--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I write fiction not for my readers and…" description: "\"“I write fiction not for my readers and not for myself. I write fiction for the sake of those odd heroic characters that are contained therein. They ar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/nicholas-trandahl-29310_books_i-write-fiction-not-for-my-readers-and-n_872631.jpg" --- # I write fiction not for my readers and not for myself. I… ![“I write fiction not for my readers and not for myself. I write fiction for the sake of those odd heroic characters that are contained therein. They are counting on me as much as I am counting on them.” quote by Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/nicholas-trandahl-29310_books_i-write-fiction-not-for-my-readers-and-n_872631.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/nicholas-trandahl-29310_books_i-write-fiction-not-for-my-readers-and-n_872631.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/nicholas-trandahl-29310_books_i-write-fiction-not-for-my-readers-and-n_872631.jpg) > ““I write fiction not for my readers and not for myself. I write fiction for the sake of those odd heroic characters that are contained therein. They are counting on me as much as I am counting on them.”” [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) ## 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 writes to serve the characters, trusting them as much as they trust him. **In simple terms:** Writing serves the characters, not just the reader or author. Key Takeaway Respect and listen to your creations. Themes creativity authorial responsibility character agency Mood thoughtful inspired Type creative literary When to use this quote - Novel drafting - screenwriting - role‑playing games - creative workshops Key Concepts Literature fiction writing character development Questions to Reflect On - Do your characters dictate your story? - How much control should you retain? A Different Perspective Characters may limit authorial freedom if over‑valued. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fictional-characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fictional-characters-2/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I feel like these characters, these places, these beings and plots, and even these inanimate objects are counting on me for survival. It’s my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-feel-like-these-characters-these-places-these-beings-and-plots-and/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I don’t recommend emulating the behavior of any of the characters contained within. They’re all quite mad. 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I decided I wanted to act when I realised that Superman and all those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-bloom/as-a-child-i-was-always-drawn-to-heroic-characters-i-decided-i-wanted/) [Orlando Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-bloom/) > [Playing big, heroic characters with heart is always a lot of fun. 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Her pen seemed to take on a life of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/amanda-herself-couldn-t-understand-why-her-writing-was-so-different/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by Nicholas Trandahl > [“It’s my opinion that only in times of utter depression or lofty peace is it appropriate to be creative.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-utter-depression-or-lofty-peace/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“As long as I have other ideas and projects noted, I feel confident that they'll be alright until I get to them. And my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/as-long-as-i-have-other-ideas-and-projects-noted-i-feel-confident/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I feel like these characters, these places, these beings and plots, and even these inanimate objects are counting on me for survival. It’s my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-feel-like-these-characters-these-places-these-beings-and-plots-and/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Sometimes just being able to write only a few hundred words as opposed to a few thousand is just fine. As long as they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/sometimes-just-being-able-to-write-only-a-few-hundred-words-as/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“In my own book-signings, I find humility. 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No. More like I am with him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/whenever-i-read-anything-by-henry-david-thoreau-i-honestly-feel-as/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Edgar Allan Poe’s writings showed me perfectly that there can be such fragile beauty and purity located in darkness and sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/edgar-allan-poe-s-writings-showed-me-perfectly-that-there-can-be-such/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I’m a man of music as much as I am a man of words and prose. One could even possibly say that they, music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-m-a-man-of-music-as-much-as-i-am-a-man-of-words-and-prose-one-could/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“There are a couple of utterly important rules to writing anything, whether it's a novel, a short story or a collection of poetry. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/there-are-a-couple-of-utterly-important-rules-to-writing-anything/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I just need to sit, think, write and read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-just-need-to-sit-think-write-and-read/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Poetry is a niche genre, sure, but it has a way of opening people up. It opens me up. 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People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. 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