--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You're...writing for other writers to an…" description: "\"You're...writing for other writers to an extent-the dead writers whose work you admire, as well as the living writers you like to read.\" — Raymond Carver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/raymond-carver-2821_admire_you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-e_1597104.png" --- # You're...writing for other writers to an extent-the dead… ![“You're...writing for other writers to an extent-the dead writers whose work you admire, as well as the living writers you like to read.” quote by Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/raymond-carver-2821_admire_you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-e_1597104.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/raymond-carver-2821_admire_you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-e_1597104.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/raymond-carver-2821_admire_you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-e_1597104.png) > “You're...writing for other writers to an extent-the dead writers whose work you admire, as well as the living writers you like to read.” [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing connects us to both deceased and living writers, creating a continuous conversation across time. **In simple terms:** Writing is a dialogue with other authors. Key Takeaway Engage with literary influences consciously. Themes literature influence dialogue Mood reflective creative Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - fiction writing - literary criticism - workshops Key Concepts intertextuality creative process legacy Questions to Reflect On - Which authors shape your work? - How do you balance influence and originality? A Different Perspective Relying too much on others may hinder original voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [ \[On the writers she admires:\] I prefer dead writers, because I don't see them at parties. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/on-the-writers-she-admires-i-prefer-dead-writers-because-i-don-t-see/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I do tend to feel more connected to dead writers, perhaps because they have finished their work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/i-do-tend-to-feel-more-connected-to-dead-writers-perhaps-because-they/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [We who are quotatious are never truly alone, but always hear the cheerful flow of remarks made by dead writers so much more intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-epstein/we-who-are-quotatious-are-never-truly-alone-but-always-hear-the/) [Joseph Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-epstein/) > [I lay off a lot modern fiction and only rely on living writers for non-fiction work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-lay-off-a-lot-modern-fiction-and-only-rely-on-living-writers-for/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [For me, as a beginning novelist, all other living writers form a control group for whom the world is a placebo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/for-me-as-a-beginning-novelist-all-other-living-writers-form-a/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Hemingway is great in that alone of living writers he has saturated his work with the memory of physical pleasure, with sunshine and salt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/hemingway-is-great-in-that-alone-of-living-writers-he-has-saturated/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [Writers are often alone when they work. Hours pass in silence as one long moment; light fades as day turns back to face the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/writers-are-often-alone-when-they-work-hours-pass-in-silence-as-one/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [Writers will see your work and want to try you in different things but I think you have to stay true to your vehicle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-williams/writers-will-see-your-work-and-want-to-try-you-in-different-things/) [Michael K. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-williams/) > [I really admire the experimentalists who challenge traditional narrative - writers like Ishmael Reed, Michael Martone, Donald Barthelme, Tatyana Tolstaya, George Saunders, and many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-weinstein/i-really-admire-the-experimentalists-who-challenge-traditional/) [Alexander Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-weinstein/) > [I much prefer to work with dead writers, and ones who were writing four hundred years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-sharrock/i-much-prefer-to-work-with-dead-writers-and-ones-who-were-writing/) [Thea Sharrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-sharrock/) > [“As one tends to the graves of the dead, so I tend the books. I clean them, do minor repairs, keep them in good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/as-one-tends-to-the-graves-of-the-dead-so-i-tend-the-books-i-clean/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [Do they sense it, these dead writers, when their books are read? Does a pinprick of light appear in their darkness? Is their soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/do-they-sense-it-these-dead-writers-when-their-books-are-read-does-a/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [I prefer dead writers because you don't run into them at parties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-prefer-dead-writers-because-you-don-t-run-into-them-at-parties/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Someone said, 'The dead writers are remote from us because we know so much more than they did.' Precisely, and they are that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-said-the-dead-writers-are-remote-from-us-because-we-know-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some one said: "The dead writers are remote from us because we know so much more than they did." Precisley, and they are that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot-4/some-one-said-the-dead-writers-are-remote-from-us-because-we-know-so/) [T.S Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot-4/) ## More by Raymond Carver > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [My heart is broken,” she goes. “It’s turned to a piece of stone. I’m no good. That’s what’s as bad as anything, that I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/my-heart-is-broken-she-goes-it-s-turned-to-a-piece-of-stone-i-m-no/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“You sound like a nice man,” the woman said. “Do I? Well, that’s nice of you to say.” He knew he should hang up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-sound-like-a-nice-man-the-woman-said-do-i-well-that-s-nice-of-you/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Life and death matters, yes. And the question of how to behave in this world, how to go in the face of everything. Time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/life-and-death-matters-yes-and-the-question-of-how-to-behave-in-this/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [The places where water comes together with other water. Those places stand out in my mind like holy places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/the-places-where-water-comes-together-with-other-water-those-places/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [A man can go along obeying all the rules and then it don't matter a damn anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/a-man-can-go-along-obeying-all-the-rules-and-then-it-don-t-matter-a/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“You see, this happened a few months ago, but it's still going on right now, and it ought to make us feel ashamed when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-see-this-happened-a-few-months-ago-but-it-s-still-going-on-right/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I've crossed some kind of invisible line. I feel as if I've come to a place I never thought I'd have to come to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/i-ve-crossed-some-kind-of-invisible-line-i-feel-as-if-i-ve-come-to-a/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Art doesn't have to do anything. It just has to be there for the fierce pleasure we take in doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/art-doesn-t-have-to-do-anything-it-just-has-to-be-there-for-the/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“But here is the thing. When he gets on me, I suddenly feel I am fat. I feel am terrifically fat, so fat that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/but-here-is-the-thing-when-he-gets-on-me-i-suddenly-feel-i-am-fat-i/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [There are significant moments in everyone's day that can make literature. That's what you ought to write about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/there-are-significant-moments-in-everyone-s-day-that-can-make/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [The fiction Im most interested in has lines of reference to the real world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/the-fiction-im-most-interested-in-has-lines-of-reference-to-the-real/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Don’t complain, don’t explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/don-t-complain-don-t-explain/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [It's strange. You never start out life with the intention of becoming a bankrupt or an alcoholic or a cheat and a thief. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/it-s-strange-you-never-start-out-life-with-the-intention-of-becoming/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I am a cigarette with a body attached to it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/i-am-a-cigarette-with-a-body-attached-to-it/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) [Explore all 134 Raymond Carver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) ## More Admire quotes > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I admire Serena Williams, because, I mean, who doesn't admire Serena Williams?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-admire-serena-williams-because-i-mean-who-doesn-t-admire-serena/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [How proud I am to be compared to Oprah. I really admire her. She's a minority woman and she's done all this by herself...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/how-proud-i-am-to-be-compared-to-oprah-i-really-admire-her-she-s-a/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [I admire President Obama's ability to trust strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-admire-president-obama-s-ability-to-trust-strangers/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I really admire people's interactions with technology that aren't tech-centric but use it as a tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-really-admire-people-s-interactions-with-technology-that-aren-t/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [During my first years in the Sierra, I was ever calling on everybody within reach to admire them, but I found no one half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/during-my-first-years-in-the-sierra-i-was-ever-calling-on-everybody/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Shaw's works make me admire the magnificent tolerance and broadmindedness of the english.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/shaw-s-works-make-me-admire-the-magnificent-tolerance-and/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I think it's really good and helpful to have the people you most admire in some other discipline than what you work in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-it-s-really-good-and-helpful-to-have-the-people-you-most/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [Part of what we admire about a painting or a piece of music is the order which the artist has imposed upon what would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/part-of-what-we-admire-about-a-painting-or-a-piece-of-music-is-the/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [I respect and admire the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/i-respect-and-admire-the-premier-league/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) > [“The thing I admire most about you is no matter how hard, or how much the world has tried to beat you, break you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-gill/the-thing-i-admire-most-about-you-is-no-matter-how-hard-or-how-much/) [Nikita Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-gill/) Browse all 2,369 Admire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You're...writing for other writers to an extent-the dead writers whose work you admire, as well as the living writers you like to read.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Raymond Carver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-extent-the-dead-writers-whose/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-extent-the-dead-writers-whose/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/raymond-carver-2821_admire_you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-e_1597104.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/raymond-carver-2821_admire_you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-e_1597104.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/raymond-carver-2821_admire_you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-e_1597104.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You're...writing for other writers to an extent-the dead writers whose work you admire, as well as the…” — Raymond Carver", "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": "Raymond Carver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You're...writing for other writers to an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-extent-the-dead-writers-whose/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-re-writing-for-other-writers-to-an-extent-the-dead-writers-whose/#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 } } ] } ```