Able Quote by Michel Foucault
![“[Raymond Roussel] said that after his first book he expected that the next morning there would be a kind of aura around his person and that everyone in the street would be able to see that he had written a book. This is the obscure desire harboured by everyone who writes. It is true that the first…” quote by Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1bb/michel-foucault-1134_able_raymond-roussel-said-that-after-his-firs_1123161.jpg)
“[Raymond Roussel] said that after his first book he expected that the next morning there would be a kind of aura around his person and that everyone in the street would be able to see that he had written a book. This is the obscure desire harboured by everyone who writes. It is true that the first text one writes is neither written for others, nor because one is what one is: one writes to become other than what one is. One tries to modify one's way of being through the act of writing.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Author Function, Michel Foucault, 1969
Writers seek validation and an aura of significance after publishing, hoping others see their transformation through writing.
In simple terms: Writers want recognition and personal change through their work.
Key Takeaway
Seek authentic expression over external validation.
Themes
creativity
identity
recognition
Mood
introspective
curious
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- first drafts
- creative retreats
Key Concepts
post-structuralism
authorial function
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you write to become someone else or to reveal yourself?
- How does external validation shape your creative process?
A Different Perspective
The desire for aura may distract from genuine self‑exploration.
