--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Definitely they write themselves. It's an…" description: "\"Definitely they write themselves. It's an amazing experience. It's like the characters have come alive and are sitting on my shoulder talking to me, te..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/r-a-salvatore-2-12849_alive_definitely-they-write-themselves-it-s-an_2248968.jpg" --- # Definitely they write themselves. It's an amazing… ![“Definitely they write themselves. It's an amazing experience. It's like the characters have come alive and are sitting on my shoulder talking to me, telling me their tales.” quote by R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/r-a-salvatore-2-12849_alive_definitely-they-write-themselves-it-s-an_2248968.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/r-a-salvatore-2-12849_alive_definitely-they-write-themselves-it-s-an_2248968.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/r-a-salvatore-2-12849_alive_definitely-they-write-themselves-it-s-an_2248968.jpg) > “Definitely they write themselves. It's an amazing experience. It's like the characters have come alive and are sitting on my shoulder talking to me, telling me their tales.” [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Characters feel autonomous, guiding the author like voices on his shoulder. **In simple terms:** Characters seem to write themselves. Key Takeaway Listen to character intuition. Themes writing creativity character Mood creative introspective Type writing fiction When to use this quote - novel writing - character development - storyboarding - creative block Key Concepts authorial voice narrative agency Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance character guidance with plot structure? - What techniques keep character voices authentic? A Different Perspective Over-reliance on characters may hinder authorial control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Most writer's blocks come from people second-guessing to the point where they get discouraged, and they just quit. 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The stuff I was reading were urban books and I definitely got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/i-can-definitely-write-a-book-growing-up-i-really-learned-that-the/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [ You look at people like Gena Rowlands, but she had \[John\] Cassavetes to write these amazing roles for her. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/you-look-at-people-like-gena-rowlands-but-she-had-john-cassavetes-to/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I would definitely write to the kid that I was before, to embrace the moment. I think that often times when you're coming of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mackin/i-would-definitely-write-to-the-kid-that-i-was-before-to-embrace-the/) [Sean Mackin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mackin/) > [I had a story-telling mother; she's written novels and short stories. So I feel like maybe I'm staying alive by telling tales.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayshay/i-had-a-story-telling-mother-she-s-written-novels-and-short-stories/) Ayshay > [I had an idea in the beginning to do a book about some of the events that I had covered, just various stories that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schieffer/i-had-an-idea-in-the-beginning-to-do-a-book-about-some-of-the-events/) [Bob Schieffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schieffer/) > [Come along it is the break of day. Surely now, you'll have some things to say. It's not the time for telling tales on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sia/come-along-it-is-the-break-of-day-surely-now-you-ll-have-some-things/) [Sia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sia/) > [“Now "The Arabian Nights," some of which, but not nearly all, are given in this volume, are only fairy tales of the East. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhsin-mahdi/now-the-arabian-nights-some-of-which-but-not-nearly-all-are-given-in/) Muhsin Mahdi > [Crime stories are our version of sitting round a camp fire and telling tales. We enjoy being scared under safe circumstances. That's why there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-l-ckberg/crime-stories-are-our-version-of-sitting-round-a-camp-fire-and/) [Camilla Lackberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-l-ckberg/) > [“It is our responsibility to keep telling these tales--to tell them in a way that they teach and entertain and give meaning to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jay-jones/it-is-our-responsibility-to-keep-telling-these-tales-to-tell-them-in/) [Brian Jay Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jay-jones/) > [“Good storytelling is one thing rural whites and Indians have in common. But native Americans have learned through harsh necessity that people who survive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/good-storytelling-is-one-thing-rural-whites-and-indians-have-in/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [There is nothing finer in the world than the telling of tales. Split atoms if you wish, but splitting an infinitive-and getting away with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bear/there-is-nothing-finer-in-the-world-than-the-telling-of-tales-split/) [Greg Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bear/) > [Everybody in my family were great storytellers. My dad and his brothers would just go on and on; they could tell amazing stories. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/everybody-in-my-family-were-great-storytellers-my-dad-and-his/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) ## More by R. A. Salvatore > [And the real thing can kill you whether you believe in it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/and-the-real-thing-can-kill-you-whether-you-believe-in-it-or-not/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Whenever you're writing a book or creating a movie or a game, your first task is to get the reader to suspend disbelief, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/whenever-you-re-writing-a-book-or-creating-a-movie-or-a-game-your/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Writing is an incredibly lonely job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/writing-is-an-incredibly-lonely-job/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [The meekest of animals will fight bravely when it is backed against a wall, for it has nothing left to lose. A poor man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/the-meekest-of-animals-will-fight-bravely-when-it-is-backed-against-a/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I don't often know exactly what's coming next, and that makes it more fun. And you know, for me, this entire genre is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/i-don-t-often-know-exactly-what-s-coming-next-and-that-makes-it-more/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I shudder at the concept of a world tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/i-shudder-at-the-concept-of-a-world-tamed/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [So, while I gave up the notions of publishing at that time, I never stopped editing and refining that book. A few years later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/so-while-i-gave-up-the-notions-of-publishing-at-that-time-i-never/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Science fiction is the ugly stepchild of mainstream literature, and fantasy is the ugly stepchild of science fiction, and tie-in novels are the ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/science-fiction-is-the-ugly-stepchild-of-mainstream-literature-and/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [These were the companions who justified my principles, who gave me the strength to continue against any foe, real or imagined. These were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/these-were-the-companions-who-justified-my-principles-who-gave-me-the/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I won't hold any illusions of changing the world or any such nonsense. But maybe, just maybe, I'm helping someone else change his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/i-won-t-hold-any-illusions-of-changing-the-world-or-any-such-nonsense/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Whenever you're writing a book or creating a movie or a game, your first task is to get the reader/audience/player to suspend disbelief, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/whenever-you-re-writing-a-book-or-creating-a-movie-or-a-game-your-2/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [To any intelligent being, there is no emotion more important than hope. Individually or collectively, we must hope that the future will be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/to-any-intelligent-being-there-is-no-emotion-more-important-than-hope/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [“Sane is boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/sane-is-boring/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I never intended to be a professional writer; as the story developed, the one thing I had in my hopes was that this would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/i-never-intended-to-be-a-professional-writer-as-the-story-developed/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Here's the thing, for me at least: this is a huge genre now. It wasn't always so. Not so many years ago, it wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/here-s-the-thing-for-me-at-least-this-is-a-huge-genre-now-it-wasn-t/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) [Explore all 53 R. A. Salvatore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) ## More Alive quotes > [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 feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Definitely they write themselves. It's an amazing experience. It's like the characters have come alive and are sitting on my shoulder talking to me, telling me their tales.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. A. 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