--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To write a novel, you begin with what you…" description: "\"“To write a novel, you begin with what you can see and then you add what came before and what came after. ...You must understand that when you are writ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/thomas-harris-1874_books_to-write-a-novel-you-begin-with-what-you_3188724.png" --- # To write a novel, you begin with what you can see and then… ![“To write a novel, you begin with what you can see and then you add what came before and what came after. ...You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up. It's all there and you just have to find it.” quote by Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/thomas-harris-1874_books_to-write-a-novel-you-begin-with-what-you_3188724.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/thomas-harris-1874_books_to-write-a-novel-you-begin-with-what-you_3188724.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/thomas-harris-1874_books_to-write-a-novel-you-begin-with-what-you_3188724.png) > ““To write a novel, you begin with what you can see and then you add what came before and what came after. ...You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up. It's all there and you just have to find it.”” [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a novel involves uncovering existing narratives rather than inventing them from scratch. **In simple terms:** Novels are discovered, not invented. Key Takeaway Seek hidden stories in everyday life. Themes creativity writing discovery storytelling Mood reflective inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - creative workshops - writing retreats - historical research - personal journaling - fiction classes Key Concepts narrative structure memory imagination research Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect originality? - Can both discovery and invention coexist? A Different Perspective Some writers may feel constrained by “finding” rather than “creating.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/you-must-understand-that-when-you-are-writing-a-novel-you-are-not-2/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up. It's all there and you just have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/you-must-understand-that-when-you-are-writing-a-novel-you-are-not/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“To write a novel, you begin with what you can see and then you add what came before and what came after.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/to-write-a-novel-you-begin-with-what-you-can-see-and-then-you-add/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [Writing a novel, I am making is an object that has a life and identity of its own, apart from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-neugeboren/writing-a-novel-i-am-making-is-an-object-that-has-a-life-and-identity/) [Jay Neugeboren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-neugeboren/) > [There is no other way of writing a novel than to begin at the beginning at to continue to the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-forester/there-is-no-other-way-of-writing-a-novel-than-to-begin-at-the/) [C. S. Forester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-forester/) > [There is no better way of elevating the novel than by making it into a construct which contains ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-mann/there-is-no-better-way-of-elevating-the-novel-than-by-making-it-into/) Heinrich Mann > [“I'm going to write a novel and get it published. I'm going to do it because writing a novel is worthwhile and because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-ingermanson/i-m-going-to-write-a-novel-and-get-it-published-i-m-going-to-do-it/) [Randy Ingermanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-ingermanson/) > [I had never thought about writing a novel. But I had two young kids, and I realized that if I could write a novel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-andrews/i-had-never-thought-about-writing-a-novel-but-i-had-two-young-kids/) [Mary Kay Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-andrews/) > [I have a process that I seem to always, to some degree, as a writer, adhere to, but I certainly have never imposed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-have-a-process-that-i-seem-to-always-to-some-degree-as-a-writer/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Nothing is wrong with you. You're not different. 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The question is almost as difficult to answer as the question, when does the human embryo become a person? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/when-does-a-novel-begin-the-question-is-almost-as-difficult-to-answer/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [We read five words on the first page of a really good novel and we begin to forget that we are reading printed words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-read-five-words-on-the-first-page-of-a-really-good-novel-and-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't want to be ungenerous toward people who give you prizes, but it is never the social or political message that interests me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-don-t-want-to-be-ungenerous-toward-people-who-give-you-prizes-but/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More by Thomas Harris > [“Don't think you can persuade me with appeals to my intellectual vanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/don-t-think-you-can-persuade-me-with-appeals-to-my-intellectual-vanity/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“He liked the Leedses. He was sorry that he had been to the morgue. He thought the madman who visited them might have liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/he-liked-the-leedses-he-was-sorry-that-he-had-been-to-the-morgue-he/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [On a related subject, Signore Pazzi, I must confess to you: I'm giving serious thought to eating your wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/on-a-related-subject-signore-pazzi-i-must-confess-to-you-i-m-giving/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [ “\[T\]here is no consensus in the psychiatric community that Dr. Lecter should be termed a man. He has long been regarded by his professional… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/t-here-is-no-consensus-in-the-psychiatric-community-that-dr-lecter/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“And then, the last words Raspail ever said: 'I wonder why my parents didn't kill me before I was old enough to fool them.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/and-then-the-last-words-raspail-ever-said-i-wonder-why-my-parents/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [One can only see what one observes, and one observes only things which are already in the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/one-can-only-see-what-one-observes-and-one-observes-only-things-which/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“She found Starling in the warm laundry room, dozing against the slow rump-rump of a washing machine in the smell of bleach and soap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/she-found-starling-in-the-warm-laundry-room-dozing-against-the-slow/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [He moves smoothly and slowly, carrying his concentration like a brimming cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/he-moves-smoothly-and-slowly-carrying-his-concentration-like-a/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [God's creatures who cried themselves to sleep stirred to cry again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/god-s-creatures-who-cried-themselves-to-sleep-stirred-to-cry-again/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“The emperor counsels simplicity. First principles. Of each particular thing, ask: What is it in itself, in its own constitution? What is its causal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/the-emperor-counsels-simplicity-first-principles-of-each-particular/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [What do you look at while you’re making up your mind? Ours is not a reflective culture, we do no raise our eyes up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/what-do-you-look-at-while-you-re-making-up-your-mind-ours-is-not-a/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“I have no plans to call on you, Clarice, the world being more interesting with you in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/i-have-no-plans-to-call-on-you-clarice-the-world-being-more/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“To write a novel, you begin with what you can see and then you add what came before and what came after.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/to-write-a-novel-you-begin-with-what-you-can-see-and-then-you-add/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“Every person is worth your time, Hannibal. If at first appearance a person seems dull, then look harder, look into him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/every-person-is-worth-your-time-hannibal-if-at-first-appearance-a/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [What he has in addition is pure empathy and projection,” Dr. Bloom said. “He can assume your point of view, or mine – and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/what-he-has-in-addition-is-pure-empathy-and-projection-dr-bloom-said/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) [Explore all 197 Thomas Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) ## More Books 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/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To write a novel, you begin with what you can see and then you add what came before and what came after. ...You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up. 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