--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A novel can be set in motion by an…" description: "\"A novel can be set in motion by an incident, a character, a location, a mood - by anything at all. Sometimes the stimulus can be an idea, which will ra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/cynthia-ozick-2945_about_a-novel-can-be-set-in-motion-by-an-incid_276279.jpg" --- # A novel can be set in motion by an incident, a character… ![“A novel can be set in motion by an incident, a character, a location, a mood - by anything at all. Sometimes the stimulus can be an idea, which will rapidly clothe itself in character and incident. 'Foreign Bodies' came about through the contemplation of the contrast between post-second world war…” quote by Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/cynthia-ozick-2945_about_a-novel-can-be-set-in-motion-by-an-incid_276279.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/cynthia-ozick-2945_about_a-novel-can-be-set-in-motion-by-an-incid_276279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/cynthia-ozick-2945_about_a-novel-can-be-set-in-motion-by-an-incid_276279.jpg) > “A novel can be set in motion by an incident, a character, a location, a mood - by anything at all. Sometimes the stimulus can be an idea, which will rapidly clothe itself in character and incident. 'Foreign Bodies' came about through the contemplation of the contrast between post-second world war America and Europe.” [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A story can start from any spark—event, character, place, mood, or idea—then develop into a full narrative. **In simple terms:** Stories begin from any small inspiration. Key Takeaway Identify and nurture your creative spark. Themes creativity storytelling inspiration Mood reflective curious Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - brainstorming sessions - historical research - character sketches Key Concepts narrative development cultural contrast Questions to Reflect On - What everyday detail could become a story seed? - How does setting shape a narrative? A Different Perspective The initial idea may need extensive refinement before becoming a cohesive plot. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Between](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/between/) [Bodies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bodies/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Contemplation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplation/) [Contrast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrast/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Foreign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign/) [Foreign Bodies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-bodies-2689492/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Incident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incident/) [Incident Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incident-character-2689493/) [Itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/itself/) [Location](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/location/) [Mood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mood/) [Motion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motion/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novel Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-set-896360/) [Rapidly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapidly/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Stimulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stimulus/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I've made the decision to adhere to three general truths when it comes to my novels: There will be a love-story element to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-ve-made-the-decision-to-adhere-to-three-general-truths-when-it/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I've realized that with each novel I seem to set out a kind of puzzle for myself. 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It's a judgment on what has happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/history-isn-t-simply-what-has-happened-it-s-a-judgment-on-what-has/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [The novelist's intuition for the sacred differs from the translator's interrogation of the sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/the-novelist-s-intuition-for-the-sacred-differs-from-the-translator-s/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [Advances in technology neither impede nor augment literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/advances-in-technology-neither-impede-nor-augment-literature/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [“The Germans are sentimental. Their word Heimweh . The English say homesick; the same in plain Swedish. Hemsjuk . 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