outspread hands, like an unctuous merchant in a bazaar. 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It is not going to be evenly constituted and when she was Speaker Pelosi, she certainly showed no interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/i-can-tell-you-this-it-is-not-going-to-be-evenly-constituted-and-when/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [What is this world?--A term which men have got, To signify not one in ten knows what; A term, which with no more precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/what-is-this-world-a-term-which-men-have-got-to-signify-not-one-in/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [Apuleius married a rich widow, then wrote \_The Golden Ass\_.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/apuleius-married-a-rich-widow-then-wrote-the-golden-ass/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [“There was once an old but clever donkey, who never liked the sting of any bee, Nor for all the Slung mud, did he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/there-was-once-an-old-but-clever-donkey-who-never-liked-the-sting-of/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. 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Unless I inform you otherwise, I'm always smoking another cigarette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/yeah-i-said-and-started-smoking-another-cigarette-unless-i-inform-you/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“barrios; each barrio has two or three gangs, and all the gangs are theoretically”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/barrios-each-barrio-has-two-or-three-gangs-and-all-the-gangs-are/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“If we all downed tools and joined hands for ten minutes and stopped believing in money, then money would no longer exist. We never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/if-we-all-downed-tools-and-joined-hands-for-ten-minutes-and-stopped/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [When I see a lot of young faces in the audience, it's just sort of sinking in how important that is. Because you're old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/when-i-see-a-lot-of-young-faces-in-the-audience-it-s-just-sort-of/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“I was informed by my viscera that now was the time to put my arm around her shoulders. 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