--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I intend all my characters must escape…" description: "\"“I intend all my characters must escape from impossible situations; if they are not in trouble, then as a writer, I am.”\" — Cleveland W. Gibson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/cleveland-w-gibson-98997_escape_i-intend-all-my-characters-must-escape-f_2935701.jpg" --- # I intend all my characters must escape from impossible… ![“I intend all my characters must escape from impossible situations; if they are not in trouble, then as a writer, I am.” quote by Cleveland W. Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/cleveland-w-gibson-98997_escape_i-intend-all-my-characters-must-escape-f_2935701.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/cleveland-w-gibson-98997_escape_i-intend-all-my-characters-must-escape-f_2935701.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/cleveland-w-gibson-98997_escape_i-intend-all-my-characters-must-escape-f_2935701.jpg) > ““I intend all my characters must escape from impossible situations; if they are not in trouble, then as a writer, I am.”” [Cleveland W. Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleveland-w-gibson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers must place characters in impossible predic avoid they can resolve them; otherwise the writer feels stuck. **In simple terms:** Writers create tension by challenging characters. Key Takeaway Introduce conflict to drive stories. Themes writing conflict creativity problem‑solving storytelling Mood inspired analytical Type creative process advice When to use this quote - novel drafting - writer’s block - story workshops Key Concepts character development plot tension imagination narrative arcs Questions to Reflect On - What conflict feels most compelling? - How do you balance tension and relief? A Different Perspective Overuse of impossible scenarios can alienate readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characters Escape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-escape-4350140/) [Escape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape/) [Escape Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape-impossible-2167641/) [Impossible situations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-situations/) [Trouble Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble-writer-2296453/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“He wasn't perfect, or even remotely close, for that matter, but, hey, neither was I. We were both pretty fucked up. Somehow, though, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kody-keplinger/he-wasn-t-perfect-or-even-remotely-close-for-that-matter-but-hey/) [Kody Keplinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kody-keplinger/) > [“I never wanted to write for writing alone, but for the story, for the characters, and most of all for the escape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-humphreys/i-never-wanted-to-write-for-writing-alone-but-for-the-story-for-the/) [Kimberly Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-humphreys/) > [“Yeah, it was sick and twisted, but that’s reality, right? Escape is impossible, so why not embrace it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kody-keplinger/yeah-it-was-sick-and-twisted-but-that-s-reality-right-escape-is/) [Kody Keplinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kody-keplinger/) > [Everything becomes and recurs eternally - escape is impossible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/everything-becomes-and-recurs-eternally-escape-is-impossible/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The beachcomber goes looking for trouble, everything he finds is a sign of trouble. The writer is the same; without trouble he has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/the-beachcomber-goes-looking-for-trouble-everything-he-finds-is-a/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [I haven’t had trouble with writer’s block. I think it’s because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-haven-t-had-trouble-with-writer-s-block-i-think-it-s-because-my-2/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I don't think I ever have trouble with writer's block. It's different when you make it up as you go - that means you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/i-don-t-think-i-ever-have-trouble-with-writer-s-block-it-s-different/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“I'm sorry," I said. "It's none of my business what you do. The trouble is, I'm a writer, and most writers are terrible nosey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/i-m-sorry-i-said-it-s-none-of-my-business-what-you-do-the-trouble-is/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [That was the trouble with being a writer, that was the main trouble—leisure time, excessive leisure time. You had to wait around for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer-that-was-the-main-trouble/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I haven't had trouble with writer's block. I think it's because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-haven-t-had-trouble-with-writer-s-block-i-think-it-s-because-my/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [A business owner is the boss, but it's a job, a place that is stable and profitable. An entrepreneur is an artist of sorts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/a-business-owner-is-the-boss-but-it-s-a-job-a-place-that-is-stable/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Footballing qualities can be developed, but Stoichkov is a player with character and inborn talent. I've seen him produce fantastic plays even from impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-patini/footballing-qualities-can-be-developed-but-stoichkov-is-a-player-with/) [Michel Patini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-patini/) > [Impossible situations are our specialty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/impossible-situations-are-our-specialty/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Nobody can save you but yourself. You will be put again and again into nearly impossible situations. They will attempt again and again through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/nobody-can-save-you-but-yourself-you-will-be-put-again-and-again-into/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Impossible situations do breed invention and creativity, but they are also where God provides miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-blake-michiels/impossible-situations-do-breed-invention-and-creativity-but-they-are/) [Jordan Blake Michiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-blake-michiels/) ## More by Cleveland W. Gibson > [“Remember that wasted minute at the start of the day? Hard luck but you'll never find it again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleveland-w-gibson/remember-that-wasted-minute-at-the-start-of-the-day-hard-luck-but-you/) [Cleveland W. Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleveland-w-gibson/) [Explore all 2 Cleveland W. Gibson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleveland-w-gibson/) ## More Escape quotes > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [Growing up in Iceland, it was very beautiful, very safe, but quite isolated. There was something about jazz music that had a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/growing-up-in-iceland-it-was-very-beautiful-very-safe-but-quite/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [“Those who contemplate never escape the doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/those-who-contemplate-never-escape-the-doubt/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“Then from those profound slumbers we awake in a dawn, not knowing who we are, being nobody, newly born, ready for anything, the brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/then-from-those-profound-slumbers-we-awake-in-a-dawn-not-knowing-who/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [I think my attitudes about the past are very traditional. You can't ignore history; you can't escape it even if you want to. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/i-think-my-attitudes-about-the-past-are-very-traditional-you-can-t/) [Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/) > [Music and sleep are two of the greatest ways to escape from everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/music-and-sleep-are-two-of-the-greatest-ways-to-escape-from-everything/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Music is my escape from all the problems in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailin-cui/music-is-my-escape-from-all-the-problems-in-life/) [Kailin Cui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailin-cui/) > [Wherever you escape, the truth will find you! Always be prepared to meet with it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/wherever-you-escape-the-truth-will-find-you-always-be-prepared-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I think the best way to escape your head isn’t to think about things that aren’t real, it’s to think about things that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-brooks/i-think-the-best-way-to-escape-your-head-isn-t-to-think-about-things/) [Ben Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-brooks/) > [“You could say she hid there, in the words, an escape within an escape...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aurelie-sheehan/you-could-say-she-hid-there-in-the-words-an-escape-within-an-escape/) [Aurelie Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aurelie-sheehan/) > [Life will drag us kicking and screaming to our destiny if we try to escape it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-villoldo/life-will-drag-us-kicking-and-screaming-to-our-destiny-if-we-try-to/) [Alberto Villoldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-villoldo/) > [How did you escape? (Syd) I fought my way out in a manner that would have made Rambo proud. And when I got home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/how-did-you-escape-syd-i-fought-my-way-out-in-a-manner-that-would/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There are reasons people seek escape in books, and one of those reasons is that the boundary of what can happen is beyond what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/there-are-reasons-people-seek-escape-in-books-and-one-of-those/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [“Well, I like to know where I'm going before I try to get there. It's a mistake to try to execute a plan before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-barry/well-i-like-to-know-where-i-m-going-before-i-try-to-get-there-it-s-a/) [Max Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-barry/) > [“If poetry is an escape into the woods, then music is the journey back home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akash-mandal/if-poetry-is-an-escape-into-the-woods-then-music-is-the-journey-back/) [Akash Mandal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akash-mandal/) [Browse all 1,660 Escape quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I intend all my characters must escape from impossible situations; if they are not in trouble, then as a writer, I am.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cleveland W. 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