--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't blame a writer for what the…" description: "\"You can't blame a writer for what the characters say.\" — Truman Capote" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/truman-capote-376_blame_you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-ch_48166.jpg" --- # You can't blame a writer for what the characters say. ![“You can't blame a writer for what the characters say.” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/truman-capote-376_blame_you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-ch_48166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/truman-capote-376_blame_you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-ch_48166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/truman-capote-376_blame_you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-ch_48166.jpg) > “You can't blame a writer for what the characters say.” [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author is not responsible for the speech of fictional characters; they are independent creations within the narrative. **In simple terms:** Authors aren't accountable for character dialogue. Key Takeaway Separate author from character voice. Themes authorship character agency creative responsibility literary interpretation Mood thoughtful analytical Type observation advice When to use this quote - literary criticism - author interviews - writing workshops - reading groups Key Concepts narrative voice fictional autonomy Practical Applications - teaching literary analysis - guiding writers on character development Questions to Reflect On - How does this affect reader perception of the author? - What implications does this have for interpreting controversial dialogue? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Fearless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearless/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want to be a writer where all the characters sound the same. There's a facility in that kind of writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-writer-where-all-the-characters-sound-the-same/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [My work is always more emotional than I am. My characters say things to each other that I get accused of not being able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rapp/my-work-is-always-more-emotional-than-i-am-my-characters-say-things/) [Adam Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rapp/) > [I've had people who see all my characters as Native, even if they aren't. 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It was such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-callow/he-invented-this-idea-of-telling-the-life-story-of-a-great-writer/) [Simon Callow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-callow/) > [Some TV shows are like really good novels in that there are enough episodes that you start to have your own feelings about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/some-tv-shows-are-like-really-good-novels-in-that-there-are-enough/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [You can have characters that say one thing and do another, and in certain kinds of drama, you can't get away with that because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mercurio/you-can-have-characters-that-say-one-thing-and-do-another-and-in/) [Jed Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mercurio/) > [I just have my characters say my controversial opinions and then hide behind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-just-have-my-characters-say-my-controversial-opinions-and-then-hide/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [It's the writer's job to stage confrontations, so the characters will say surprising and revealing things, and educate and entertain us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-s-the-writer-s-job-to-stage-confrontations-so-the-characters-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I always serve the writer first because I'm English trained, even though I'm American. I don't protect my own ass, I protect the writer's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-englund/i-always-serve-the-writer-first-because-i-m-english-trained-even/) [Robert Englund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-englund/) > [My main problem is that over and over again, I try to get all my characters to say stuff that I think is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/my-main-problem-is-that-over-and-over-again-i-try-to-get-all-my/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) ## More by Truman Capote > [“You can beat your brains out for her, and she’ll hand you horseshit on a platter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-beat-your-brains-out-for-her-and-she-ll-hand-you-horseshit-on/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“The walls of the cell fell away, the sky came down, I saw the big yellow bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/the-walls-of-the-cell-fell-away-the-sky-came-down-i-saw-the-big/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Don't wanna ride on the devil's side...just wanna ride with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/don-t-wanna-ride-on-the-devil-s-side-just-wanna-ride-with-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Wrinkles and bones, white hair and diamonds: I can't wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/wrinkles-and-bones-white-hair-and-diamonds-i-can-t-wait/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [There is really no practical help that one can offer; it is a matter of self-discovery, of one's own convictions, or working with one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/there-is-really-no-practical-help-that-one-can-offer-it-is-a-matter/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“...Narcissus was so egotist...he was merely another of us who, in our unshatterable isolation, recognized, on seeing his reflection, the beautiful comrade, the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/narcissus-was-so-egotist-he-was-merely-another-of-us-who-in-our/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Is it - I'm not certain - possible to love someone if your first interest is the use you can make of him? Doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/is-it-i-m-not-certain-possible-to-love-someone-if-your-first-interest/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [One of the most difficult things in writing a novel or anything at all is to choose the point of view from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-writing-a-novel-or-anything-at/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I've never worked for a newspaper. I've had some very bad reviews in newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-ve-never-worked-for-a-newspaper-i-ve-had-some-very-bad-reviews-in/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [But, my dear, so few things are fulfilled: what are most lives but a series of incompleted episodes? 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Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-a-bore-but-the-answer-is-good-things-only-happen-to-you-if-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“In the courtyard there was an angel of black stone, and its angel head rose above giant elephant leaves; the stark glass angel eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/in-the-courtyard-there-was-an-angel-of-black-stone-and-its-angel-head/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Just remember: If one bird carried every grain of sand, grain by grain, across the ocean, by the time he got them all on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/just-remember-if-one-bird-carried-every-grain-of-sand-grain-by-grain/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) [Explore all 585 Truman Capote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. 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Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) Nurnizz95 > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. 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