---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think about the sincerity of my…"
description: "\"I think about the sincerity of my writing. I try to be true, to pose questions. Shake people up a bit and make them look in a direction they wouldn't n..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/philippe-claudel-15141_being-true_i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writin_1327193.jpg"
---

#  I think about the sincerity of my writing. I try to be…

![“I think about the sincerity of my writing. I try to be true, to pose questions. Shake people up a bit and make them look in a direction they wouldn't normally.” quote by Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/philippe-claudel-15141_being-true_i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writin_1327193.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/philippe-claudel-15141_being-true_i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writin_1327193.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/philippe-claudel-15141_being-true_i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writin_1327193.jpg)

> “I think about the sincerity of my writing. I try to be true, to pose questions. Shake people up a bit and make them look in a direction they wouldn't normally.”

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

## 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 reflects on writing with authenticity, aiming to provoke thought and challenge readers' usual perspectives.

**In simple terms:** Write honestly and stir readers' thinking.

Key Takeaway

Be authentic and provoke insight.

Themes

authenticity provocation reflection

Mood

thoughtful challenging

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- writing workshops
- public speaking
- educational seminars

Key Concepts

literary craft critical thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance honesty with empathy?
- What questions can you ask to shift perception?

A Different Perspective

May alienate audiences resistant to discomfort.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerity/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [I honestly think that my sincerity lies with my country and each and every individual who knows me will agree with this fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-afridi/i-honestly-think-that-my-sincerity-lies-with-my-country-and-each-and/)

[Shahid Afridi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-afridi/)

> [I think sincerity was my sole aesthetic and realism my experimental technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/i-think-sincerity-was-my-sole-aesthetic-and-realism-my-experimental/)

[Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/)

> [None of us is perfect, but the point of our writing is to try to become better, to learn something that we may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-l-dumm/none-of-us-is-perfect-but-the-point-of-our-writing-is-to-try-to/)

[Thomas L. Dumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-l-dumm/)

> [It's a great lesson about not being too precious about your writing. You have to try your hardest to be at the top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/it-s-a-great-lesson-about-not-being-too-precious-about-your-writing/)

[Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/)

> [When I'm writing, I try to think about what would make a song better before worrying about personal opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-bridgers/when-i-m-writing-i-try-to-think-about-what-would-make-a-song-better/)

[Phoebe Bridgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-bridgers/)

> [I don't consciously think of any certain direction when I'm writing. I only try not to be repetitive or redundant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-root/i-don-t-consciously-think-of-any-certain-direction-when-i-m-writing-i/)

[Jim Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-root/)

> [Honestly, when you're writing you try to stay on the story, on the character's mind, trying to throw stuff at them. There is danger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/honestly-when-you-re-writing-you-try-to-stay-on-the-story-on-the/)

[Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/)

> [I don't know if there are topics that I unconsciously avoid, but as soon as they pop up in my writing, I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-don-t-know-if-there-are-topics-that-i-unconsciously-avoid-but-as/)

[Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/)

> [The only rule I have when writing is to try to tell the truth. That doesn't mean you can't exaggerate, edit, rewrite things to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/the-only-rule-i-have-when-writing-is-to-try-to-tell-the-truth-that/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [I can be collaborative, for instance, in situations where I go and study the artist's work before I start writing. Then I can at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/i-can-be-collaborative-for-instance-in-situations-where-i-go-and/)

[Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/)

> [When I am writing alone I try to just write for myself without thinking, like, this will go on a record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-baker/when-i-am-writing-alone-i-try-to-just-write-for-myself-without/)

[Julien Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-baker/)

> [I think a lot about writing and I try to read a lot. Being a musician, I don't take the words lightly; they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gunn/i-think-a-lot-about-writing-and-i-try-to-read-a-lot-being-a-musician/)

Steve Gunn

> [Keep writing. Try to do a little bit every day, even if the result looks like crap. Getting from page four to page five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dean-foster/keep-writing-try-to-do-a-little-bit-every-day-even-if-the-result/)

[Alan Dean Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dean-foster/)

> [With my writing, I try to do stuff I have not done before. Each time I sit down, I want to have a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/with-my-writing-i-try-to-do-stuff-i-have-not-done-before-each-time-i/)

[Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/)

> [I think if I was ever really going to be more serious about writing I'd have to try and find some way to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romola-garai/i-think-if-i-was-ever-really-going-to-be-more-serious-about-writing-i/)

[Romola Garai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romola-garai/)

## More by Philippe Claudel

> [An artist is someone who feels the vibrations of the world and tries to transcribe them through his medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/an-artist-is-someone-who-feels-the-vibrations-of-the-world-and-tries/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [“Cuando le pregunté si no le pesaba la soledad, se quedó pensando un buen rato y luego, con voz grave y serena dijo: «Estar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/cuando-le-pregunt-si-no-le-pesaba-la-soledad-se-qued-pensando-un-buen/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [I like speed in thrillers. It's a rhythm adapted to the subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/i-like-speed-in-thrillers-it-s-a-rhythm-adapted-to-the-subject/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [“Why did I, like thousands of others, have to carry a cross I hadn't chosen, a cross which was not made for my shoulders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/why-did-i-like-thousands-of-others-have-to-carry-a-cross-i-hadn-t/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [My work is very controlled. I leave nothing to chance. Chance comes afterward... Making a film is like cooking a pot au feu. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/my-work-is-very-controlled-i-leave-nothing-to-chance-chance-comes/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [“Oh little Poupchette, some may tell you that you are nobody's child, a child of defilement, a child begotten in fear and horror. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/oh-little-poupchette-some-may-tell-you-that-you-are-nobody-s-child-a/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [“Para intentar comprender a la gente, hay que excavar hasta las raíces. No basta con darle un empujón al tiempo con el hombro para…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/para-intentar-comprender-a-la-gente-hay-que-excavar-hasta-las-ra-ces/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [“...In the end, there's no sort of difference between dying from ignorance and dying under the feet of thousands of men who have regained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/in-the-end-there-s-no-sort-of-difference-between-dying-from-ignorance/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [It's the comedies and thrillers that are successful. People love horror, but in thrillers. Once you speak of pain and suffering it's a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/it-s-the-comedies-and-thrillers-that-are-successful-people-love/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [It's always been difficult for me to speak and express my innermost thoughts. I prefer to write. When I sit down and write, words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/it-s-always-been-difficult-for-me-to-speak-and-express-my-innermost/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [In a novel, language is your principal tool, you try to build pictures in the mind of the reader. When you write a screenplay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/in-a-novel-language-is-your-principal-tool-you-try-to-build-pictures/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [“En coupant du temps on en fabrique.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/en-coupant-du-temps-on-en-fabrique/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [I'm not imprisoned in any one medium. In films I use techniques that are not necessarily what other directors attempt. When I write novels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/i-m-not-imprisoned-in-any-one-medium-in-films-i-use-techniques-that/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [“A dozen incidents of this kind made everyone realise that the monsters had never left them, that they had simply fallen asleep for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/a-dozen-incidents-of-this-kind-made-everyone-realise-that-the/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

> [Most of all people respond to a film tackling grave subjects that question and go against the prevailing mood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/most-of-all-people-respond-to-a-film-tackling-grave-subjects-that/)

[Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

[Explore all 18 Philippe Claudel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/)

## More Being true quotes

> [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/)

[Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/)

> [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/)

[Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/)

> [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/)

[Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/)

> [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Intuitionists think that there are cases in which, say, some identity statement between real numbers is neither true nor false, even though we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-f-heck/intuitionists-think-that-there-are-cases-in-which-say-some-identity/)

[Richard F. Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-f-heck/)

> [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [There is no normal. I've never met a normal person. The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [I learned a tremendous amount about what was important to me as a head coach in that I was not in charge. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-learned-a-tremendous-amount-about-what-was-important-to-me-as-a/)

[Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/)

> [Life is all about being true to yourself and what you believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/life-is-all-about-being-true-to-yourself-and-what-you-believe-in/)

[Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/)

> [I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-unlearning-things-that-were-proved-not/)

[R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/)

> [It seemed too good to be true. That's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-seemed-too-good-to-be-true-that-s-grace/)

[Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/)

> [You create the happiness and the balance that you have, and your own power. This is one thing that I know to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/you-create-the-happiness-and-the-balance-that-you-have-and-your-own/)

[Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/)

> [Being true to yourself means living in truth with each person in your life. It means refusing to say or do something that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/being-true-to-yourself-means-living-in-truth-with-each-person-in-your/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [It is not the responsibility of the enlightened teacher to bring the student to enlightenment. That may be true in the classroom, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-not-the-responsibility-of-the-enlightened-teacher-to-bring-the/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

Browse all 1,447 Being true quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think about the sincerity of my writing. I try to be true, to pose questions. Shake people up a bit and make them look in a direction they wouldn't normally.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Philippe Claudel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writing-i-try-to-be-true-to-pose/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Being true"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writing-i-try-to-be-true-to-pose/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/philippe-claudel-15141_being-true_i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writin_1327193.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/philippe-claudel-15141_being-true_i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writin_1327193.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/philippe-claudel-15141_being-true_i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writin_1327193.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think about the sincerity of my writing. I try to be true, to pose questions. Shake people up a bit and…” — Philippe Claudel",
                "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": "Philippe Claudel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think about the sincerity of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writing-i-try-to-be-true-to-pose/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/i-think-about-the-sincerity-of-my-writing-i-try-to-be-true-to-pose/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
