--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love it when characters surprise you…" description: "\"I love it when characters surprise you, just like real people. When I write a scene I just try to make the characters behave in a way that feels natura..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/brad-falchuk-57210_behave_i-love-it-when-characters-surprise-you-j_1846983.jpg" --- # I love it when characters surprise you, just like real… ![“I love it when characters surprise you, just like real people. When I write a scene I just try to make the characters behave in a way that feels natural to them. Sometimes that means they make a left turn and do something unexpected. Those are always the best scenes in my opinion.” quote by Brad Falchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/brad-falchuk-57210_behave_i-love-it-when-characters-surprise-you-j_1846983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/brad-falchuk-57210_behave_i-love-it-when-characters-surprise-you-j_1846983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/brad-falchuk-57210_behave_i-love-it-when-characters-surprise-you-j_1846983.jpg) > “I love it when characters surprise you, just like real people. When I write a scene I just try to make the characters behave in a way that feels natural to them. Sometimes that means they make a left turn and do something unexpected. Those are always the best scenes in my opinion.” [Brad Falchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-falchuk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer values authentic, surprising character actions that feel natural, believing such moments create the best scenes. **In simple terms:** Surprising, natural character actions make great scenes. Key Takeaway Write characters that act authentically and unpredictably. Themes creativity authenticity surprise Mood inspirational analytical Type creative reflective When to use this quote - scriptwriting - character workshops - improv exercises Key Concepts character development narrative tension storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance surprise with character consistency? - When does a twist enhance versus distract? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on surprise can feel forced if not grounded. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-behave-2111498/) [Characters Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-surprise-2396294/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Make Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-characters/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-people/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Scenes Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scenes-opinion-2396295/) [Something unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-unexpected/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Write Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-scene-1095162/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't write a whole lot about one person that exists in reality; it's usually characteristics of different people that I combine into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/i-don-t-write-a-whole-lot-about-one-person-that-exists-in-reality-it/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [“I am often drawn to unlikable characters, to those who behave in socially unacceptable ways, say whatever is on their mind, and do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/i-am-often-drawn-to-unlikable-characters-to-those-who-behave-in/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [A lot of readers want characters to behave in a responsible way, or they want to understand the characters' dilemma and act, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-minot/a-lot-of-readers-want-characters-to-behave-in-a-responsible-way-or/) [Susan Minot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-minot/) > [I usually start with an ending, then outline high points of things that happen, and kind of make up the rest as I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/i-usually-start-with-an-ending-then-outline-high-points-of-things/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [My characters surprise me constantly. My characters are like my friends - I can give them advice, but they don't have to take it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/my-characters-surprise-me-constantly-my-characters-are-like-my/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [I follow filmmakers, and story, and characters that surprise and delight me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/i-follow-filmmakers-and-story-and-characters-that-surprise-and/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) > [I love doing characters that surprise people and showing what I am, which is an actor, first and foremost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ball/i-love-doing-characters-that-surprise-people-and-showing-what-i-am/) [Michael Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ball/) > [You don’t have the slightest idea of what it means to write a scene and a character in the English language, with images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/you-don-t-have-the-slightest-idea-of-what-it-means-to-write-a-scene/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [If you give me a typewriter and I'm having a good day, I can write a scene that will astonish its readers. That will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/if-you-give-me-a-typewriter-and-i-m-having-a-good-day-i-can-write-a/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [I know exactly what it's like to stand on top of a tall building or in a high place and look down and go,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-know-exactly-what-it-s-like-to-stand-on-top-of-a-tall-building-or/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Sometimes I write about my own life. And sometimes I write about situations I see my friends going through. Sometimes I write about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/sometimes-i-write-about-my-own-life-and-sometimes-i-write-about/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [There's a special gut-check moment the first time you write a scene in which somebody casts a spell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/there-s-a-special-gut-check-moment-the-first-time-you-write-a-scene/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [The Florida in my novels is not as seedy as the real Florida. It's hard to stay ahead of the curve. Every time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hiaasen/the-florida-in-my-novels-is-not-as-seedy-as-the-real-florida-it-s/) [Carl Hiaasen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hiaasen/) > [I can't write a scene unless I've visualized it. Unless I can actually see it, and that's why a lot of reviewers have said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-van-lustbader/i-can-t-write-a-scene-unless-i-ve-visualized-it-unless-i-can-actually/) [Eric Van Lustbader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-van-lustbader/) > [Now, what sort of person would write a scene where a young man stumbles upon a castle full only of beautiful young women? Answer:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/now-what-sort-of-person-would-write-a-scene-where-a-young-man/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) ## More by Brad Falchuk > [One of the main pitfalls of any theoretically 'niche' show is that you spend too much time on the 'niche' and not enough time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-falchuk/one-of-the-main-pitfalls-of-any-theoretically-niche-show-is-that-you/) [Brad Falchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-falchuk/) > [“The act of singing and dancing is about as true a form of self-expression as we have access to as human beings. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-falchuk/the-act-of-singing-and-dancing-is-about-as-true-a-form-of-self/) [Brad Falchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-falchuk/) > [The East Coast, and certainly Boston, has a provincial quality to it that makes it harder to bust out and move up. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [You can behave as badly as you like in America. Nobody notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/you-can-behave-as-badly-as-you-like-in-america-nobody-notices/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. 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This is the problem I wish to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/why-does-man-behave-like-perfect-idiot-this-is-the-problem-i-wish-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [This is a time in my life where I'm gonna behave like an elegant human being. Or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/this-is-a-time-in-my-life-where-i-m-gonna-behave-like-an-elegant/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [Most people, even in simple risky situations, don't behave the way the theory of utility would have them behave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-raiffa/most-people-even-in-simple-risky-situations-don-t-behave-the-way-the/) [Howard Raiffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-raiffa/) > [As a club, we have an educational purpose: to give back to those people who love Arsenal so that they learn moral values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/as-a-club-we-have-an-educational-purpose-to-give-back-to-those-people/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [What astonishes many of us is not so much that human nature is fundamentally corrupt; we are astonished rather that it does not behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-irving-seiden/what-astonishes-many-of-us-is-not-so-much-that-human-nature-is/) [Morton Irving Seiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-irving-seiden/) > [Do we behave out of fear of punishment, or out of the demands of our heart? For me, it is the latter, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-we-behave-out-of-fear-of-punishment-or-out-of-the-demands-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-superpowers-often-behave-like-two-heavily-armed-blind-men-feeling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For political and bureaucratic reasons, governments at all levels are telling far less to the public than to insiders about how to prepare for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-political-and-bureaucratic-reasons-governments-at-all-levels-are/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) [Browse all 1,587 Behave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I love it when characters surprise you, just like real people. 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