--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why do we write novels or make television…" description: "\"Why do we write novels or make television about real things? It's the human condition and human suffering.\" — Ioan Gruffudd" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/ioan-gruffudd-13615_books_why-do-we-write-novels-or-make-televisio_3231724.png" --- # Why do we write novels or make television about real… ![“Why do we write novels or make television about real things? It's the human condition and human suffering.” quote by Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/ioan-gruffudd-13615_books_why-do-we-write-novels-or-make-televisio_3231724.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/ioan-gruffudd-13615_books_why-do-we-write-novels-or-make-televisio_3231724.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/ioan-gruffudd-13615_books_why-do-we-write-novels-or-make-televisio_3231724.png) > “Why do we write novels or make television about real things? It's the human condition and human suffering.” [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) ## 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 questions that storytelling reflects humanity’s struggles, making us confront shared pain and experience. **In simple terms:** Stories mirror human suffering and condition. Key Takeaway Use art to explore and empathize with real life. Themes human nature storytelling empathy Mood reflective thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - writing novels - producing TV shows - documentary filmmaking - social commentary Key Concepts existentialism narrative therapy Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of human experience do you think are under‑represented? - How can creators balance realism with optimism? A Different Perspective May overlook hope or solutions, focusing only on suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human condition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-condition/) [Human suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-suffering/) [Novels Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels-make-2362282/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-things/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Television Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-real-545782/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) [Write Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-novels/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [My novels tend to take a long time to become exactly what they're going to be. They're fluid messes until I've done a ton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-cooper/my-novels-tend-to-take-a-long-time-to-become-exactly-what-they-re/) [Dennis Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-cooper/) > [People who actually tell stories, meaning people who write novels and make feature films, don't see themselves as storytellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/people-who-actually-tell-stories-meaning-people-who-write-novels-and/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [“Virginia Woolf helps. Her novels make mine possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/virginia-woolf-helps-her-novels-make-mine-possible/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I review novels to make money, because it is easier for a sluggard to write an article a fortnight than a book a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/i-review-novels-to-make-money-because-it-is-easier-for-a-sluggard-to-2/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [Novels are make-believe and play for adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/novels-are-make-believe-and-play-for-adults/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [What I try to do with any of my stories, any of my novels, is make them feel very original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-i-try-to-do-with-any-of-my-stories-any-of-my-novels-is-make-them/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Well-written novels make you more empathetic towards other people. You can identify with someone who isn't you. You can change your identity. A 14-year-old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-tokarczuk/well-written-novels-make-you-more-empathetic-towards-other-people-you/) [Olga Tokarczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-tokarczuk/) > [I review novels to make money, because it is easier for a sluggard to write an article a fortnight than a book a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/i-review-novels-to-make-money-because-it-is-easier-for-a-sluggard-to/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [“Certainly human culture may have achieved great progress in the course of history. Suffering and unhappiness in the human world, however, do not seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zenkei-shibayama/certainly-human-culture-may-have-achieved-great-progress-in-the/) [Zenkei Shibayama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zenkei-shibayama/) > [When I was first starting out, if you were acting on television, it was a real stigma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lahti/when-i-was-first-starting-out-if-you-were-acting-on-television-it-was/) [Christine Lahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lahti/) > ['24' is such a unique show. I've done a lot of television, but the real-time aspect - where we're shooting over 10 months and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-wersching/24-is-such-a-unique-show-i-ve-done-a-lot-of-television-but-the-real/) [Annie Wersching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-wersching/) > [It's not surprising that you wouldn't see that side of me on television, but in real life I find the world to be quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/it-s-not-surprising-that-you-wouldn-t-see-that-side-of-me-on/) [Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/) > [Television is a real woman's medium... but what's disturbing is, still even in television, women have so little to do with what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-richardson/television-is-a-real-woman-s-medium-but-what-s-disturbing-is-still/) [Patricia Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-richardson/) > [Television has a real problem. They have no page two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/television-has-a-real-problem-they-have-no-page-two/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Some people in America don't ever interact with black people outside of television, so we should give them real, believable characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/some-people-in-america-don-t-ever-interact-with-black-people-outside/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) ## More by Ioan Gruffudd > [Often in my game as an actor, someone else pays for your travel and there's nothing like being able to lie flat on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/often-in-my-game-as-an-actor-someone-else-pays-for-your-travel-and/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [That's one of the things we love about being an actor. We get to change things up all the time to remain fresh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/that-s-one-of-the-things-we-love-about-being-an-actor-we-get-to/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [I could do an American accent, if I were immersed in the accent, meaning if I were living back in Los Angeles and rehearsing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/i-could-do-an-american-accent-if-i-were-immersed-in-the-accent/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [I defy any British actor to deny they've not stood in front of the mirror and said: 'Bond, James Bond.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/i-defy-any-british-actor-to-deny-they-ve-not-stood-in-front-of-the/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [I grew up in Aberdare and some of the nicest beaches close by were at Tenby and Saundersfoot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/i-grew-up-in-aberdare-and-some-of-the-nicest-beaches-close-by-were-at/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [Speed I like. I do love driving and I've had a couple of those experiences where you go to a track and can test…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/speed-i-like-i-do-love-driving-and-i-ve-had-a-couple-of-those/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [Having kids, you can't function with a hangover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/having-kids-you-can-t-function-with-a-hangover/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [I'm determined not to lose my name. It's who I am. It has neither aided my progress nor hampered it. It's just who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/i-m-determined-not-to-lose-my-name-it-s-who-i-am-it-has-neither-aided/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [I'm grateful for all the experiences, even the negative ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/i-m-grateful-for-all-the-experiences-even-the-negative-ones/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [I've been brought up with the Christian faith with my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/i-ve-been-brought-up-with-the-christian-faith-with-my-family/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [Television is what we're all very attracted to because that's where the best writing and the best characters are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/television-is-what-we-re-all-very-attracted-to-because-that-s-where/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [I'm really enjoying living in Los Angeles. It's a great city to live in. I'm living a very suburban domesticated lifestyle out there -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/i-m-really-enjoying-living-in-los-angeles-it-s-a-great-city-to-live/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [Being attractive, it's not something I do consciously. It's incredibly flattering that people think I appeal to women. But that was a gift from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/being-attractive-it-s-not-something-i-do-consciously-it-s-incredibly/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [It's really an organic sort of process. You start off with the character on the page. You fall in love with that character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/it-s-really-an-organic-sort-of-process-you-start-off-with-the/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [Liar' is the best work I've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/liar-is-the-best-work-i-ve-done/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) [Explore all 49 Ioan Gruffudd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why do we write novels or make television about real things? 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