--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You find when you're writing a detective…" description: "\"You find when you're writing a detective story that you're actually not trying to solve anything. You're trying to stop the reader from solving the puz..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/christopher-bollen-9436_books_you-find-when-you-re-writing-a-detective_139584.jpg" --- # You find when you're writing a detective story that you're… ![“You find when you're writing a detective story that you're actually not trying to solve anything. You're trying to stop the reader from solving the puzzle.” quote by Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/christopher-bollen-9436_books_you-find-when-you-re-writing-a-detective_139584.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/christopher-bollen-9436_books_you-find-when-you-re-writing-a-detective_139584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/christopher-bollen-9436_books_you-find-when-you-re-writing-a-detective_139584.jpg) > “You find when you're writing a detective story that you're actually not trying to solve anything. You're trying to stop the reader from solving the puzzle.” [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing detective fiction often shifts focus from solving the mystery to crafting an experience that keeps readers engaged. **In simple terms:** Detective writing is about entertaining readers, not solving puzzles. Key Takeaway Design stories that intrigue, not just answer. Themes storytelling reader engagement mystery genre Mood intriguing thoughtful Type creative analytical When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - game design - teaching creative writing Key Concepts narrative design psychology of suspense Questions to Reflect On - What balance of clue and surprise works best? - How does reader expectation shape plot? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on mystery can alienate readers seeking resolution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Detective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detective/) [Detective stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detective-stories/) [Detective Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detective-story/) [Detectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detectives/) [Puzzles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puzzles/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Reader Solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-solving-1580549/) [Solve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solve/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Solve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-solve-427345/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Detective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-detective-899189/) ## Related quotes > [Writing detective stories is about writing light literature, for entertainment. It isn't primarily a question of writing propaganda or classical literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/writing-detective-stories-is-about-writing-light-literature-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a structure to a detective story that I can easily understand. I understand playing that particular game. It's like solving a puzzle. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-s-a-structure-to-a-detective-story-that-i-can-easily-understand/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I love facts and figures. It's like following a detective story, piecing together what's going on in the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/i-love-facts-and-figures-it-s-like-following-a-detective-story/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [The cinema, like the detective story, makes it possible to experience without danger all the excitement, passion and desirousness which must be repressed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-cinema-like-the-detective-story-makes-it-possible-to-experience/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [“The detective story, as created by Poe, is something as specialised and as intellectual as a chess problem, whereas the best English detective fiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot-2/the-detective-story-as-created-by-poe-is-something-as-specialised-and/) [T.S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot-2/) > [I once started a detective story to make money—but I couldn't get the murder to take place! At the end of three chapters I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/i-once-started-a-detective-story-to-make-money-but-i-couldn-t-get-the/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [What I try to do is write a story about a detective rather than a detective story. Keeping the reader fooled until the last,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/what-i-try-to-do-is-write-a-story-about-a-detective-rather-than-a/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Of course the modern detective story puts off its best tricks till the last, but Doyle always put his best tricks first and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/of-course-the-modern-detective-story-puts-off-its-best-tricks-till/) [Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/) > [The detective story is the normal recreation of noble minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-guedalla/the-detective-story-is-the-normal-recreation-of-noble-minds/) [Philip Guedalla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-guedalla/) > [I believe there's a landscape that exists underneath everything that we can see in present-day stuff. And I think that makes life kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hopkins/i-believe-there-s-a-landscape-that-exists-underneath-everything-that/) [Stephen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hopkins/) > [The average detective story is probably no worse than the average novel, but you never see the average novel. It doesn't get published. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-average-detective-story-is-probably-no-worse-than-the-average/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Just imagine how interesting it would be if I were to publish a romance of the "Secret Annexe." The title alone would be enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/just-imagine-how-interesting-it-would-be-if-i-were-to-publish-a/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [make no mistake about it, the detective-story is part of the literature of escape, and not of expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/make-no-mistake-about-it-the-detective-story-is-part-of-the/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Where there's a will there's a detective story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/where-there-s-a-will-there-s-a-detective-story/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [The perfect detective story cannot be written. The type of mind which can evolve the perfect problem is not the type of mind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-perfect-detective-story-cannot-be-written-the-type-of-mind-which/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) ## More by Christopher Bollen > [Safety, reputation, their lives, their friends, and their world. Writers typically try to avoid that because it's not expedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/safety-reputation-their-lives-their-friends-and-their-world-writers/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [There's something about fear and aesthetic that go hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-s-something-about-fear-and-aesthetic-that-go-hand-in-hand/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [ I'm convinced I was the only kid ever who had a Death on the Nile \[1978\] movie poster and a Murder on the Orient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-m-convinced-i-was-the-only-kid-ever-who-had-a-death-on-the-nile/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [The death drive is parasitic. It runs off of other drives, leeching off of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/the-death-drive-is-parasitic-it-runs-off-of-other-drives-leeching-off/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [It's hard for me to figure out where I want to be. But it's definitely in New York. I feel like New York throws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/it-s-hard-for-me-to-figure-out-where-i-want-to-be-but-it-s-definitely/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [There's also something sexual about watching the nubile girl in terror. But you do take on her fear as your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-s-also-something-sexual-about-watching-the-nubile-girl-in/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I've never had a mentor. I've always wanted one. I'm actually really disappointed that nobody took my under their wing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-ve-never-had-a-mentor-i-ve-always-wanted-one-i-m-actually-really/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [The Greeks really believed in history. They believed that the past had consequences and that you might be punished for the sins of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/the-greeks-really-believed-in-history-they-believed-that-the-past-had/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I was never afraid on stage. That's where I was the least afraid. I could just do what I do and I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-was-never-afraid-on-stage-that-s-where-i-was-the-least-afraid-i/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [One day I want to write a full-on horror book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/one-day-i-want-to-write-a-full-on-horror-book/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [When you create a fence, you keep people out, but you also limit your mobility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/when-you-create-a-fence-you-keep-people-out-but-you-also-limit-your/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I just think, as writers, especially with a book that takes years to write, you sort of wake up every morning hoping and praying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-just-think-as-writers-especially-with-a-book-that-takes-years-to/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [There is something very romantic about the orphan figure in American literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-is-something-very-romantic-about-the-orphan-figure-in-american/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [It is a little out of touch to presume that someone wants to follow your every observation and insight over the course of hundreds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/it-is-a-little-out-of-touch-to-presume-that-someone-wants-to-follow/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [ Looking back, \[R.E.M.\]videos, by in large, have always been art films. I'm thinking of "Losing My Religion." That's a landmark piece. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/looking-back-r-e-m-videos-by-in-large-have-always-been-art-films-i-m/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) [Explore all 72 Christopher Bollen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You find when you're writing a detective story that you're actually not trying to solve anything. 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