--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe the writer... should always be…" description: "\"I believe the writer... should always be the final judge. I have always held to that position and have sometimes seen books hurt thereby, but at least ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/maxwell-perkins-27736_believe_i-believe-the-writer-should-always-be-th_2047148.jpg" --- # I believe the writer... should always be the final judge… ![“I believe the writer... should always be the final judge. I have always held to that position and have sometimes seen books hurt thereby, but at least as often helped. The book belongs to the author.” quote by Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/maxwell-perkins-27736_believe_i-believe-the-writer-should-always-be-th_2047148.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/maxwell-perkins-27736_believe_i-believe-the-writer-should-always-be-th_2047148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/maxwell-perkins-27736_believe_i-believe-the-writer-should-always-be-th_2047148.jpg) > “I believe the writer... should always be the final judge. I have always held to that position and have sometimes seen books hurt thereby, but at least as often helped. The book belongs to the author.” [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author’s intent should guide judgment, though readers may experience varied impacts. **In simple terms:** Author’s intent matters most. Key Takeaway Respect the author’s vision. Themes literature authorship interpretation Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - book club - literary analysis - editing decisions Key Concepts literary criticism authorial intent Practical Applications - Readers’ personal experiences can differ from authorial purpose. Questions to Reflect On - How does this affect literary criticism? A Different Perspective Should readers prioritize author intent or personal reaction? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Belongs Author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belongs-author-496808/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Belongs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-belongs-493228/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-hurt-3839982/) [Final Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/final-judge-2927902/) [Finals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finals/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Writer Final](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-final-3839981/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The book belongs to the author.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/the-book-belongs-to-the-author/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [If some books are deemed most baneful and their sale forbid, how then with deadlier facts, not dreams of doting men? Those whom books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/if-some-books-are-deemed-most-baneful-and-their-sale-forbid-how-then/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Why couldn't the world that concerns us- be a fiction? And if somebody asked, 'but to be a fiction there surely belongs an author?'-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/why-couldn-t-the-world-that-concerns-us-be-a-fiction-and-if-somebody/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [... the final judge was truth -- immortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-dark/the-final-judge-was-truth-immortal/) [Eleanor Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-dark/) > [“A state that claims to be a savior of mankind necessarily becomes the final judge of mankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-north/a-state-that-claims-to-be-a-savior-of-mankind-necessarily-becomes-the/) [Gary North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-north/) > [God's the final judge for Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash too. That's solely in the hands of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/god-s-the-final-judge-for-elvis-presley-and-johnny-cash-too-that-s/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [Among the things that you, and you alone, are the absolute and final judge of is whether or not you are a success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/among-the-things-that-you-and-you-alone-are-the-absolute-and-final/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [You do something you're really quite proud of, and the public doesn't like it. Then you do something that perhaps you're not at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-dawson/you-do-something-you-re-really-quite-proud-of-and-the-public-doesn-t/) [Les Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-dawson/) > [“See - this book belongs to you,' Hannah said sweetly. 'No young lady,' the birdman said. 'It belongs to you - but you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/see-this-book-belongs-to-you-hannah-said-sweetly-no-young-lady-the/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [“I have had my say, as he wished. Now the book belongs, as he points out, to the world he claims to speak for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-darius/i-have-had-my-say-as-he-wished-now-the-book-belongs-as-he-points-out/) [Julian Darius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-darius/) > [ One of the convenient things about literature is that, despite copyrights \[...\] a book belongs to the reader as well as to the writer. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fadiman/one-of-the-convenient-things-about-literature-is-that-despite/) [Anne Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fadiman/) > [“Once you’ve written a book, it belongs to everyone, and they are all allowed to have opinions, and the spectrum of opinions is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/once-you-ve-written-a-book-it-belongs-to-everyone-and-they-are-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I have a passionate desire for personal privacy. I want to stand before the world, for good or bad, on the book I wrote,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-have-a-passionate-desire-for-personal-privacy-i-want-to-stand/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [As an author, one of the most important things I think you can do once you've written a novel is step back. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/as-an-author-one-of-the-most-important-things-i-think-you-can-do-once/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [I always felt once it goes into movie land, the book belongs to someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-always-felt-once-it-goes-into-movie-land-the-book-belongs-to/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) ## More by Maxwell Perkins > [Writing, like drawing is an art, and whatever conveys the meaning is justified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/writing-like-drawing-is-an-art-and-whatever-conveys-the-meaning-is/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [Editors are extremely fallible people, all of them. Don't put too much trust in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/editors-are-extremely-fallible-people-all-of-them-don-t-put-too-much/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [If you are not discouraged about your writing on a regular basis, you may not be trying hard enough. Any challenging pursuit will encounter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/if-you-are-not-discouraged-about-your-writing-on-a-regular-basis-you/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [What we publishers think is that our function is to bring everything out into the open, on the theory that we have an adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/what-we-publishers-think-is-that-our-function-is-to-bring-everything/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [Of the whole public not a handful can understand the artist's point of view or the writer's conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/of-the-whole-public-not-a-handful-can-understand-the-artist-s-point/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [It is those people who know that they are right because some outside or higher power conveys the conviction to them who do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/it-is-those-people-who-know-that-they-are-right-because-some-outside/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [I do not think you should read about writing while you are writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/i-do-not-think-you-should-read-about-writing-while-you-are-writing/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [It often puzzles me when people think that matters connected with sex ought to be suppressed. Sex itself cannot be suppressed, and the efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/it-often-puzzles-me-when-people-think-that-matters-connected-with-sex/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [For real self esteem is not derived from the great things you've done, the things you won. The mark you've made - but an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/for-real-self-esteem-is-not-derived-from-the-great-things-you-ve-done/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [You have to throw yourself away when you write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/you-have-to-throw-yourself-away-when-you-write/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [The book belongs to the author.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/the-book-belongs-to-the-author/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [I do not think anyone can read War and Peace too much. I read it six times...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/i-do-not-think-anyone-can-read-war-and-peace-too-much-i-read-it-six/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [Writing a novel is a very hard thing to do because it covers so long a space of time, and if you get discouraged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/writing-a-novel-is-a-very-hard-thing-to-do-because-it-covers-so-long/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [Every good thing that comes is accompanied by trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/every-good-thing-that-comes-is-accompanied-by-trouble/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [“Just get it down on paper, and then we’ll see what to do with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/just-get-it-down-on-paper-and-then-we-ll-see-what-to-do-with-it/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) [Explore all 20 Maxwell Perkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe the writer... should always be the final judge. I have always held to that position and have sometimes seen books hurt thereby, but at least as often helped. 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