--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I write an story, I start with one…" description: "\"“When I write an story, I start with one true thing – a memory, an image, a sensation – then I try to say one more true thing, then another, and anothe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/david-surface-231566_inspirational_when-i-write-an-story-i-start-with-one-t_2421876.jpg" --- # When I write an story, I start with one true thing – a… ![“When I write an story, I start with one true thing – a memory, an image, a sensation – then I try to say one more true thing, then another, and another. By the time I reach the end – hopefully – I've told the truth all the way through. It's harder than it sounds, harder than it ought to be. But…” quote by David Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/david-surface-231566_inspirational_when-i-write-an-story-i-start-with-one-t_2421876.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/david-surface-231566_inspirational_when-i-write-an-story-i-start-with-one-t_2421876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/david-surface-231566_inspirational_when-i-write-an-story-i-start-with-one-t_2421876.jpg) > ““When I write an story, I start with one true thing – a memory, an image, a sensation – then I try to say one more true thing, then another, and another. By the time I reach the end – hopefully – I've told the truth all the way through. It's harder than it sounds, harder than it ought to be. But still worth trying.”” [David Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-surface/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truthful storytelling builds authenticity; each added genuine detail deepens connection and credibility. **In simple terms:** Write truthfully, layer by layer. Key Takeaway Start with a real memory. Themes writing truth authenticity creativity process Mood introspective inspirational Type Inspirational Truth Write Writing Write Story Say True Told Truth:1 When to use this quote - creative writing - journalism - teaching storytelling Key Concepts literature psychology narrative theory Questions to Reflect On - What truth do you fear sharing? - How does layering truth affect readers? A Different Perspective Truth can be subjective, challenging absolute honesty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Say True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-true/) [Thruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thruth-191059/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Told Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-story/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Things get worse before they get better, but this is a worse that feels too big.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/things-get-worse-before-they-get-better-but-this-is-a-worse-that/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“Secrets are truths that show what we’ve been through—what we’ve survived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dannika-dark/secrets-are-truths-that-show-what-we-ve-been-through-what-we-ve/) [Dannika Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dannika-dark/) > [I'm not a writer. I'm not smart. I couldn't possibly even write my own story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoey-deutch/i-m-not-a-writer-i-m-not-smart-i-couldn-t-possibly-even-write-my-own/) [Zoey Deutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoey-deutch/) > [You have to write your own story, your own graph and rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chunky-pandey/you-have-to-write-your-own-story-your-own-graph-and-rhythm/) [Chunky Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chunky-pandey/) > [I always write a story in one sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/i-always-write-a-story-in-one-sitting/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [I write my story in my books, It show that your name filled in my books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-write-my-story-in-my-books-it-show-that-your-name-filled-in-my-books/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I told you I'd do anything for you. That's the truth. The best truth I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aria-kane/i-told-you-i-d-do-anything-for-you-that-s-the-truth-the-best-truth-i/) [Aria Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aria-kane/) > [“You told the truth or you lied with consequences like these. If you held back truth you couldn't win. You swallowed truth and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-winter/you-told-the-truth-or-you-lied-with-consequences-like-these-if-you/) [katherine winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-winter/) > [“True love is being so in love that you run out of ways to say it. True love is having to google new and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-swan/true-love-is-being-so-in-love-that-you-run-out-of-ways-to-say-it-true/) [Sharon Swan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-swan/) > [Being honest doesn't mean you say whatever you want, wherever you want. It means that what you choose to say is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/being-honest-doesn-t-mean-you-say-whatever-you-want-wherever-you-want/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Everything I say is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/everything-i-say-is-true/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [“You are beautiful,” he whispered to me. “If you say so.” “Do ye not believe me? Have I ever lied to you?” “That’s not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/you-are-beautiful-he-whispered-to-me-if-you-say-so-do-ye-not-believe/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Whereever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/whereever-you-are-you-are-one-with-the-clouds-and-one-with-the-sun/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [“When you say something that's true to you, that's the moment it's eligible to travel to others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-say-something-that-s-true-to-you-that-s-the-moment-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When I write an story, I start with one true thing – a memory, an image, a sensation – then I try to say one more true thing, then another, and another. 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