--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Characters are so important to a story…" description: "\"Characters are so important to a story that they actually decide where the story is going. When I write, I know my characters. I know how things are go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/e-l-konigsburg-17069_actually_characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-t_2726230.jpg" --- # Characters are so important to a story that they actually… ![“Characters are so important to a story that they actually decide where the story is going. When I write, I know my characters. I know how things are going to end, and I know some important incidents along the way.” quote by E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/e-l-konigsburg-17069_actually_characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-t_2726230.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/e-l-konigsburg-17069_actually_characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-t_2726230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/e-l-konigsburg-17069_actually_characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-t_2726230.jpg) > “Characters are so important to a story that they actually decide where the story is going. When I write, I know my characters. I know how things are going to end, and I know some important incidents along the way.” [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Characters drive the direction of a story; knowing them lets the writer anticipate plot and key events. **In simple terms:** Characters determine plot direction. Key Takeaway Know your characters deeply to guide story flow. Themes storytelling character development plot creativity authorial intent Mood analytical inspirational Type literary educational When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - role‑playing games - creative workshops Key Concepts narrative structure character arcs foreshadowing Questions to Reflect On - How do characters influence your decisions? - Can a story thrive without strong characters? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on characters can limit plot flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Gettting to know your characters is so much more important than plotting. Working out every detail of your story in advance, especially when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/gettting-to-know-your-characters-is-so-much-more-important-than/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [It's funny what \[producer Richard Zanuck said about even though you can't quite place when the book or the story came into your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/it-s-funny-what-producer-richard-zanuck-said-about-even-though-you/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [I make extensive outlines before I write a book. I usually know what will happen. I know the characters, and I know what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amor-towles/i-make-extensive-outlines-before-i-write-a-book-i-usually-know-what/) [Amor Towles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amor-towles/) > [The secret at the heart of 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter' is something everybody, except for some of the characters, knows in Chapter 1. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/the-secret-at-the-heart-of-the-memory-keeper-s-daughter-is-something/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [“In the end you should probably know your characters as well as you know yourself. Not only what they had for breakfast this morning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/in-the-end-you-should-probably-know-your-characters-as-well-as-you/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“Don’t settle for being merely a teller of stories about significance. Decide to be the story of significance. Become the central character in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/don-t-settle-for-being-merely-a-teller-of-stories-about-significance/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [We have a rule in our franchise that there is no canon. You as a player decide what your story is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-hudson/we-have-a-rule-in-our-franchise-that-there-is-no-canon-you-as-a/) [Casey Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-hudson/) > [“We decide what story to tell ourselves. Or whether we will tell one at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-decide-what-story-to-tell-ourselves-or-whether-we-will-tell-one-at/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Film-makers must decide what story to tell and how to tell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-valenti/film-makers-must-decide-what-story-to-tell-and-how-to-tell-it/) [Jack Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-valenti/) > [Let's not pretend there isn't a huge industry driven by the choices made by editors and writers who decide what a story is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/let-s-not-pretend-there-isn-t-a-huge-industry-driven-by-the-choices/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [I want as much as I can to try and explore different roles and different characters; that's important to me to get involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mackay/i-want-as-much-as-i-can-to-try-and-explore-different-roles-and/) [George MacKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mackay/) > [I always thought of 'Lost' as a psychotic opera. Because there were so many characters, it was important for me to track them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-always-thought-of-lost-as-a-psychotic-opera-because-there-were-so/) [Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/) > [ What I love about the filmmakers that I mentioned \[Danny Boyle,Leo Carax\], is that it's visual but it's also, you see that the characters… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-bond/what-i-love-about-the-filmmakers-that-i-mentioned-danny-boyle-leo/) [Fredrik Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-bond/) > [In independent film you tend to have stories that involve more of a community, and the smaller characters are important to the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morse/in-independent-film-you-tend-to-have-stories-that-involve-more-of-a/) [David Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morse/) > [“The cover, title, the name of the author, how the work starts, the name of characters all this is important information which should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/the-cover-title-the-name-of-the-author-how-the-work-starts-the-name/) Deyth Banger ## More by E. L. Konigsburg > [I was born in New York City. But my family moved when I was still an infant. Except for a year and half when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/i-was-born-in-new-york-city-but-my-family-moved-when-i-was-still-an/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [The essential problems remain the same... The kids I write about are asking for the same things I wanted. They want two contradictory things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/the-essential-problems-remain-the-same-the-kids-i-write-about-are/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [Every job in the world has some built-in boredom. No man can stay excited about something every minute he is doing it. Routine is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/every-job-in-the-world-has-some-built-in-boredom-no-man-can-stay/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [When I began writing in the mid-1960s, I thought it was not important for readers to know whether I was male or female. Also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/when-i-began-writing-in-the-mid-1960s-i-thought-it-was-not-important/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [“Because after a time having a secret and nobody knowing you have a secret is no fun. And although you don't want others to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/because-after-a-time-having-a-secret-and-nobody-knowing-you-have-a/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [True simplicity is elegant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/true-simplicity-is-elegant/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [But happiness is not always loud and bright and crowded. Happiness ripens like a watermelon, sweet and rosy on the inside with only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/but-happiness-is-not-always-loud-and-bright-and-crowded-happiness/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [“Having words and explanations for things is too modern”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/having-words-and-explanations-for-things-is-too-modern/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [“Had she been born 500 years sooner, Raphael would have chosen her as a model for his cherubs. Tendrils of bright red hair framed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/had-she-been-born-500-years-sooner-raphael-would-have-chosen-her-as-a/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [When I visit schools and talk to students about writing, I give them one word of advice and I give it to them quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/when-i-visit-schools-and-talk-to-students-about-writing-i-give-them/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [Kids want acceptance from their peers, but in two different, opposing ways: They want to be like everyone else and they want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/kids-want-acceptance-from-their-peers-but-in-two-different-opposing/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [The adventure is over. Everything gets over, and nothing is ever enough. Except the part you carry with you. It's the same as going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/the-adventure-is-over-everything-gets-over-and-nothing-is-ever-enough-2/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [Biding one's time is a very different thing from patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/biding-one-s-time-is-a-very-different-thing-from-patience/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [I think most of us are outsiders. And I think that's good because it makes you question things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/i-think-most-of-us-are-outsiders-and-i-think-that-s-good-because-it/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [Sometimes silence is a habit that hurts?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/sometimes-silence-is-a-habit-that-hurts/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) [Explore all 38 E. L. Konigsburg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) ## More Actually quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/) [Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/) > [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. It's often things which other people might not notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/i-ve-actually-got-quite-a-good-memory-i-ve-good-recall-it-s-often/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) > [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) Browse all 4,248 Actually quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Characters are so important to a story that they actually decide where the story is going. When I write, I know my characters. I know how things are going to end, and I know some important incidents along the way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E. L. Konigsburg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-that-they-actually-decide/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actually" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-that-they-actually-decide/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/e-l-konigsburg-17069_actually_characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-t_2726230.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/e-l-konigsburg-17069_actually_characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-t_2726230.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/e-l-konigsburg-17069_actually_characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-t_2726230.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Characters are so important to a story that they actually decide where the story is going. When I write, I…” — E. L. Konigsburg", "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": "E. L. Konigsburg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Characters are so important to a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-that-they-actually-decide/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-that-they-actually-decide/#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 } } ] } ```