--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I begin a novel I have a strong…" description: "\"Before I begin a novel I have a strong sense of at least one central character and how the story begins, and a more vague sense of where things may win..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/steve-erickson-9119_book_before-i-begin-a-novel-i-have-a-strong-s_131331.png" --- # Before I begin a novel I have a strong sense of at least… ![“Before I begin a novel I have a strong sense of at least one central character and how the story begins, and a more vague sense of where things may wind up, but at some point, if the novel is any good at all, the story and characters take on lives of their own and take over the book, and the…” quote by Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/steve-erickson-9119_book_before-i-begin-a-novel-i-have-a-strong-s_131331.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/steve-erickson-9119_book_before-i-begin-a-novel-i-have-a-strong-s_131331.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/steve-erickson-9119_book_before-i-begin-a-novel-i-have-a-strong-s_131331.png) > “Before I begin a novel I have a strong sense of at least one central character and how the story begins, and a more vague sense of where things may wind up, but at some point, if the novel is any good at all, the story and characters take on lives of their own and take over the book, and the writer has to be open to that.” [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A novel starts with a clear character and opening, but the story evolves independently, requiring author flexibility. **In simple terms:** Stories begin with a character, then take on a life of their own. Key Takeaway Stay open to the narrative’s direction. Themes creativity flexibility storytelling Mood reflective inspired Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - writing - novel development - creative process Key Concepts emergent narrative authorial humility Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance planning with spontaneity? - What techniques keep you adaptable? A Different Perspective Loss of control can be unsettling for writers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever I write a novel, I have a strong sense that I am doing something I was unable to do before. 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Le Clezio ## More by Steve Erickson > [If you're a smart writer, you listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-erickson/if-you-re-a-smart-writer-you-listen/) [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) > [To the extent that I've ever understood postmodernism - and I'm sure there are people out there who do, but I'm not one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-erickson/to-the-extent-that-i-ve-ever-understood-postmodernism-and-i-m-sure/) [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) > [I have members of my immediate family, and my wife's immediate family, who voted for Donald Trump, and now there's this gulf that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-erickson/i-have-members-of-my-immediate-family-and-my-wife-s-immediate-family/) [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) > [I'm my own "ideal reader" in the sense that I write novels that I would want to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-erickson/i-m-my-own-ideal-reader-in-the-sense-that-i-write-novels-that-i-would/) [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) > [The material dictates the approach. 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When I identified as a fourteen-year-old conservative, it was closer to what we today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-erickson/in-my-early-twenties-the-nature-of-conservatism-itself-changed-when-i/) [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) [Explore all 74 Steve Erickson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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