--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s such a confidence trick, writing a…" description: "\"It’s such a confidence trick, writing a novel. The main person you have to trick into confidence is yourself. This is hard to do alone.\" — Zadie Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/zadie-smith-584_books_it-s-such-a-confidence-trick-writing-a-n_608717.png" --- # It’s such a confidence trick, writing a novel. The main… ![“It’s such a confidence trick, writing a novel. The main person you have to trick into confidence is yourself. This is hard to do alone.” quote by Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/zadie-smith-584_books_it-s-such-a-confidence-trick-writing-a-n_608717.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/zadie-smith-584_books_it-s-such-a-confidence-trick-writing-a-n_608717.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/zadie-smith-584_books_it-s-such-a-confidence-trick-writing-a-n_608717.png) > “It’s such a confidence trick, writing a novel. The main person you have to trick into confidence is yourself. This is hard to do alone.” [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) ## 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 requires convincing yourself of its value, which is a difficult self-deception to maintain alone. **In simple terms:** Writing tricks yourself into belief; hard alone. Key Takeaway Seek external feedback to sustain confidence. Themes creativity self‑doubt writing confidence solitude Mood reflective determined Type creative motivational When to use this quote - writing workshops - peer critique groups - personal journaling - self‑affirmation practices Key Concepts Narrative craft psychology of belief authorial confidence creative isolation Questions to Reflect On - What external checks can you use? - How do you balance self‑belief with critique? A Different Perspective May overlook objective flaws; over‑reliance on ego. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If you can do your thing on a big stage, it helps, but then to do it against guys that are older than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rj-barrett/if-you-can-do-your-thing-on-a-big-stage-it-helps-but-then-to-do-it/) [RJ Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rj-barrett/) > [But you can't just sit around the fireplace and sip Cokes and eat pretzels and get an attitude of confidence. 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