--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the would-be writer studies people in…" description: "\"If the would-be writer studies people in their everyday lives and discovers how to make his characters in their quieter moods interesting to his reader..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/vera-brittain-12183_books_if-the-would-be-writer-studies-people-in_2640093.png" --- # If the would-be writer studies people in their everyday… ![“If the would-be writer studies people in their everyday lives and discovers how to make his characters in their quieter moods interesting to his readers, he will have learned far more than he can ever learn from the constant presentation of crises.” quote by Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/vera-brittain-12183_books_if-the-would-be-writer-studies-people-in_2640093.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/vera-brittain-12183_books_if-the-would-be-writer-studies-people-in_2640093.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/vera-brittain-12183_books_if-the-would-be-writer-studies-people-in_2640093.png) > “If the would-be writer studies people in their everyday lives and discovers how to make his characters in their quieter moods interesting to his readers, he will have learned far more than he can ever learn from the constant presentation of crises.” [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Studying everyday people and subtle moods yields richer characters than constant crises. **In simple terms:** Everyday subtlety creates deeper characters than drama. Key Takeaway Observe daily life for authentic storytelling. Themes writing character development observation Mood thoughtful instructive Type literary educational When to use this quote - character sketches - scene setting - dialogue crafting Key Concepts literature psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can writers balance subtlety and conflict? - What daily moments inspire compelling characters? A Different Perspective May overlook dramatic tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) [Everyday life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday-life/) [Mood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mood/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Presentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presentation/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The writer studies literature, not the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-writer-studies-literature-not-the-world/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [The writer studies literature, not the world. He is careful of what he reads, for that is what he will write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-writer-studies-literature-not-the-world-he-is-careful-of-what-he/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Very Painful Experience to studies of people's faces are on the move, Atleast there appears a face shining with happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/very-painful-experience-to-studies-of-people-s-faces-are-on-the-move/) Mak\_786 > [What I found was when I started my first study, and then in subsequent studies, is here you have people under some kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/what-i-found-was-when-i-started-my-first-study-and-then-in-subsequent/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [I'm certainly not a person who spends their every waking moment soaking themselves in signs and signals of the sort that cult studies people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-york/i-m-certainly-not-a-person-who-spends-their-every-waking-moment/) [Peter York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-york/) > [If I could sum up what I learned so far in life in three words it would be that it goes on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-could-sum-up-what-i-learned-so-far-in-life-in-three-words-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If there's one thing in life that I've learned so far, it's that we're all a little stronger than we think we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-there-s-one-thing-in-life-that-i-ve-learned-so-far-it-s-that-we-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel that I learned far more from my students than I could possibly have taught them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-feel-that-i-learned-far-more-from-my-students-than-i-could-possibly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've concluded that I learned far more from my failures than from my successes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-hunt/i-ve-concluded-that-i-learned-far-more-from-my-failures-than-from-my/) [June Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-hunt/) > [Keep the customer actively involved throughout your presentation, and watch your results improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/keep-the-customer-actively-involved-throughout-your-presentation-and/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [“He "had developed a trick in college for speaking with authority. 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Sincerity means dropping the image facade and showing a willingness to be vulnerable. Tell it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/when-you-really-need-help-people-will-respond-sincerity-means/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) ## More by Vera Brittain > [“At this time of the year it seems that everything ought to be creative, not destructive, and that we should encourage things to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/at-this-time-of-the-year-it-seems-that-everything-ought-to-be/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [“Mother says that people like me just become intellectual old maids,' I told him. 'I don't see why,' he protested. 'Oh, well, it's probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/mother-says-that-people-like-me-just-become-intellectual-old-maids-i/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [“It is quite impossible to understand,’ I commented afterwards, ‘how we can be such strong individualists, so insistent on the rights and claims of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/it-is-quite-impossible-to-understand-i-commented-afterwards-how-we/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [Babies are a nuisance, of course. But so does everything seem to be that is worth while – husbands and books and committees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/babies-are-a-nuisance-of-course-but-so-does-everything-seem-to-be/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [All that a pacifist can undertake -- but it is a very great deal -- is to refuse to kill, injure or otherwise cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/all-that-a-pacifist-can-undertake-but-it-is-a-very-great-deal-is-to/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [An author who waits for the right 'mood' will soon find that 'moods' get fewer and fewer until they cease altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/an-author-who-waits-for-the-right-mood-will-soon-find-that-moods-get/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [ “\[I\] wondered if he was looking up at that same moon, far away, and thinking of me as I was thinking of him.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/i-wondered-if-he-was-looking-up-at-that-same-moon-far-away-and/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [Why, I wonder, do people who at one time or another have all been young themselves, and who ought therefore to know better, generalize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/why-i-wonder-do-people-who-at-one-time-or-another-have-all-been-young/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [Venice is all sea and sculpture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/venice-is-all-sea-and-sculpture/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [We should never be at the mercy of Providence if only we understood that we ourselves are Providence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/we-should-never-be-at-the-mercy-of-providence-if-only-we-understood/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [I wish those people who write so glibly about this being a holy war and the orators who talk so much about going on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/i-wish-those-people-who-write-so-glibly-about-this-being-a-holy-war/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [College is a secluded life of scholastic vegetation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/college-is-a-secluded-life-of-scholastic-vegetation/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [Meek wifehood is no part of my profession; / I am your friend, but never your possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/meek-wifehood-is-no-part-of-my-profession-i-am-your-friend-but-never/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [“Could I write an autobiographical novel, I wonder? Can one make a book out of the very essence of one's self? Perhaps so, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/could-i-write-an-autobiographical-novel-i-wonder-can-one-make-a-book/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) > [most of us have to be self-righteous before we can be righteous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/most-of-us-have-to-be-self-righteous-before-we-can-be-righteous/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) [Explore all 56 Vera Brittain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) ## 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. 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