---
title: "1 Creating Story Quotes By Chris Van Allsburg"
description: "1 Creating Story quotes by Chris Van Allsburg. Plus more from Chris Van Allsburg and more Creating Story sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/chris-van-allsburg-8945_approach_at-first-i-see-pictures-of-a-story-in-my_2000539.jpg"
---

> [At first, I see pictures of a story in my mind. Then creating the story comes from asking questions of myself. I guess you might call it the 'what if - what then' approach to writing and illustration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/at-first-i-see-pictures-of-a-story-in-my-mind-then-creating-the-story/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/chris-van-allsburg-8945_approach_at-first-i-see-pictures-of-a-story-in-my_2000539.jpg)

## More by Chris Van Allsburg

> [My ideas are not meant to suggest dreams or reality, but a surreal quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/my-ideas-are-not-meant-to-suggest-dreams-or-reality-but-a-surreal/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> ['The Polar Express' began with the idea of a train standing alone in the woods. I asked myself, 'What if a boy gets on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-polar-express-began-with-the-idea-of-a-train-standing-alone-in/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [“Book lovers love books!" her mother announced. "There's romance about the books- even having them seems to have a kind of excitement." from Mr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/book-lovers-love-books-her-mother-announced-there-s-romance-about-the/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [Following my muse has worked out pretty well so far. I can't see any reason to change the formula now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/following-my-muse-has-worked-out-pretty-well-so-far-i-can-t-see-any/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [People have asked me a lot, 'What comes first? The pictures or the story? The story or the picture?' It's hard to describe because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/people-have-asked-me-a-lot-what-comes-first-the-pictures-or-the-story/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [I don't like to travel. Yet all my books seem to involve a journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-don-t-like-to-travel-yet-all-my-books-seem-to-involve-a-journey/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [“The bell still rings for all who truly believe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-bell-still-rings-for-all-who-truly-believe/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [Some people may contend that there is no image more charming that a child holding a puppy or kitten. But for me that's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/some-people-may-contend-that-there-is-no-image-more-charming-that-a/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [I write for what's left of the eight-year-old still rattling around inside my head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-write-for-what-s-left-of-the-eight-year-old-still-rattling-around/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [In the same way that a mundane object can have a personality somehow, I try to suggest that a mundane setting can have some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/in-the-same-way-that-a-mundane-object-can-have-a-personality-somehow/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [Even the most complicated stories start with a very simple premise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/even-the-most-complicated-stories-start-with-a-very-simple-premise/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [Peter Rabbit's not a rabbit. Peter Rabbit is a proxy for the child who reads the book, and they imagine themselves in the rabbit's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/peter-rabbit-s-not-a-rabbit-peter-rabbit-is-a-proxy-for-the-child-who/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [Brainstorming, for me, takes place in my bed at night between the time I turn out my lights and I finally fall asleep. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/brainstorming-for-me-takes-place-in-my-bed-at-night-between-the-time/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [The inclination to believe in the fantastic may strike some as a failure in logic, or gullibility, but it’s really a gift. A world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-inclination-to-believe-in-the-fantastic-may-strike-some-as-a/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

> [The whole idea of being mesmerized and not in control of your own actions is fascinating and a little spooky. I remember hearing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-whole-idea-of-being-mesmerized-and-not-in-control-of-your-own/)

[Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/)

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