First time Quote by Arthur Christiansen
![“Good stories flow like honey but bad stories stick in the craw [gullet]. What is a bad story? It's a story that cannot be absorbed in the first time of reading. It's a story that leaves questions unanswered.” quote by Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e7/arthur-christiansen-40396_first-time_good-stories-flow-like-honey-but-bad-sto_2136553.jpg)
“Good stories flow like honey but bad stories stick in the craw [gullet]. What is a bad story? It's a story that cannot be absorbed in the first time of reading. It's a story that leaves questions unanswered.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Writer's Craft, 1975
Effective storytelling is clear and easily absorbed; poor storytelling is dense, confusing, and leaves unresolved questions.
In simple terms: Good stories are easy to read; bad stories are hard to understand.
Key Takeaway
Aim for clarity and completeness.
Themes
clarity
readability
structure
Mood
frustrated
critical
Type
advice
analytical
When to use this quote
- editing
- teaching
- public speaking
- content creation
Key Concepts
narrative flow
reader engagement
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you simplify a dense paragraph?
- What questions remain unanswered in your story?
A Different Perspective
Complex sentences can obscure meaning.
