--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Telling a story is like trying to eat…" description: "\"Telling a story is like trying to eat grapes with a fork. It's always trying to get away from you. And if you're a good author, and you've challenged y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/brent-weeks-1256_always_telling-a-story-is-like-trying-to-eat-gr_1590091.png" --- # Telling a story is like trying to eat grapes with a fork… ![“Telling a story is like trying to eat grapes with a fork. It's always trying to get away from you. And if you're a good author, and you've challenged yourself, and you're telling big stories, there's more and more that's trying to get away from you simultaneously.” quote by Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/brent-weeks-1256_always_telling-a-story-is-like-trying-to-eat-gr_1590091.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/brent-weeks-1256_always_telling-a-story-is-like-trying-to-eat-gr_1590091.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/brent-weeks-1256_always_telling-a-story-is-like-trying-to-eat-gr_1590091.png) > “Telling a story is like trying to eat grapes with a fork. It's always trying to get away from you. And if you're a good author, and you've challenged yourself, and you're telling big stories, there's more and more that's trying to get away from you simultaneously.” [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Storytelling is a struggle to capture elusive ideas; the larger the narrative, the harder it is to control all elements. **In simple terms:** Big stories are hard to manage. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and focus on core themes. Themes creativity writing control complexity Mood frustrated determined reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - novel drafting - screenplay development - lecture preparation - brainstorming sessions Key Concepts narrative structure authorial intent chaos theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize which story elements to keep? - What techniques help you retain control over complex plots? A Different Perspective Even skilled authors cannot fully master every subplot; some ideas will always slip away. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/author/) [Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away/) [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Challenged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenged/) [Challenged Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenged-telling-6025464/) [Eat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eat/) [Fork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fork/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Grapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grapes/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [More and more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-and-more/) [Simultaneously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simultaneously/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-trying-253742/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Story Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-like-360619/) [Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling/) [Telling A Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-a-story/) [Telling Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-story-250963/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [In each of our lives, there are certain moments that have the potential to change everything, depending on how we react. Those are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dileesh-pothan/in-each-of-our-lives-there-are-certain-moments-that-have-the/) [Dileesh Pothan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dileesh-pothan/) > [You're trying to bring a character to an audience, and tell stories. That's what we're all trying do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-lee-miller/you-re-trying-to-bring-a-character-to-an-audience-and-tell-stories/) [Jonny Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-lee-miller/) > [I continue to enjoy looking for stories, and trying to do the best job I can reporting and writing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-greene/i-continue-to-enjoy-looking-for-stories-and-trying-to-do-the-best-job/) [Bob Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-greene/) > [If it's correct to say that there is a closing of minds around the world, story is one of the most powerful agents of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mccarten/if-it-s-correct-to-say-that-there-is-a-closing-of-minds-around-the/) [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) > [Wherever the good stories are, I'm trying to place myself there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-wright/wherever-the-good-stories-are-i-m-trying-to-place-myself-there/) [Letitia Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-wright/) > [My work often begins as little internal dares, wondering if I can pull something off. So I spent a few years drawing these stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/my-work-often-begins-as-little-internal-dares-wondering-if-i-can-pull/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“Bullshit. You can paint with a fork, you can kill with a fork. A fork is a tool. Don't let yourself be confined by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fatah-steele/bullshit-you-can-paint-with-a-fork-you-can-kill-with-a-fork-a-fork-is/) [Brian Fatah Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fatah-steele/) > [The life of expression is the tuning fork by which we find our way to the sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/the-life-of-expression-is-the-tuning-fork-by-which-we-find-our-way-to/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) > [Food is much better off the hand than the fork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/food-is-much-better-off-the-hand-than-the-fork/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [“When you come to a fork in the road, just take it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/when-you-come-to-a-fork-in-the-road-just-take-it/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [When you arrive at a fork in the road, take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/when-you-arrive-at-a-fork-in-the-road-take-it/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-post/manners-are-a-sensitive-awareness-of-the-feelings-of-others-if-you/) [Emily Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-post/) > [The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-world-was-my-oyster-but-i-used-the-wrong-fork/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“When you get to the fork in the road…take it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/when-you-get-to-the-fork-in-the-road-take-it/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [Once I was in a restaurant and I dropped my fork on the floor, and they gave me a new fork. So I pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/once-i-was-in-a-restaurant-and-i-dropped-my-fork-on-the-floor-and/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) ## More by Brent Weeks > [“Highest marks of the day. And don’t ever do it again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/highest-marks-of-the-day-and-don-t-ever-do-it-again/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“life is our battlefield. We must do what we know to do, not what we want to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/life-is-our-battlefield-we-must-do-what-we-know-to-do-not-what-we/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [Why is it, my shadow-striding friend, that we don't fear dreams? We lose consciousness, lose control, things happen with no apparent logic and abiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/why-is-it-my-shadow-striding-friend-that-we-don-t-fear-dreams-we-lose/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [Sometimes after a compliment about my characterization skills, I'm asked if I model my characters on real people. Emphatically, no. And sort of, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/sometimes-after-a-compliment-about-my-characterization-skills-i-m/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“In suffering, we find the true measure of our strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/in-suffering-we-find-the-true-measure-of-our-strength/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“Non takuulam. I shall not serve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/non-takuulam-i-shall-not-serve/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“And on a difference of three minutes, all of history changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/and-on-a-difference-of-three-minutes-all-of-history-changes/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [When you don't know what to do, do what's right and do what's in front of you. But not necessarily what's right in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/when-you-don-t-know-what-to-do-do-what-s-right-and-do-what-s-in-front/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“An oath you only keep when it's convenient isn't an oath at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/an-oath-you-only-keep-when-it-s-convenient-isn-t-an-oath-at-all/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [It's easier for me to write certain character types because of my own life experiences, but I find it too artistically limiting to only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/it-s-easier-for-me-to-write-certain-character-types-because-of-my-own/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [The God gives simpler problems to lesser men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/the-god-gives-simpler-problems-to-lesser-men/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“At some point, you have to decide not merely what you're going to believe, but how you're going to believe. Are you going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/at-some-point-you-have-to-decide-not-merely-what-you-re-going-to/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“You are a god clad in flesh, Gaelan Starfire, and you're more fragile than you know. Be ware.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/you-are-a-god-clad-in-flesh-gaelan-starfire-and-you-re-more-fragile/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“Might doesn’t make right. Might makes reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/might-doesn-t-make-right-might-makes-reality/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [“What happens if you do nothing, nothing, there's a price and a terrible freedom to that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/what-happens-if-you-do-nothing-nothing-there-s-a-price-and-a-terrible/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) [Explore all 235 Brent Weeks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Telling a story is like trying to eat grapes with a fork. 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