--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that the writer should tell a…" description: "\"I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. I believe in creating characters and suspense.\" — Ernest Gaines" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/ernest-gaines-15825_believe_i-believe-that-the-writer-should-tell-a_514548.jpg" --- # I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe… ![“I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. I believe in creating characters and suspense.” quote by Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/ernest-gaines-15825_believe_i-believe-that-the-writer-should-tell-a_514548.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/ernest-gaines-15825_believe_i-believe-that-the-writer-should-tell-a_514548.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/ernest-gaines-15825_believe_i-believe-that-the-writer-should-tell-a_514548.jpg) > “I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. I believe in creating characters and suspense.” [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer’s duty is to craft a clear narrative with plot, characters, and suspense to engage readers. **In simple terms:** Writers should focus on story, plot, characters, and tension. Key Takeaway Prioritize story structure and suspense. Themes storytelling plot character development suspense Mood focused determined Type instructional inspirational When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - teaching creative writing - editing manuscripts Key Concepts narrative craft dramatic tension Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance plot with character depth? - When does suspense become predictable? A Different Perspective A strong plot may limit experimental or character‑driven narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Creating characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating-characters/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Suspense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspense/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that a writer has to tell what they think is the truth in a human experience. The truth of the human experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-believe-that-a-writer-has-to-tell-what-they-think-is-the-truth-in-a/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [I'm not proselytizing my method. I don't believe that one writer should tell other writers how to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-proselytizing-my-method-i-don-t-believe-that-one-writer/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I don't believe in writer's block. Who can function working seven days a week at at job. It's the same with writing. Take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-r-melendez/i-don-t-believe-in-writer-s-block-who-can-function-working-seven-days/) Lillian R. Melendez > [I do believe in the power of story. I believe that stories have an important role to play in the formation of human beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/i-do-believe-in-the-power-of-story-i-believe-that-stories-have-an/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [“give them a reason to care, a story they can believe in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-jiwa/give-them-a-reason-to-care-a-story-they-can-believe-in/) [Bernadette Jiwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-jiwa/) > [“As long as people believe in the written word and a good story.. They will believe in me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/as-long-as-people-believe-in-the-written-word-and-a-good-story-they/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [I believe it, Chronicler found himself thinking. Before it was just a story, but now I can believe it. This is the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-believe-it-chronicler-found-himself-thinking-before-it-was-just-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [The story you choose to tell isn't always the story you believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nova-ren-suma/the-story-you-choose-to-tell-isn-t-always-the-story-you-believe/) [Nova Ren Suma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nova-ren-suma/) > [“We all begin with a story of ourselves that we believe to be true. But perhaps true personal change, even healing, can only happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/we-all-begin-with-a-story-of-ourselves-that-we-believe-to-be-true-but/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [“Everything you attract into your life is a reflection of the story you believe and keep telling yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farshad-asl/everything-you-attract-into-your-life-is-a-reflection-of-the-story/) [Farshad Asl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farshad-asl/) > [“That is my story. Believe what you will. I remember it all; I remember it still.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mili-fay/that-is-my-story-believe-what-you-will-i-remember-it-all-i-remember/) Mili Fay > [“The short story is not, as some believe, a lesser form of literature than the novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-barger/the-short-story-is-not-as-some-believe-a-lesser-form-of-literature/) [Andrew Barger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-barger/) > [And this, really, is the story-within-the-story, because if you do not believe that hearts can bloom suddenly bigger, and that love can open like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/and-this-really-is-the-story-within-the-story-because-if-you-do-not/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [You have to say I am forgiven again and again until it becomes the story you believe about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/you-have-to-say-i-am-forgiven-again-and-again-until-it-becomes-the/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [I can only tell my story, what you believe is up to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/i-can-only-tell-my-story-what-you-believe-is-up-to-you/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) ## More by Ernest Gaines > [I try to write something that would interest anybody and keep them turning the page. You must have a plot and good storyline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-try-to-write-something-that-would-interest-anybody-and-keep-them/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Words mean nothing. Action is the only thing. Doing. That's the only thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/words-mean-nothing-action-is-the-only-thing-doing-that-s-the-only/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [In all my stories and novels, no one ever escapes Louisiana. Maybe that is because my soul never left Louisiana, although my body did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/in-all-my-stories-and-novels-no-one-ever-escapes-louisiana-maybe-that/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [I think I'm a very religious person. I think I believe in God as much as any man does. I don't only believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-think-i-m-a-very-religious-person-i-think-i-believe-in-god-as-much/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [There will always be men struggling...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/there-will-always-be-men-struggling/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [What for?" I said. "What for, Tante Lou? He treated me the same way he treated her. He wants me to feel guilty, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/what-for-i-said-what-for-tante-lou-he-treated-me-the-same-way-he/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [We all have much more in common than we have difference. I would say that about people all over the world. They don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/we-all-have-much-more-in-common-than-we-have-difference-i-would-say/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [A myth is an old lie that people believe in. White people believe that they're better than anyone else on earth - and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/a-myth-is-an-old-lie-that-people-believe-in-white-people-believe-that/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [I have learned as much about writing about my people by listening to blues and jazz and spirituals as I have by reading novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-have-learned-as-much-about-writing-about-my-people-by-listening-to/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [When I'm sitting in the church alone, I can hear singing of the old people. I can hear their singing and I can hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/when-i-m-sitting-in-the-church-alone-i-can-hear-singing-of-the-old/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Question everything. Every stripe, every star, every word spoken. Everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/question-everything-every-stripe-every-star-every-word-spoken/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Now, about that mulatto teacher and me. There was no love there for each other. There was not even respect. We were enemies if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/now-about-that-mulatto-teacher-and-me-there-was-no-love-there-for/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Without love for my fellow man and respect for nature, to me, life is an obscenity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/without-love-for-my-fellow-man-and-respect-for-nature-to-me-life-is/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [I knew I wanted to be a writer and I knew if I had a wife and family, I would neglect something, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-and-i-knew-if-i-had-a-wife-and-family/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [What I miss today more than anything else - I don't go to church as much anymore - but that old-time religion, that old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/what-i-miss-today-more-than-anything-else-i-don-t-go-to-church-as/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) [Explore all 41 Ernest Gaines quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) ## More Believe 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/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [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/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. 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