--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I really like to do is write 'genre'…" description: "\"What I really like to do is write 'genre' stories without a cartoonish element. I did the same with 'Da Vinci's Demons,' and I'll do the same with 'Man..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/david-s-goyer-15421_demons_what-i-really-like-to-do-is-write-genre_1395525.jpg" --- # What I really like to do is write 'genre' stories without… ![“What I really like to do is write 'genre' stories without a cartoonish element. I did the same with 'Da Vinci's Demons,' and I'll do the same with 'Man of Steel.'” quote by David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/david-s-goyer-15421_demons_what-i-really-like-to-do-is-write-genre_1395525.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/david-s-goyer-15421_demons_what-i-really-like-to-do-is-write-genre_1395525.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/david-s-goyer-15421_demons_what-i-really-like-to-do-is-write-genre_1395525.jpg) > “What I really like to do is write 'genre' stories without a cartoonish element. I did the same with 'Da Vinci's Demons,' and I'll do the same with 'Man of Steel.'” [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prefers crafting genre stories grounded in realism, avoiding exaggerated cartoonishness, as shown in his work on Da Vinci's Demons and Man of Steel. **In simple terms:** Write realistic genre stories, not cartoonish. Key Takeaway Focus on grounded storytelling. Themes creativity realism genre writing Mood determined focused Type advice creative When to use this quote - Screenwriting - comic book development - film adaptation Key Concepts Narrative authenticity tone control Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep genre excitement without cartoonish tropes? - What realistic elements enhance your stories? A Different Perspective Balancing genre expectations with realism can limit audience appeal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/da-vinci/) [Demons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demons/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Of Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-of-steel/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [We shouldn't be chasing other movies, but stay true to the tone of Man of Steel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/we-shouldn-t-be-chasing-other-movies-but-stay-true-to-the-tone-of-man/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [Man Of Steel looks great, is well cast, and is, moralistically, completely rotten to the core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mckelvie/man-of-steel-looks-great-is-well-cast-and-is-moralistically/) [Jamie McKelvie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mckelvie/) > [You're looking at the reflection of perfection. You're looking at the man who gets all your attention. You're looking at the man with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/you-re-looking-at-the-reflection-of-perfection-you-re-looking-at-the/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [A modern day man of steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiss/a-modern-day-man-of-steel/) [Kiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiss/) > [So you know when you were work on Man of Steel, in 10 years somebody is going to do the music for Man of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack-snyder/so-you-know-when-you-were-work-on-man-of-steel-in-10-years-somebody/) [Zack Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-snyder/) > [Don't go thinking you are the man of steel just because you had rust stains in your underwear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-go-thinking-you-are-the-man-of-steel-just-because-you-had-rust/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Man of Steel never rests. Or maybe that's Jose the yard boy. I get my alter egos confused.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/the-man-of-steel-never-rests-or-maybe-that-s-jose-the-yard-boy-i-get/) [Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/) > [I'm Lord of the wasteland, a modern man of steel. I gather darkness to please me, and I command you to kneel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiss/i-m-lord-of-the-wasteland-a-modern-man-of-steel-i-gather-darkness-to/) [KISS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiss/) > [Samurai films, like westerns, need not be familiar genre stories. They can expand to contain stories of ethical challenges and human tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/samurai-films-like-westerns-need-not-be-familiar-genre-stories-they/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Man is even as steel, the essence of which is hidden: through admonition and explanation, good counsel and education, that essence will be brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/man-is-even-as-steel-the-essence-of-which-is-hidden-through/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [I will say that adapting a character like Da Vinci really wasn't that dissimilar from doing Batman or Superman. Because all three of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-will-say-that-adapting-a-character-like-da-vinci-really-wasn-t-that/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Mysticism and the supernatural are embedded in the show - it's called 'Da Vinci's Demons' for a reason, and it's not just metaphorical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/mysticism-and-the-supernatural-are-embedded-in-the-show-it-s-called/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Da Vinci always seemed like the prototype Tony Stark to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/da-vinci-always-seemed-like-the-prototype-tony-stark-to-me/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I relate to the feeling that Da Vinci was often plagued by the idea that what he did wasn't good enough, that he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-relate-to-the-feeling-that-da-vinci-was-often-plagued-by-the-idea/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I love to read the kind of books I write. Genre-breaking. Fresh-concept. World-building. My all-time top three authors would have to be Cormac McCarthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-crouch/i-love-to-read-the-kind-of-books-i-write-genre-breaking-fresh-concept/) [Blake Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-crouch/) ## More by David S. Goyer > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [There's been a long lineage of a stranger in a strange land, whether it's 'E.T.,' 'Starman,' or other movies about trying to connect with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/there-s-been-a-long-lineage-of-a-stranger-in-a-strange-land-whether/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [People have a very proprietary relationship with Superman. It's important to respect the iconography and the canon, but at the same time, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/people-have-a-very-proprietary-relationship-with-superman-it-s/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I believe when you're writing film or television, you can't rely on a crutch or rule that exists outside of the narrative of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-believe-when-you-re-writing-film-or-television-you-can-t-rely-on-a/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [During my career I've enjoyed re-invigorating and contextualizing classic characters that are relatable to contemporary audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/during-my-career-i-ve-enjoyed-re-invigorating-and-contextualizing/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [There's a theory in gameplay, particularly in first person shooters, that sometimes you don't want to have that much of a character because then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/there-s-a-theory-in-gameplay-particularly-in-first-person-shooters/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [What Christopher Nolan and I have done with 'Superman' is try to bring the same naturalistic approach that we adopted for the 'Batman' trilogy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/what-christopher-nolan-and-i-have-done-with-superman-is-try-to-bring/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I think there's really only been one successful video game adaptation, and that was probably 'Tomb Raider.' Whether or not you thought it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-think-there-s-really-only-been-one-successful-video-game-adaptation/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Once we start seeing video games that have more memorable characters, you'll see better movie adaptations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/once-we-start-seeing-video-games-that-have-more-memorable-characters/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Hollywood loves pre-validation. Even if someone has a property that was first published as a comic book that sold only 5,000 copies, for Hollywood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/hollywood-loves-pre-validation-even-if-someone-has-a-property-that/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [When Superman was originally created, by Siegel and Shuster, they were two Jewish immigrants that were desperately trying to assimilate into America. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/when-superman-was-originally-created-by-siegel-and-shuster-they-were/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I relate to the feeling that Da Vinci was often plagued by the idea that what he did wasn't good enough, that he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-relate-to-the-feeling-that-da-vinci-was-often-plagued-by-the-idea/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Da Vinci always seemed like the prototype Tony Stark to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/da-vinci-always-seemed-like-the-prototype-tony-stark-to-me/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm a big comic book geek and I've been reading comic books since pretty much since I was five or six in 1971 or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-m-a-big-comic-book-geek-and-i-ve-been-reading-comic-books-since/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > ['Batman Begins' came out and it was really successful, and it had gritty naturalism. And suddenly... I can't tell you how many movies I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/batman-begins-came-out-and-it-was-really-successful-and-it-had-gritty/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) [Explore all 43 David S. Goyer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) ## More Demons quotes > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [I think I need the demons in order to write, but the demons have gone. It bothers me a lot. I've tried and tried,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-think-i-need-the-demons-in-order-to-write-but-the-demons-have-gone/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [“Unfortunately for you love, I take my pleasure with a shot of pain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-lake/unfortunately-for-you-love-i-take-my-pleasure-with-a-shot-of-pain/) [Keri Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-lake/) > [“His hand came out and captured her by the chin. She froze, finding it hard to breathe as he gently raised her face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-davis/his-hand-came-out-and-captured-her-by-the-chin-she-froze-finding-it/) [Lia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-davis/) > [“One person's strange is another person's normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-harper/one-person-s-strange-is-another-person-s-normal/) [Dani Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-harper/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) Twe Stephens > [I did a lot of struggling with my identity trying to figure out who the heck I was. I had to face my demons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carter-cash/i-did-a-lot-of-struggling-with-my-identity-trying-to-figure-out-who/) [John Carter Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carter-cash/) > [“They are part of his imagination, part of his story, and so, part of him. If he would not hurt you, then it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-creagh/they-are-part-of-his-imagination-part-of-his-story-and-so-part-of-him/) [Kelly Creagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-creagh/) > [“All right. You want to know about Nigel. I’ll tell you about Nigel. He’s come a long way since that so-called accident, Jon. Heck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-corey/all-right-you-want-to-know-about-nigel-i-ll-tell-you-about-nigel-he-s/) Shawn Corey > [“And then I met this girl.” He paused, his fingers finding mine in a tight squeeze. “And she made all my dark corners light”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-hayes/and-then-i-met-this-girl-he-paused-his-fingers-finding-mine-in-a/) [Gwen Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-hayes/) > [“You want me to join your group of demon hunters," I can’t believe I just said that out loud, "because of a can of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-blais/you-want-me-to-join-your-group-of-demon-hunters-i-can-t-believe-i/) [Bill Blais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-blais/) > [“In real life, love and hate are often only separable if we’re willing to recognize our demons and choose to become better people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-monk/in-real-life-love-and-hate-are-often-only-separable-if-we-re-willing/) [John L. Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-monk/) > [I've been killing demons for a third of my life i've sent over 500 of them back to whatever hellish dimension they crawled out of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolas-sixx/i-ve-been-killing-demons-for-a-third-of-my-life-i-ve-sent-over-500-of/) [NIKOLAS SIXX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolas-sixx/) > [“Do you remember the section on controlling demons in Demonologies ? I believe it's in chapter five." "Um...no." Irritation flashed over his face. "Honestly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/do-you-remember-the-section-on-controlling-demons-in-demonologies-i/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“We all have our demons, I just happen to exorcise mine by writing them out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sai-marie-johnson/we-all-have-our-demons-i-just-happen-to-exorcise-mine-by-writing-them/) [Sai Marie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sai-marie-johnson/) [Browse all 868 Demons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demons/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I really like to do is write 'genre' stories without a cartoonish element. I did the same with 'Da Vinci's Demons,' and I'll do the same with 'Man of Steel.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David S. 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