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If a novelist tells you something she knows or thinks, and you believe her, that is not because either of you think she is God, but because she is doing her work - as a novelist.
A. S. Byatt
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Interpretation

What this quote means

A novelist's truth is rooted in their craft, not in divinity.

This quote highlights the idea that the connection and belief readers have with a novelist's work stem from the author's authentic representation of their knowledge and thoughts through storytelling. It emphasizes the role of the novelist as a professional creator rather than a divine figure, suggesting that the value of their work is in their dedication to craft and the truth they convey through it.

Themes

NovelistTruthCraftStorytellingAuthenticity

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about the importance of literature, one might use this quote to emphasize the value of the author's perspective.

More from A. S. Byatt

The more research you do, the more at ease you are in the world you're writing about. It doesn't encumber you, it makes you free.
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It's because I'm a feminist that I can't stand women limiting other women's imaginations. It really makes me angry.
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Why do we take pleasure in gruesome death, neatly packaged as a puzzle to which we may find a satisfactory solution through clues - or if we are not clever enough, have it revealed by the all-powerful tale-teller at the end of the book? It is something to do with being reduced to, and comforted by, playing by the rules.
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Never stop paying attention to things. Never make your mind up finally. Do not hold beliefs.
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Only write to me, write to me, I love to see the hop and skip and sudden starts of your ink.
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I am a creature of my pen. My pen is the best of me.
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