As a matter of fact I don’t care two pins about accuracy…
““As a matter of fact I don’t care two pins about accuracy. Who is accurate? Nobody nowadays. If a reporter writes that a beautiful girl of twenty-two dies by turning on the gas after looking out over the sea and kissing her favourite Labrador, Bob, goodbye, does anybody make a fuss because the girl was twenty-six, the room faced inland, and the dog was a Sealyham terrier called Bonnie? If a journalist can do that sort of thing I don’t see that it matters if I mix up police ranks and say a revolver when I mean an automatic and a dictograph when I mean a phonograph, and use a poison that just allows you to gasp one dying sentence and no more. What really matters is plenty of bodies ! If the thing’s getting a little dull, some more blood cheers it up. Somebody is going to tell something – and then they’re killed first! That always goes down well. It comes in all my books – camouflaged different ways of course. And people like untraceable poisons, and idiotic police inspectors and girls tied up in cellars with sewer gas or water pouring in (such a troublesome way of killing anyone really) and a hero who can dispose of anything from three to seven villains singlehanded.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote mocks the importance of factual precision in storytelling, emphasizing sensationalism and dramatic deaths over accuracy.
In simple terms: Accuracy is less important than exciting, violent plot twists.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize compelling narrative over factual detail.
Themes
fiction
drama
crime
satire
gore
Mood
darkly humorous
ironic
macabre
Type
literary
satirical
commentary
When to use this quote
- Writing thrillers
- screenwriting
- crime fiction
- creative brainstorming
- editing
Key Concepts
Narrative sensationalism
ethical ambiguity
authorial intent
Questions to Reflect On
- Is sensationalism justified for entertainment?
- How does factual in affect reader trust?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on gore can desensitize audiences and undermine credibility.