--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My only conclusion about structure is…" description: "\"My only conclusion about structure is that nothing works if you don't have interesting characters and a good story to tell.\" — Harold Ramis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/harold-ramis-4057_architecture_my-only-conclusion-about-structure-is-th_1230491.png" --- # My only conclusion about structure is that nothing works… ![“My only conclusion about structure is that nothing works if you don't have interesting characters and a good story to tell.” quote by Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/harold-ramis-4057_architecture_my-only-conclusion-about-structure-is-th_1230491.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/harold-ramis-4057_architecture_my-only-conclusion-about-structure-is-th_1230491.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/harold-ramis-4057_architecture_my-only-conclusion-about-structure-is-th_1230491.png) > “My only conclusion about structure is that nothing works if you don't have interesting characters and a good story to tell.” [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that a story needs compelling characters and a strong narrative to succeed. **In simple terms:** Good stories need interesting characters and a clear plot. Key Takeaway Focus on character development. Themes storytelling creativity structure Mood inspirational practical Type creative educational When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - game design - marketing campaigns Key Concepts character arcs plot design Questions to Reflect On - Who are your story’s heroes? - How does character drive conflict? A Different Perspective Neglecting characters can weaken any plot. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) ## Related quotes > [First of all, I never think of my characters as good or evil. I play them as honestly as I can. When you're playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/first-of-all-i-never-think-of-my-characters-as-good-or-evil-i-play/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialogue is good. And my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/i-might-not-write-fiction-in-the-literary-sense-but-i-write-very-well/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [Actually, I identify with all my characters, good and bad. I have to do that in order to make them genuine. I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/actually-i-identify-with-all-my-characters-good-and-bad-i-have-to-do/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I'm drawn to interesting female characters and good storylines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/i-m-drawn-to-interesting-female-characters-and-good-storylines/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [“Characters, for good or evil, are part of an author's family. Once we have let them out of our imaginations, they stay with us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ferrell/characters-for-good-or-evil-are-part-of-an-author-s-family-once-we/) Andrew Ferrell > [The fact I have alopecia is a unique thing. It lends itself to these very bright, vibrant characters, whether a good guy or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-carrigan/the-fact-i-have-alopecia-is-a-unique-thing-it-lends-itself-to-these/) [Anthony Carrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-carrigan/) > [The test of any good fiction is that you should care something for the characters; the good to succeed, the bad to fail. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-test-of-any-good-fiction-is-that-you-should-care-something-for/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I always resented books that tried to teach a lesson, where the characters are too good: They don't swear, they tell their mothers everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-von-ziegesar/i-always-resented-books-that-tried-to-teach-a-lesson-where-the/) [Cecily von Ziegesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-von-ziegesar/) > [Let's be honest, any show will live or die based on how good the characters are, how good the actors are, how complicated the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/let-s-be-honest-any-show-will-live-or-die-based-on-how-good-the/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [Part of the core of my system, is a way of trying to give the characters more control. 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A good critic pays close attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dean/a-good-novelist-pays-attention-to-his-characters-a-good-biographer/) [Michelle Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dean/) > [“...the characters themselves. The struggles they have to go through, and when you really love them, how much they affect you. When the characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-zappia/the-characters-themselves-the-struggles-they-have-to-go-through-and/) [Francesca Zappia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-zappia/) > [I don't like characters who are either good or bad. I just don't experience that in life, so my writing hasn't evolved that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-noxon/i-don-t-like-characters-who-are-either-good-or-bad-i-just-don-t/) [Marti Noxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marti-noxon/) ## More by Harold Ramis > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I've always thought that comedy was just another dramatic expression. I try to measure the amount of truth in a work rather than just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-ve-always-thought-that-comedy-was-just-another-dramatic-expression/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [You can perceive life as tragic, or you can laugh at the tragedy of it and that turns it into comedy. 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I didn't do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-realized-that-my-righteous-indignation-was-a-form-of-entertainment/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [My characters aren't losers. They're rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone else's rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/my-characters-aren-t-losers-they-re-rebels-they-win-by-their-refusal/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I made a handshake agreement with my best friend in college, Michael Shamberg, who is now a movie producer. We used to write shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-best-friend-in-college-michael/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [The trick with sequels is, you have to give people what they liked before, yet be innovative enough so they don't feel like they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/the-trick-with-sequels-is-you-have-to-give-people-what-they-liked/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Life doesn't care about your vision. You just gotta roll with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/life-doesn-t-care-about-your-vision-you-just-gotta-roll-with-it/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I look for the meaning in what's funny, and I look for what's funny about things that are meaningful to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-look-for-the-meaning-in-what-s-funny-and-i-look-for-what-s-funny/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) [Explore all 117 Harold Ramis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) ## More Architecture quotes > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [A man walks down the street. 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Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [London, from the architecture to the culture to the fashion to the accents, feels like it's a special place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/london-from-the-architecture-to-the-culture-to-the-fashion-to-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Architecture is not a profession for the faint-hearted, the weak-willed, or the short-lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-filler/architecture-is-not-a-profession-for-the-faint-hearted-the-weak/) [Martin Filler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-filler/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. 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