--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a dramatist, you're looking for points…" description: "\"As a dramatist, you're looking for points of friction.\" — Aaron Sorkin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/aaron-sorkin-2826_friction_as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points_1379877.png" --- # As a dramatist, you're looking for points of friction. ![“As a dramatist, you're looking for points of friction.” quote by Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/aaron-sorkin-2826_friction_as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points_1379877.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/aaron-sorkin-2826_friction_as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points_1379877.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/aaron-sorkin-2826_friction_as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points_1379877.png) > “As a dramatist, you're looking for points of friction.” [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A dramatist seeks conflict to drive the story, as tension creates compelling narrative momentum. **In simple terms:** Writers look for conflict to make stories interesting. Key Takeaway Introduce friction to propel plot forward. Themes storytelling conflict drama structure Mood thoughtful analytical inquisitive Type theoretical instructional creative When to use this quote - screenwriting - theatre - novel writing - creative brainstorming Key Concepts narrative tension character opposition plot devices Questions to Reflect On - What non‑conflict elements can also engage audiences? - How can conflict be balanced with character development? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on conflict may ignore subtlety and nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dramatist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatist-431570/) [Dramatist Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatist-looking-4777511/) [Friction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friction/) [Looking Points](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-points-4777513/) [Points Friction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/points-friction-4777512/) ## Related quotes > [I had never thought of myself as a dramatist, and, for really good technical results, the thought came too late: a man of letters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-housman/i-had-never-thought-of-myself-as-a-dramatist-and-for-really-good/) [Laurence Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-housman/) > [I love novels, but I'm not a novelist. I'm just a dramatist, which means I write lines for actors. That's all I have ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-logan/i-love-novels-but-i-m-not-a-novelist-i-m-just-a-dramatist-which-means/) [John Logan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-logan/) > [The cat is, above all things, a dramatist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-benson/the-cat-is-above-all-things-a-dramatist/) [Margaret Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-benson/) > [It's insulting to ask a dramatist what his view of his play is. I have no opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bond/it-s-insulting-to-ask-a-dramatist-what-his-view-of-his-play-is-i-have/) [Edward Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bond/) > [The Russian dramatist is one who, walking through a cemetery, does not see the flowers on the graves. The American dramatist . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/the-russian-dramatist-is-one-who-walking-through-a-cemetery-does-not/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [Shakespeare was a dramatist of note who lived by writing things to quote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-c-bunner/shakespeare-was-a-dramatist-of-note-who-lived-by-writing-things-to/) [H. C. Bunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-c-bunner/) > [Shake was a dramatist of note; He lived by writing things to quote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-c-bunner/shake-was-a-dramatist-of-note-he-lived-by-writing-things-to-quote/) [H. C. Bunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-c-bunner/) > [I'm a dramatist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-m-a-dramatist/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [The art of the dramatist is very like the art of the architect. A plot has to be built up just as a house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brander-matthews/the-art-of-the-dramatist-is-very-like-the-art-of-the-architect-a-plot/) [Brander Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brander-matthews/) > [The history of screenwriting - of what we do - is more than 100 years old. It's thousands of years old, going back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-logan/the-history-of-screenwriting-of-what-we-do-is-more-than-100-years-old/) [John Logan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-logan/) > [I can't really define myself as a dramatist or as an actor or as someone who is interested in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-can-t-really-define-myself-as-a-dramatist-or-as-an-actor-or-as/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [“Holmes laughed. "Watson insists that I am the dramatist in real life," said he. "Some touch of the artist wells up within me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/holmes-laughed-watson-insists-that-i-am-the-dramatist-in-real-life/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [I'm a dramatist. Dramatists have a right to look at history and interpret it the way they see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-m-a-dramatist-dramatists-have-a-right-to-look-at-history-and/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I am, it seems, an avant-garde dramatist. It would even seem obvious since I am present here at discussions on the avant-garde theatre. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eug-ne-ionesco/i-am-it-seems-an-avant-garde-dramatist-it-would-even-seem-obvious/) [Eugene Ionesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eug-ne-ionesco/) > [As a dramatist, I don't have politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/as-a-dramatist-i-don-t-have-politics/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) ## More by Aaron Sorkin > [Conflict, when used as a device, makes for good television and bad journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/conflict-when-used-as-a-device-makes-for-good-television-and-bad/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Film doesn't have to worry. Movies are awesome. There's no war going on, theaters aren't going to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/film-doesn-t-have-to-worry-movies-are-awesome-there-s-no-war-going-on/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [People don't live their lives in a series of scenes that form a dramatic narrative, they don't speak in dialogue, they're not lit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/people-don-t-live-their-lives-in-a-series-of-scenes-that-form-a/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [One of the biggest challenges in the past for me in working on the networks was that audiences have grown accustomed to television being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/one-of-the-biggest-challenges-in-the-past-for-me-in-working-on-the/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [You're going to fall down, but the world doesn't care how many times you fall down, as long as it's one fewer than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/you-re-going-to-fall-down-but-the-world-doesn-t-care-how-many-times/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [We live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/we-live-in-a-world-that-has-walls-and-those-walls-have-to-be-guarded/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [As an audience member, I like the sound of something that's been written - I like it to sound written. And then, of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/as-an-audience-member-i-like-the-sound-of-something-that-s-been/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [She's a person; the doctor pronounces her dead, not the news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/she-s-a-person-the-doctor-pronounces-her-dead-not-the-news/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [It's nice that HBO is in business with the audience and not with the advertisers. There's a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/it-s-nice-that-hbo-is-in-business-with-the-audience-and-not-with-the/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [“TOBY: The world can move or not by changing some words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/toby-the-world-can-move-or-not-by-changing-some-words/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I had never thought of doing television. But my agent wanted me to meet John Wells, who had had a lot of success producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-had-never-thought-of-doing-television-but-my-agent-wanted-me-to/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Government should be a place where people can come together, and no one gets left behind. No one…gets left behind. An instrument of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/government-should-be-a-place-where-people-can-come-together-and-no/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Television from its inception had the number one goal to alienate as few people as possible. That's why if you look at 1950s, 1960s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/television-from-its-inception-had-the-number-one-goal-to-alienate-as/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Josh: So, Toby, it’s election night. What do you say about a country that goes out of its way to protect even those citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/josh-so-toby-it-s-election-night-what-do-you-say-about-a-country-that/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [The hardest thing for me is getting started. If I'm writing a script, really 90 per cent of it would be just walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-hardest-thing-for-me-is-getting-started-if-i-m-writing-a-script/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) [Explore all 148 Aaron Sorkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) ## More Friction quotes > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [The fire inside people is like a match; the way to ignite that flame is initially through friction, then other matches are lit through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-fire-inside-people-is-like-a-match-the-way-to-ignite-that-flame/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [All three girls in 'Housefull 3,' Jacqueline Fernandez, Lisa Haydon and Nargis, got along well. Usually when there is more than one heroine there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/all-three-girls-in-housefull-3-jacqueline-fernandez-lisa-haydon-and/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [Nobody can live in society without conventions. The reason why sensible people are as conventional as they can bear to be is that conventionality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/nobody-can-live-in-society-without-conventions-the-reason-why/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What I am anxious to do is to get the best bill possible with the least amount of friction… I wish to avoid \[splitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/what-i-am-anxious-to-do-is-to-get-the-best-bill-possible-with-the/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [The benefit to building a startup is that customers don't have the same kind of friction when they adopt new technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levie/the-benefit-to-building-a-startup-is-that-customers-don-t-have-the/) [Aaron Levie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-levie/) > [A compelling story requires conflict, friction, an obstacle to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-soltis-anderson/a-compelling-story-requires-conflict-friction-an-obstacle-to-be/) [Kristen Soltis Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-soltis-anderson/) > [What opium is instilled into all disaster? It shows formidable as we approach it, but there is at last no rough rasping friction,but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/what-opium-is-instilled-into-all-disaster-it-shows-formidable-as-we/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [One of the primary necessities of the world for the maintenance of peace is the elimination of the frictions which arise from competitive armament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/one-of-the-primary-necessities-of-the-world-for-the-maintenance-of/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [It is not work that kills men, it is worry. Work is healthy; you can hardly put more upon a man that he can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hughes/it-is-not-work-that-kills-men-it-is-worry-work-is-healthy-you-can/) [Simon Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hughes/) > [Friction and misunderstandings often occur when communicating across generations. It gets even more challenging when working across virtual settings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-arroyo/friction-and-misunderstandings-often-occur-when-communicating-across/) [Raymond Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-arroyo/) > [I'm opposed to any sport that reduces the coefficient of friction between me and the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kotok/i-m-opposed-to-any-sport-that-reduces-the-coefficient-of-friction/) [Alan Kotok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kotok/) > [Of all the frictional resistances, the one that most retards human movement is ignorance, what Buddha called 'the greatest evil in the world.' The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/of-all-the-frictional-resistances-the-one-that-most-retards-human/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Bitcoin woke us all up to a new way to pay, and culturally, I think a much larger percentage of us have become accustomed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/bitcoin-woke-us-all-up-to-a-new-way-to-pay-and-culturally-i-think-a/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [If you take the conflicts we are used to dealing with, race over the years in America, and you combine that with the desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/if-you-take-the-conflicts-we-are-used-to-dealing-with-race-over-the/) [Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/) [Browse all 206 Friction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a dramatist, you're looking for points of friction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aaron Sorkin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points-of-friction/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points-of-friction/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/aaron-sorkin-2826_friction_as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points_1379877.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/aaron-sorkin-2826_friction_as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points_1379877.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/aaron-sorkin-2826_friction_as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points_1379877.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a dramatist, you're looking for points of friction.” — Aaron Sorkin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aaron Sorkin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a dramatist, you're looking for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points-of-friction/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/as-a-dramatist-you-re-looking-for-points-of-friction/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```