--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing novels is a way of living…" description: "\"Writing novels is a way of living alternative lives.\" — Melvyn Bragg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/melvyn-bragg-9049_alternatives_writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-altern_2175551.jpg" --- # Writing novels is a way of living alternative lives. ![“Writing novels is a way of living alternative lives.” quote by Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/melvyn-bragg-9049_alternatives_writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-altern_2175551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/melvyn-bragg-9049_alternatives_writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-altern_2175551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/melvyn-bragg-9049_alternatives_writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-altern_2175551.jpg) > “Writing novels is a way of living alternative lives.” [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagining other lives through fiction expands empathy and self‑knowledge. **In simple terms:** Writing lets you live many lives. Key Takeaway Explore characters to learn about yourself. Themes creativity empathy identity Mood inspirational reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - creative retreats - teaching literature Key Concepts fiction role‑play psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does a character’s choice reflect your values? - What life would you try if you could? A Different Perspective May neglect real‑world responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alternative Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternative-lives-2213598/) [Alternatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living Alternative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-alternative-1857560/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love & life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-life-2/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels/) [Novels Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels-way-1018833/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-living/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-novels/) ## Related quotes > [The Democrats right now are living in an alternative universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-democrats-right-now-are-living-in-an-alternative-universe/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I love Victorian novels, the way they capture the nuances of the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/i-love-victorian-novels-the-way-they-capture-the-nuances-of-the-human/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“I have tried to outline, but all that seems to guarantee is that the book will not much resemble the outline, so I long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/i-have-tried-to-outline-but-all-that-seems-to-guarantee-is-that-the/) [Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/) > [“Ah, clever clogs, but it will have happened in one of my alternative lives. You know--the lives hot-shot scientists tell us we are living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-chambers/ah-clever-clogs-but-it-will-have-happened-in-one-of-my-alternative/) [Aidan Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-chambers/) > [The happiest marriages are full of alternative lives, lived in the head, unknown to the partner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bayley/the-happiest-marriages-are-full-of-alternative-lives-lived-in-the/) [John Bayley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bayley/) > [We live through books; we have adventures in them, we lead alternative lives through them. We expand our memories through them. And that sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/we-live-through-books-we-have-adventures-in-them-we-lead-alternative/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [Freedom to tell any story I want, with all the imaginary tools of my trade, is why I love writing novels. I love taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-liu/freedom-to-tell-any-story-i-want-with-all-the-imaginary-tools-of-my/) [Marjorie Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-liu/) > [I really enjoy writing novels. It's like the ocean. You can just build a boat and take off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-johnson/i-really-enjoy-writing-novels-it-s-like-the-ocean-you-can-just-build/) [Denis Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-johnson/) > [One of the things that I love about writing novels is that it really doesn't matter what next step you take as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/one-of-the-things-that-i-love-about-writing-novels-is-that-it-really/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I've got a particular way of writing novels, and that carries over into the way I write comics and games, too. I'm a news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-traviss/i-ve-got-a-particular-way-of-writing-novels-and-that-carries-over/) [Karen Traviss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-traviss/) > [“The whole world's writing novels, but nobody's reading them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-galbraith/the-whole-world-s-writing-novels-but-nobody-s-reading-them/) [Robert Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-galbraith/) > [I was writing novels in high school and apprenticed myself in a way both to Faulkner and to Hemingway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-was-writing-novels-in-high-school-and-apprenticed-myself-in-a-way/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I obviously prefer writing novels but I take my journalism very seriously, and I enjoy doing it between novels. It gives me an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/i-obviously-prefer-writing-novels-but-i-take-my-journalism-very/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [Mostly it's lies, writing novels. You set out to tell an untrue story and you try to make it believable, even to yourself. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/mostly-it-s-lies-writing-novels-you-set-out-to-tell-an-untrue-story/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-writing-novels-is-like-planting-a-forest-then-writing-short/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More by Melvyn Bragg > [The success of the arts has come through a mix of public subsidy, substantial private support, and good box-office receipts, but central to Labour's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/the-success-of-the-arts-has-come-through-a-mix-of-public-subsidy/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [“We shall fight on the beaches,” said Churchill in 1940, “we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/we-shall-fight-on-the-beaches-said-churchill-in-1940-we-shall-fight/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [Too old at 72? Careful. Ageism is out. We'll have the law on you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/too-old-at-72-careful-ageism-is-out-we-ll-have-the-law-on-you/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [The class barricades have been stormed by the forces of a broad culture, which is made up of clusters of individuals who have decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/the-class-barricades-have-been-stormed-by-the-forces-of-a-broad/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [“It is impossible to get enough books, don't you find? But where are we without them? Just words on the wind... Not words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/it-is-impossible-to-get-enough-books-don-t-you-find-but-where-are-we/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [I don't believe in a personal God, no. And I don't believe in resurrection as it is in the New Testament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/i-don-t-believe-in-a-personal-god-no-and-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [As the 20th century unspooled, a cultural warming melted down many frozen class characteristics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/as-the-20th-century-unspooled-a-cultural-warming-melted-down-many/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [I'm a Labour party supporter, but I'm also a democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/i-m-a-labour-party-supporter-but-i-m-also-a-democrat/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [When anybody tells you something about writing, somebody will tell you something completely different and they will also be right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/when-anybody-tells-you-something-about-writing-somebody-will-tell-you/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [A lot of the novels I admire are 'admirably provincial.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/a-lot-of-the-novels-i-admire-are-admirably-provincial/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [My memory seems to be holding on quite well. There is no reason why it shouldn't if you keep training it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/my-memory-seems-to-be-holding-on-quite-well-there-is-no-reason-why-it/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [I'll never forget my interview with Barry Humphries - one of the oddest I've ever done. He insisted that for half the time he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/i-ll-never-forget-my-interview-with-barry-humphries-one-of-the-oddest/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [In the 40 or so years I've known David Puttnam, not only has he pursued an outstanding career in films and now politics, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-puttnam-not-only-has-he/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [We were working class, and you don't lose that. Later on, I bolted on media middle class... and now people like me are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/we-were-working-class-and-you-don-t-lose-that-later-on-i-bolted-on/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [Dame Barbara Cartland was an endearing eccentric, and when I interviewed her, she wanted me to listen to her dictating to her secretary one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/dame-barbara-cartland-was-an-endearing-eccentric-and-when-i/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) [Explore all 75 Melvyn Bragg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) ## More Alternatives quotes > [I am very sad that some designers are still using real fur when the fake alternatives are so effective and so easily obtainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-am-very-sad-that-some-designers-are-still-using-real-fur-when-the/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [ \[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:\] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-prime-minister-i-don-t-know-i/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [If one could have a wish, or an alternative life, I would've liked to have been John Lennon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/if-one-could-have-a-wish-or-an-alternative-life-i-would-ve-liked-to/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [THE REAL PURPOSE OF HOLOCAUST REVISIONISM IS TO MAKE NATIONAL SOCIALISM AN ACCEPTABLE POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE AGAIN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-covington/the-real-purpose-of-holocaust-revisionism-is-to-make-national/) [Harold Covington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-covington/) > [Men since the beginning of time have sought peace...military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn have failed, leaving the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/men-since-the-beginning-of-time-have-sought-peace-military-alliances/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The mission of Christian humility in social life is not merely to edify, but to keep minds open to many alternatives. The rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-mission-of-christian-humility-in-social-life-is-not-merely-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Maximise the alternative forms in which a user might receive a service, and the alternative sources of supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-chipp/maximise-the-alternative-forms-in-which-a-user-might-receive-a/) [Don Chipp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-chipp/) > [In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is dredged up only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-musto/in-the-last-few-years-the-very-idea-of-telling-the-truth-the-whole/) [Michael Musto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-musto/) > [Altermodern is an in-progress redefinition of modernity in the era of globalisation, stressing the experience of wandering in time, space and mediums. The term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-bourriaud/altermodern-is-an-in-progress-redefinition-of-modernity-in-the-era-of/) [Nicolas Bourriaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-bourriaud/) > [If the system exhibits a structure which can be represented by a mathematical equivalent, called a mathematical model, and if the objective can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/if-the-system-exhibits-a-structure-which-can-be-represented-by-a/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [We must commit ourselves to an 'all of the above' energy approach, with a major focus on increasing domestic production and expanding alternatives fuels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-roskam/we-must-commit-ourselves-to-an-all-of-the-above-energy-approach-with/) [Peter Roskam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-roskam/) [Browse all 1,463 Alternatives quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing novels is a way of living alternative lives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melvyn Bragg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-alternative-lives/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alternatives" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-alternative-lives/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/melvyn-bragg-9049_alternatives_writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-altern_2175551.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/melvyn-bragg-9049_alternatives_writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-altern_2175551.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/melvyn-bragg-9049_alternatives_writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-altern_2175551.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Writing novels is a way of living alternative lives.” — Melvyn Bragg", "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": "Melvyn Bragg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Writing novels is a way of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-alternative-lives/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/writing-novels-is-a-way-of-living-alternative-lives/#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 } } ] } ```