--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: realized that at a level I'd never been…" description: "\"realized that at a level I'd never been conscious we'd been engaged in a game of wits for years. I suppose most writer-subject pairings are like that. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e8/walter-kirn-2189_conscious_realized-that-at-a-level-i-d-never-been_3150735.png" --- # realized that at a level I'd never been conscious we'd… ![“realized that at a level I'd never been conscious we'd been engaged in a game of wits for years. I suppose most writer-subject pairings are like that. Of course, I'd set aside my plan to write about him [Clark Rockfeller] as soon as I'd gotten to know him some, but now I'd resumed that intention.” quote by Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e8/walter-kirn-2189_conscious_realized-that-at-a-level-i-d-never-been_3150735.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e8/walter-kirn-2189_conscious_realized-that-at-a-level-i-d-never-been_3150735.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e8/walter-kirn-2189_conscious_realized-that-at-a-level-i-d-never-been_3150735.png) > “realized that at a level I'd never been conscious we'd been engaged in a game of wits for years. I suppose most writer-subject pairings are like that. Of course, I'd set aside my plan to write about him \[Clark Rockfeller\] as soon as I'd gotten to know him some, but now I'd resumed that intention.” [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer and his subject have been subtly competing in intellect for years, shaping each other's narratives. **In simple terms:** Writer and subject engage in a long‑term intellectual duel. Key Takeaway Recognize and use the tension to deepen storytelling. Themes creativity relationship intellect storytelling Mood reflective intrigued Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - writing a biography - developing character - collaborative projects Key Concepts Narrative dynamics author‑subject interplay Questions to Reflect On - How does this rivalry affect the authenticity of the story? - Can competition improve creative output? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Engaged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/) [Game Wits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-wits-4436009/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Level Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level-conscious-4140557/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Suppose Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suppose-writer-911500/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) [Wits Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wits-years-5654765/) [Write Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-clark-5654764/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [The more you bring your choices into the level of conscious awareness, the more you will make those choices that are spontaneously correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-you-bring-your-choices-into-the-level-of-conscious-awareness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I considered organizing a game of wits—” “Admitting defeat already, are you? 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Without them being self-conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-schnabel/i-don-t-think-my-paintings-are-self-conscious-but-you-feel-the/) [Julian Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-schnabel/) [Browse all 3,716 Conscious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "realized that at a level I'd never been conscious we'd been engaged in a game of wits for years. I suppose most writer-subject pairings are like that. 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