--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not dictate to your author; try to…" description: "\"“Do not dictate to your author; try to become him. Be his fellow-worker and accomplice.”\" — Virginia Woolf" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/virginia-woolf-49_accomplice_do-not-dictate-to-your-author-try-to-bec_3079647.jpg" --- # Do not dictate to your author; try to become him. Be his… ![“Do not dictate to your author; try to become him. Be his fellow-worker and accomplice.” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/virginia-woolf-49_accomplice_do-not-dictate-to-your-author-try-to-bec_3079647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/virginia-woolf-49_accomplice_do-not-dictate-to-your-author-try-to-bec_3079647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/virginia-woolf-49_accomplice_do-not-dictate-to-your-author-try-to-bec_3079647.jpg) > ““Do not dictate to your author; try to become him. Be his fellow-worker and accomplice.”” [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages writers to immerse themselves in their characters, becoming collaborators rather than distant observers. **In simple terms:** Become a partner with your characters. Key Takeaway Write with empathy and shared purpose. Themes creativity authorship collaboration identity Mood inspirational thoughtful Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - novel writing - character development - role‑play exercises - writing workshops Key Concepts literary theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance empathy with objectivity? - Can you maintain your voice while merging with a character? A Different Perspective Over‑identification may blur personal boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Do not dictate to your author; try to become him,” Woolf proclaims. “Be his fellow-worker and accomplice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mikics/do-not-dictate-to-your-author-try-to-become-him-woolf-proclaims-be/) [David Mikics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mikics/) > [“To quote Virginia Woolf, “If we could banish all such preconceptions when we read, that would be an admirable beginning. Do not dictate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-paul/to-quote-virginia-woolf-if-we-could-banish-all-such-preconceptions/) [Pamela Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-paul/) > [I'm an accomplice to helping women get what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/i-m-an-accomplice-to-helping-women-get-what-they-want/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-peguy/he-who-does-not-bellow-the-truth-when-he-knows-the-truth-makes/) [Charles Peguy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-peguy/) > [The theory for admitting accomplice testimony that is uncorroborated is that conspiracy is by its nature secretive and that only the parties to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-theory-for-admitting-accomplice-testimony-that-is-uncorroborated/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/to-ignore-evil-is-to-become-an-accomplice-to-it/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every shopaholic needs an accomplice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/every-shopaholic-needs-an-accomplice/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“accomplice,” Ridgeway said. “Caesar. Did it make”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/accomplice-ridgeway-said-caesar-did-it-make/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“It was easier to be a gleeful accomplice—to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-rocha/it-was-easier-to-be-a-gleeful-accomplice-to/) [Kit Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-rocha/) > [What is irritating about love is that it is a crime that requires an accomplice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/what-is-irritating-about-love-is-that-it-is-a-crime-that-requires-an/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [“Anyone who remains silent in the face of murder is an accomplice to murder. Anyone who does not condemn approves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zofia-kossak-szczucka/anyone-who-remains-silent-in-the-face-of-murder-is-an-accomplice-to/) Zofia Kossak-Szczucka > [“He who does not cry out the truth when he knows the truth becomes the accomplice of the liars and falsifiers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-serge/he-who-does-not-cry-out-the-truth-when-he-knows-the-truth-becomes-the/) [Victor Serge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-serge/) > [“A good friend will help you move, but a true friend will help you move a body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-daniels/a-good-friend-will-help-you-move-but-a-true-friend-will-help-you-move/) Steven J. Daniels > [You're only a victim once. The next time you're an accomplice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-judd/you-re-only-a-victim-once-the-next-time-you-re-an-accomplice/) [Naomi Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-judd/) > [“In any case, if they don't do it to you, they do it to someone else...if you let them do it to others, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gioconda-belli/in-any-case-if-they-don-t-do-it-to-you-they-do-it-to-someone-else-if/) [Gioconda Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gioconda-belli/) ## More by Virginia Woolf > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/across-the-broad-continent-of-a-woman-s-life-falls-the-shadow-of-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Sometimes he woke with a brain like lead; at others it was as if a thousand wax tapers were alight and people were throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/sometimes-he-woke-with-a-brain-like-lead-at-others-it-was-as-if-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [A veil of insanity everywhere: Oh why I was born in this age? It is a terrible age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-veil-of-insanity-everywhere-oh-why-i-was-born-in-this-age-it-is-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Love ought to stop on both sides, don’t you think, simultaneously?’ He spoke without any stress on the words, so as not to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/love-ought-to-stop-on-both-sides-don-t-you-think-simultaneously-he/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“It is so vast an alleviation to be able to point for another to look at. And then not to talk. To follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-so-vast-an-alleviation-to-be-able-to-point-for-another-to-look/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“What a vast fertility of pleasure books hold for me! (...) I think I could happily live here & read forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-vast-fertility-of-pleasure-books-hold-for-me-i-think-i-could/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“what a luxury to be alone once more,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-luxury-to-be-alone-once-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“...a woman writing thinks back through her mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-woman-writing-thinks-back-through-her-mothers/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More Accomplice quotes > [“In any case, if they don't do it to you, they do it to someone else...if you let them do it to others, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gioconda-belli/in-any-case-if-they-don-t-do-it-to-you-they-do-it-to-someone-else-if/) [Gioconda Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gioconda-belli/) > [You're only a victim once. The next time you're an accomplice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-judd/you-re-only-a-victim-once-the-next-time-you-re-an-accomplice/) [Naomi Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-judd/) > [“A good friend will help you move, but a true friend will help you move a body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-daniels/a-good-friend-will-help-you-move-but-a-true-friend-will-help-you-move/) Steven J. Daniels > [“He who does not cry out the truth when he knows the truth becomes the accomplice of the liars and falsifiers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-serge/he-who-does-not-cry-out-the-truth-when-he-knows-the-truth-becomes-the/) [Victor Serge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-serge/) > [“Anyone who remains silent in the face of murder is an accomplice to murder. Anyone who does not condemn approves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zofia-kossak-szczucka/anyone-who-remains-silent-in-the-face-of-murder-is-an-accomplice-to/) Zofia Kossak-Szczucka > [What is irritating about love is that it is a crime that requires an accomplice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/what-is-irritating-about-love-is-that-it-is-a-crime-that-requires-an/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [“It was easier to be a gleeful accomplice—to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-rocha/it-was-easier-to-be-a-gleeful-accomplice-to/) [Kit Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-rocha/) > [“accomplice,” Ridgeway said. “Caesar. Did it make”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/accomplice-ridgeway-said-caesar-did-it-make/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Every shopaholic needs an accomplice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/every-shopaholic-needs-an-accomplice/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/to-ignore-evil-is-to-become-an-accomplice-to-it/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The theory for admitting accomplice testimony that is uncorroborated is that conspiracy is by its nature secretive and that only the parties to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-theory-for-admitting-accomplice-testimony-that-is-uncorroborated/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-peguy/he-who-does-not-bellow-the-truth-when-he-knows-the-truth-makes/) [Charles Peguy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-peguy/) > [I'm an accomplice to helping women get what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/i-m-an-accomplice-to-helping-women-get-what-they-want/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [I was an accomplice in my own frustration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/i-was-an-accomplice-in-my-own-frustration/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [Art is the accomplice of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/art-is-the-accomplice-of-love/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) Browse all 42 Accomplice quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Do not dictate to your author; try to become him. 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