--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fiction either moves mountains or it's…" description: "\"Fiction either moves mountains or it's boring; it moves mountains or it sits on its ass.\" — David Foster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/david-foster-21558_ass_fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-b_2868278.jpg" --- # Fiction either moves mountains or it's boring; it moves… ![“Fiction either moves mountains or it's boring; it moves mountains or it sits on its ass.” quote by David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/david-foster-21558_ass_fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-b_2868278.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/david-foster-21558_ass_fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-b_2868278.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/david-foster-21558_ass_fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-b_2868278.jpg) > “Fiction either moves mountains or it's boring; it moves mountains or it sits on its ass.” [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fiction must either be powerful and transformative or it becomes pointless and stagnant. **In simple terms:** Stories need impact or they’re dull. Key Takeaway Seek compelling narratives. Themes creativity engagement purpose Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary critical When to use this quote - reading - writing - teaching - entertainment Key Concepts literature motivation Questions to Reflect On - What makes a story move you? - Can a calm story still be valuable? A Different Perspective Not all stories aim to move mountains; some entertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Move mountains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move-mountains/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“I spent a lot of time as a volunteer in a nursing home in Amherst last summer. I was reading Dante's Divine Comedy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-spent-a-lot-of-time-as-a-volunteer-in-a-nursing-home-in-amherst/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Where there is the necessary technical skill to move mountains, there is no need for the faith that moves mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/where-there-is-the-necessary-technical-skill-to-move-mountains-there/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When there is the necessary technical skill to move mountains, there is no need for the faith that moves mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-there-is-the-necessary-technical-skill-to-move-mountains-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Faith moves mountains, if faith were easy there would be no mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immaculee-ilibagiza/faith-moves-mountains-if-faith-were-easy-there-would-be-no-mountains/) [Immaculee Ilibagiza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immaculee-ilibagiza/) > [I believe absolutely in my own free will and my own power to accomplish - and that is the belief that moves mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-webster/i-believe-absolutely-in-my-own-free-will-and-my-own-power-to/) [Jean Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-webster/) > [Slow is fast, gentle is powerful and stillness moves mountains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/slow-is-fast-gentle-is-powerful-and-stillness-moves-mountains/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Faith moves mountains, but only knowledge moves them to the right place...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/faith-moves-mountains-but-only-knowledge-moves-them-to-the-right-place/) [Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/) > [I'm a believer in The Word, which says "God moves mountains."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-clayton/i-m-a-believer-in-the-word-which-says-god-moves-mountains/) [Michael Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-clayton/) > [Faith no doubt moves mountains, but not necessarily to where we want them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/faith-no-doubt-moves-mountains-but-not-necessarily-to-where-we-want/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [A faith that moves mountains is a faith that expands horizons, it does not bring us into a smaller world full of easy answers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/a-faith-that-moves-mountains-is-a-faith-that-expands-horizons-it-does/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [My dog does not care where heat comes from, but he cares that it comes, and soon. Indeed he considers my ability to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/my-dog-does-not-care-where-heat-comes-from-but-he-cares-that-it-comes/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [Never underestimate the power of funny, it moves mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/never-underestimate-the-power-of-funny-it-moves-mountains/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [“Humility moves more mountains than arrogance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/humility-moves-more-mountains-than-arrogance/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [It is love, not faith, that moves mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/it-is-love-not-faith-that-moves-mountains/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) > [It's important to know that words don't move mountains. Work, exacting work moves mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danilo-dolci/it-s-important-to-know-that-words-don-t-move-mountains-work-exacting/) Danilo Dolci ## More by David Foster > [It is unimaginably hard to do this, to stay conscious and alive, day in and day out,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/it-is-unimaginably-hard-to-do-this-to-stay-conscious-and-alive-day-in/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [CPR to those elements of what’s human and magical that still live and glow despite the times’ darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/cpr-to-those-elements-of-what-s-human-and-magical-that-still-live-and/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [We all suffer alone in the real world; true empathy's impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/we-all-suffer-alone-in-the-real-world-true-empathy-s-impossible/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [I think that most of my romance comes out in my music. And if you look at my track record of three ex-wives, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/i-think-that-most-of-my-romance-comes-out-in-my-music-and-if-you-look/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [How totally banal of you to ask what I really mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/how-totally-banal-of-you-to-ask-what-i-really-mean/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [I've noticed that, while I can't help but respect and sort of envy the moral nerve of people who truly do not care what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/i-ve-noticed-that-while-i-can-t-help-but-respect-and-sort-of-envy-the/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [It seems like the big difference between good art and so-so art lies somewhere in the art's heart's purpose, the agenda of the consciousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/it-seems-like-the-big-difference-between-good-art-and-so-so-art-lies/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [Try to let what is unfair teach you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/try-to-let-what-is-unfair-teach-you/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [Ya' know, these days kids seem to be getting younger and younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/ya-know-these-days-kids-seem-to-be-getting-younger-and-younger/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [I am uncompromising to the point of huge dissension in the studio. And it's served me very well. My theory and my philosophy is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/i-am-uncompromising-to-the-point-of-huge-dissension-in-the-studio-and/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [This is what the real, no bullshit value of your liberal arts education is supposed to be about: how to keep from going through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/this-is-what-the-real-no-bullshit-value-of-your-liberal-arts/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [I don’t really mean what I’m saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/i-don-t-really-mean-what-i-m-saying/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [Blind certainty, a close-mindedness that amounts to an imprisonment so total that the prisoner doesn't even know he's locked up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/blind-certainty-a-close-mindedness-that-amounts-to-an-imprisonment-so/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [The really important kind of freedom involves being able truly to care about other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/the-really-important-kind-of-freedom-involves-being-able-truly-to/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [I told Celine Dion not to record that 'Titanic' song. That's about as big as you can get. 'Flashdance?' I thought, 'Welder by day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/i-told-celine-dion-not-to-record-that-titanic-song-that-s-about-as/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) [Explore all 29 David Foster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) ## More Ass quotes > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“There was once an old but clever donkey, who never liked the sting of any bee, Nor for all the Slung mud, did he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/there-was-once-an-old-but-clever-donkey-who-never-liked-the-sting-of/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Apuleius married a rich widow, then wrote \_The Golden Ass\_.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/apuleius-married-a-rich-widow-then-wrote-the-golden-ass/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [What is this world?--A term which men have got, To signify not one in ten knows what; A term, which with no more precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/what-is-this-world-a-term-which-men-have-got-to-signify-not-one-in/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [I can tell you this. It is not going to be evenly constituted and when she was Speaker Pelosi, she certainly showed no interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/i-can-tell-you-this-it-is-not-going-to-be-evenly-constituted-and-when/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [Whoa. He had ghouls on speed dial. My lawyer kicks so much ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/whoa-he-had-ghouls-on-speed-dial-my-lawyer-kicks-so-much-ass/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [“Employment is an employee’s kissing of an employer’s ass. A salary is the employer’s pretense to be cleaning his ass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/employment-is-an-employee-s-kissing-of-an-employer-s-ass-a-salary-is/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I just had a pedicure. My feet are soft like a baby's behind. If his ass was covered in calluses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-saget/i-just-had-a-pedicure-my-feet-are-soft-like-a-baby-s-behind-if-his/) [Bob Saget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-saget/) > [Now people are really inspired to do a lot, and the fire got lit under our asses to be more politically aware and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasheer-zamata/now-people-are-really-inspired-to-do-a-lot-and-the-fire-got-lit-under/) [Sasheer Zamata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasheer-zamata/) > [Friends, haters, it's Twitter poll time. What do you think most holds back justice and equality for women? All thoughts welcome!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/friends-haters-it-s-twitter-poll-time-what-do-you-think-most-holds/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [Held in the palms of thousands of disgruntled people over the centuries have been ideas worth millions - if they only had taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hayes/held-in-the-palms-of-thousands-of-disgruntled-people-over-the/) Robert M. Hayes Browse all 1,551 Ass quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fiction either moves mountains or it's boring; it moves mountains or it sits on its ass.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Foster" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-boring-it-moves-mountains-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ass" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-boring-it-moves-mountains-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/david-foster-21558_ass_fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-b_2868278.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/david-foster-21558_ass_fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-b_2868278.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/david-foster-21558_ass_fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-b_2868278.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fiction either moves mountains or it's boring; it moves mountains or it sits on its ass.” — David Foster", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Foster", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fiction either moves mountains or it's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-boring-it-moves-mountains-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/fiction-either-moves-mountains-or-it-s-boring-it-moves-mountains-or/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```