--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing about unknown people means I…" description: "\"Writing about unknown people means I spend a lot of time arguing to the reader about why it's worth knowing about them. That's challenging, but then th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebf/susan-orlean-2207_arguing_writing-about-unknown-people-means-i-spe_2218945.png" --- # Writing about unknown people means I spend a lot of time… ![“Writing about unknown people means I spend a lot of time arguing to the reader about why it's worth knowing about them. That's challenging, but then the piece is pure discovery.” quote by Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebf/susan-orlean-2207_arguing_writing-about-unknown-people-means-i-spe_2218945.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebf/susan-orlean-2207_arguing_writing-about-unknown-people-means-i-spe_2218945.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebf/susan-orlean-2207_arguing_writing-about-unknown-people-means-i-spe_2218945.png) > “Writing about unknown people means I spend a lot of time arguing to the reader about why it's worth knowing about them. That's challenging, but then the piece is pure discovery.” [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing about strangers forces the writer to argue for their relevance, turning the piece into a journey of discovery for both author and reader. **In simple terms:** Writing unknown lives reveals hidden value through discovery. Key Takeaway Seek hidden stories in unfamiliar people. Themes storytelling discovery empathy curiosity Mood inquisitive hopeful Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - feature writing - documentary filmmaking - podcast interviews Key Concepts journalism narrative theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - What makes an unknown person worth telling? - How can you make strangers relatable? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating readers if relevance isn’t clear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Arguing Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing-reader-4944587/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Knowing Challenging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-challenging-4944588/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unknown People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unknown-people-354619/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Unknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-unknown-612864/) ## Related quotes > [Writing is not an unknown territory for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/writing-is-not-an-unknown-territory-for-me/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [So, you know, when I think of survival as a creative act, it's not trying to plaster over the isolation or to, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suleika-jaouad/so-you-know-when-i-think-of-survival-as-a-creative-act-it-s-not/) [Suleika Jaouad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suleika-jaouad/) > [An abiding preoccupation for me is how much of our lives are invisible and unknown by other people, like the Chekhov story 'The Lady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/an-abiding-preoccupation-for-me-is-how-much-of-our-lives-are/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [Some People want to be become a Popular..but the Popular people wish to become unfamiliar and unknown people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/some-people-want-to-be-become-a-popular-but-the-popular-people-wish/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [Sometimes I just like to listen to unknown people, that can be really, really cool. I like going on blogs and stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher-lloyd/sometimes-i-just-like-to-listen-to-unknown-people-that-can-be-really/) [Cher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher-lloyd/) > [I travel around the world with unknown people, but never feel scared. It's because I am from Delhi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeti-mohan/i-travel-around-the-world-with-unknown-people-but-never-feel-scared/) [Neeti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeti-mohan/) > [Wherever I travel, be it abroad or in Northern India, unknown people come up to me, recognizing me as Sivagami! 'Baahubali' has broken all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramya-krishnan/wherever-i-travel-be-it-abroad-or-in-northern-india-unknown-people/) [Ramya Krishnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramya-krishnan/) > [People go on exploration; they're trying to find places that weren't known before. But it is an inevitable fact of research, as is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/people-go-on-exploration-they-re-trying-to-find-places-that-weren-t/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [Going through unknown people's profiles and judging them by their pictures is totally normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pradeep-chandra/going-through-unknown-people-s-profiles-and-judging-them-by-their/) [Pradeep Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pradeep-chandra/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) ## More by Susan Orlean > [I've used Twitter now and again to try to figure something out; it's an amazing resource. But I think you have to use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-ve-used-twitter-now-and-again-to-try-to-figure-something-out-it-s/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [Who on earth is going to use 'utilize' in a text message, a whopping seven characters including the always-hard-to-type 'z,' when you can say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/who-on-earth-is-going-to-use-utilize-in-a-text-message-a-whopping/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [When my son was born, and after a day of lying-in I was told that I could leave the hospital and take him home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/when-my-son-was-born-and-after-a-day-of-lying-in-i-was-told-that-i/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I'm happy to be reminded that an ordinary day full of nothing but nothingness can make you feel like you've won the lottery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-m-happy-to-be-reminded-that-an-ordinary-day-full-of-nothing-but/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I once had a boyfriend who couldn't write unless he was wearing a necktie and a dress shirt, which I thought was really weird,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-once-had-a-boyfriend-who-couldn-t-write-unless-he-was-wearing-a/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [“I, too, had set out to be remembered. I had wanted to create something permanent in my life- some proof that everything in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-too-had-set-out-to-be-remembered-i-had-wanted-to-create-something/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I think of myself as something of a connoisseur of procrastination, creative and dogged in my approach to not getting things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-think-of-myself-as-something-of-a-connoisseur-of-procrastination/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I'm very excited about my new Spotify account, which gives me access to twenty gazillion songs any time, all the time. The day I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-m-very-excited-about-my-new-spotify-account-which-gives-me-access/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I approach stories as a private educational enterprise: I want to learn about something. I teach myself through research, reporting, and thinking, and then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-approach-stories-as-a-private-educational-enterprise-i-want-to/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [We're fascinated by animals because it's almost like having Martians living among us. We can see some familiarity in them, but they're entirely different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/we-re-fascinated-by-animals-because-it-s-almost-like-having-martians/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [My inspiration is really very simple: I'm struck by things that I want to know more about. I really do react just as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m-struck-by-things-that-i-want/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I am dismayed to realize that much of the advice I used to parcel out to aspiring writers has passed its sell-by date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-am-dismayed-to-realize-that-much-of-the-advice-i-used-to-parcel-out/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I wish I had coined the phrase 'tyranny of choice,' but someone beat me to it. The counterintuitive truth is that have an abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-wish-i-had-coined-the-phrase-tyranny-of-choice-but-someone-beat-me/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [My ace in the hole as a human being used to be my capacity for remembering birthdays. I worked at it. Whenever I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/my-ace-in-the-hole-as-a-human-being-used-to-be-my-capacity-for/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [Sometimes I think I've figured out some order in the universe, but then I find myself in Florida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/sometimes-i-think-i-ve-figured-out-some-order-in-the-universe-but/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) [Explore all 179 Susan Orlean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing about unknown people means I spend a lot of time arguing to the reader about why it's worth knowing about them. 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