--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where radio is different than fiction is…" description: "\"Where radio is different than fiction is that even mediocre fiction needs purpose, a driving question.\" — Ira Glass" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/ira-glass-2464_different_where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is_2201113.png" --- # Where radio is different than fiction is that even… ![“Where radio is different than fiction is that even mediocre fiction needs purpose, a driving question.” quote by Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/ira-glass-2464_different_where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is_2201113.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/ira-glass-2464_different_where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is_2201113.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/ira-glass-2464_different_where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is_2201113.png) > “Where radio is different than fiction is that even mediocre fiction needs purpose, a driving question.” [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fiction must have a clear purpose or driving question, unlike radio which can be more free‑form. **In simple terms:** Stories need purpose; radio can be freer. Key Takeaway Give your narrative a clear goal. Themes storytelling purpose media differences Mood analytical thoughtful Type critical inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - radio production - content planning Key Concepts narrative focus creative intent audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - What purpose drives your story? - Can radio be purposeful? A Different Perspective Radio can also benefit from purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fiction Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-mediocre-4835247/) [Fiction Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-needs-725645/) [Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre/) [Mediocre Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre-fiction-4835246/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio/) [Radio Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio-different-2863284/) ## Related quotes > [It's so hard to pick a 'single.' I always want it to be whatever my favorite tune is, but often the record company and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-goldfrapp/it-s-so-hard-to-pick-a-single-i-always-want-it-to-be-whatever-my/) [Alison Goldfrapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-goldfrapp/) > [Sonically, musicians always go above and beyond in our efforts to disrupt radio. It's always about being different. Our radio is never conventional anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pusha-t/sonically-musicians-always-go-above-and-beyond-in-our-efforts-to/) [Pusha T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pusha-t/) > [I had spent years working in radio at different stations in Toronto; I wasn't in the stage company of Second City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moranis/i-had-spent-years-working-in-radio-at-different-stations-in-toronto-i/) [Rick Moranis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moranis/) > [Some people like to hear and not see, so we have the radio. 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But ideas are not the best subject matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/ideas-of-course-have-a-place-in-fiction-and-any-writer-of-fiction/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [If you give a writer a pile of blank paper and say you can write anything you like on any subject you want at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-you-give-a-writer-a-pile-of-blank-paper-and-say-you-can-write/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [The only difference between reality and fiction is that fiction needs to be credible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-only-difference-between-reality-and-fiction-is-that-fiction-needs/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I've written some short stories about my personal experience, but it's not something you can use everywhere. Every novel, every work of fiction, needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/i-ve-written-some-short-stories-about-my-personal-experience-but-it-s/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [Truth might be stranger than fiction, but it needs a better editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benioff/truth-might-be-stranger-than-fiction-but-it-needs-a-better-editor/) [David Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benioff/) > [“Too many words for one book--truth might be stranger than fiction, but it needs a better editor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benioff/too-many-words-for-one-book-truth-might-be-stranger-than-fiction-but/) [David Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benioff/) > [It's hard to make something that's interesting. It's really, really hard. It's like a law of nature, a law of aerodynamics, that anything that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/it-s-hard-to-make-something-that-s-interesting-it-s-really-really/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) ## More by Ira Glass > [I think the most famous person I've ever met is Brad Pitt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-think-the-most-famous-person-i-ve-ever-met-is-brad-pitt/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I'm a big Penn & Teller fan. But I myself was never very good; I was a teenage magician who performed at kids' parties.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-a-big-penn-teller-fan-but-i-myself-was-never-very-good-i-was-a/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I'm in production year round. I work long hours. I have a dog and a wife. There's not a lot of available time for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-in-production-year-round-i-work-long-hours-i-have-a-dog-and-a/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I think the thing that I wish somebody would ask me is just to ask about the business side of the radio show. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-think-the-thing-that-i-wish-somebody-would-ask-me-is-just-to-ask/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [Many times I see you as a portrait of torture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/many-times-i-see-you-as-a-portrait-of-torture/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [It's tricky, performing the show live. Because when you're in a big auditorium, in front of 700 people, the natural tendency is to want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/it-s-tricky-performing-the-show-live-because-when-you-re-in-a-big/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [When you're working in public radio, you don't have any money to advertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/when-you-re-working-in-public-radio-you-don-t-have-any-money-to/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I suppose I shouldn't go around admitting I speak untruths on the radio. When I say something untrue on the air, I mean for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-suppose-i-shouldn-t-go-around-admitting-i-speak-untruths-on-the/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [But you can make good radio, interesting radio, great radio even, without an urgent question, a burning issue at stake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/but-you-can-make-good-radio-interesting-radio-great-radio-even/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I'm a cliche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-a-cliche/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I dont know how to read. I get all my news from Jon Stewart every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-dont-know-how-to-read-i-get-all-my-news-from-jon-stewart-every-day/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I am such a do-goody, people-pleasing kid - or I was - I don't think I've ever been fired, not even from an ice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-am-such-a-do-goody-people-pleasing-kid-or-i-was-i-don-t-think-i-ve/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [In some theoretical way I know that a half-million people hear the show. But in a day-to-day way, there's not much evidence of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/in-some-theoretical-way-i-know-that-a-half-million-people-hear-the/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I'll meet listeners who tell me what a great voice I have. But I don't have a great voice for radio. My voice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-ll-meet-listeners-who-tell-me-what-a-great-voice-i-have-but-i-don-t/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [ I remember clearly that when I was little it was explained to me \[that\] the way that babies were made was that God put… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-remember-clearly-that-when-i-was-little-it-was-explained-to-me-that/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) [Explore all 165 Ira Glass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) ## More Different quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. 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Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) [Browse all 28,697 Different quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Where radio is different than fiction is that even mediocre fiction needs purpose, a driving question.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ira Glass" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is-that-even-mediocre-fiction/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Different" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is-that-even-mediocre-fiction/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/ira-glass-2464_different_where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is_2201113.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/ira-glass-2464_different_where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is_2201113.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/ira-glass-2464_different_where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is_2201113.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Where radio is different than fiction is that even mediocre fiction needs purpose, a driving question.” — Ira Glass", "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": "Ira Glass", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Where radio is different than fiction...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is-that-even-mediocre-fiction/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/where-radio-is-different-than-fiction-is-that-even-mediocre-fiction/#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 } } ] } ```