---
title: "2 Reader Decide Quotes By John M. Ford"
description: "2 Reader Decide quotes by John M. Ford. Plus more from John M. Ford and more Reader Decide sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/john-m-ford-24552_books_sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-somethi_981843.jpg"
---

> [Sometimes the reader will decide something else than the author's intent; this is certainly true of attempts to empirically decipher reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-something-else-than-the-author-s/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/john-m-ford-24552_books_sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-somethi_981843.jpg)

> [The ideal, it seems to me, is to show things happening and allow the reader to decide what they mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-ideal-it-seems-to-me-is-to-show-things-happening-and-allow-the/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/john-m-ford-24552_allow_the-ideal-it-seems-to-me-is-to-show-thin_2413866.jpg)

## More by John M. Ford

> [Creating the fictional background for a game world isn't significantly different from creating a background for fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/creating-the-fictional-background-for-a-game-world-isn-t/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [Well, it's an adventure story, and a Bildungsroman, of course, but there was also the intention to describe a culture that had been seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/well-it-s-an-adventure-story-and-a-bildungsroman-of-course-but-there/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [Sometimes the reader will decide something else than the author's intent; this is certainly true of attempts to empirically decipher reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-something-else-than-the-author-s/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [At one point I intended to write precursor and sequel novels, about the establishment of the Web and its next evolution, but I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/at-one-point-i-intended-to-write-precursor-and-sequel-novels-about/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [“Askade took the battertoast, looked at it blearily. "I can't rewire it into a death ray without some extra parts," he said, and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/askade-took-the-battertoast-looked-at-it-blearily-i-can-t-rewire-it/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [Every book is three books, after all; the one the writer intended, the one the reader expected, and the one that casts its shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/every-book-is-three-books-after-all-the-one-the-writer-intended-the/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [I don't think anyone wants a reader to be completely lost - certainly not to the point of giving up - but there's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/i-don-t-think-anyone-wants-a-reader-to-be-completely-lost-certainly/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [There are people who believe in an absolutely transparent prose; with every respect for clarity of expression, I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/there-are-people-who-believe-in-an-absolutely-transparent-prose-with/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [Naturally, the reader has access only to the events I show and the way I show them, but as has been said, there's generally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/naturally-the-reader-has-access-only-to-the-events-i-show-and-the-way/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [Observe, don't imitate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/observe-don-t-imitate/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [If I were to write Web now, it would be a much, much darker book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/if-i-were-to-write-web-now-it-would-be-a-much-much-darker-book/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [The language fictional characters use is chosen for effect, at least if the author is concentrating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-language-fictional-characters-use-is-chosen-for-effect-at-least/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [The ideal, it seems to me, is to show things happening and allow the reader to decide what they mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-ideal-it-seems-to-me-is-to-show-things-happening-and-allow-the/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [“The worm drives helically through the wood And does not know the dust left in the bore Once made the table integral and good;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-worm-drives-helically-through-the-wood-and-does-not-know-the-dust/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

> [The people who don't like it tend to dislike it intensely. That's unfortunate, but not surprising when one deliberately goes against audience expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-people-who-don-t-like-it-tend-to-dislike-it-intensely-that-s/)

[John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-decide/john-m-ford/#itemlist",
            "name": "2 Reader Decide Quotes By John M. Ford",
            "numberOfItems": 2,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "Sometimes the reader will decide something else than the author's intent; this is certainly true of attempts to empirically decipher reality.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "John M. Ford"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-something-else-than-the-author-s/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/john-m-ford-24552_books_sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-somethi_981843.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/john-m-ford-24552_books_sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-somethi_981843.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/john-m-ford-24552_books_sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-somethi_981843.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“Sometimes the reader will decide something else than the author's intent; this is certainly true of attempts…” — John M. Ford",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "The ideal, it seems to me, is to show things happening and allow the reader to decide what they mean.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "John M. Ford"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-ideal-it-seems-to-me-is-to-show-things-happening-and-allow-the/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/john-m-ford-24552_allow_the-ideal-it-seems-to-me-is-to-show-thin_2413866.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/john-m-ford-24552_allow_the-ideal-it-seems-to-me-is-to-show-thin_2413866.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/john-m-ford-24552_allow_the-ideal-it-seems-to-me-is-to-show-thin_2413866.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“The ideal, it seems to me, is to show things happening and allow the reader to decide what they mean.” — John M. Ford",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-decide/john-m-ford/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-decide/john-m-ford/",
            "name": "Reader Decide Quotes by John M. Ford",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-decide/john-m-ford/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/john-m-ford-24552_books_sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-somethi_981843.jpg"
            },
            "description": "2 Reader Decide quotes by John M. Ford. Plus more from John M. Ford and more Reader Decide sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-decide/john-m-ford/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-decide/john-m-ford/#breadcrumb",
            "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": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Reader Decide",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-decide/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "John M. Ford",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-decide/john-m-ford/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```