--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Three characteristics a work of fiction…" description: "\"Three characteristics a work of fiction must possess in order to be successful: 1. It must have a precise and suspenseful plot. 2. The author must feel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_being-successful_three-characteristics-a-work-of-fiction_2943063.jpg" --- # Three characteristics a work of fiction must possess in… ![“Three characteristics a work of fiction must possess in order to be successful: 1. It must have a precise and suspenseful plot. 2. The author must feel a passionate urge to write it. 3. He must have the conviction, or at least the illusion, that he is the only one who can handle this particular…” quote by Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_being-successful_three-characteristics-a-work-of-fiction_2943063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_being-successful_three-characteristics-a-work-of-fiction_2943063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_being-successful_three-characteristics-a-work-of-fiction_2943063.jpg) > “Three characteristics a work of fiction must possess in order to be successful: 1. It must have a precise and suspenseful plot. 2. The author must feel a passionate urge to write it. 3. He must have the conviction, or at least the illusion, that he is the only one who can handle this particular theme.” [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A successful story needs a tight plot, the writer’s passion, and a belief they uniquely grasp its theme. **In simple terms:** Good fiction requires plot, passion, and confidence. Key Takeaway Cultivate a compelling plot and write with conviction. Themes storytelling creativity confidence Mood enthusiastic determined Type inspirational analytical When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - creative workshops - literary criticism Key Concepts plot structure authorial passion theme ownership Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel uniquely qualified to explore your theme? - How does passion shape narrative? A Different Perspective If the author lacks confidence, the story may feel forced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Passionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passionate/) [Precise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precise/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A non-fiction writer pretty much has the shape of the figure in front of him or her and goes about refining it. A work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/a-non-fiction-writer-pretty-much-has-the-shape-of-the-figure-in-front/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [The purpose of a work of fiction is to appeal to the lingering after-effects in the reader's mind as differing from, say, the purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-purpose-of-a-work-of-fiction-is-to-appeal-to-the-lingering-after/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Most of the history is a divine work of fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/most-of-the-history-is-a-divine-work-of-fiction/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [“This book is fiction, but there is always a chance that such a work of fiction may throw some light on what has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/this-book-is-fiction-but-there-is-always-a-chance-that-such-a-work-of/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [A work of fiction is conceived very much the same way as a dream occurs in the mind of a sleeper. But a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-vanderbilt/a-work-of-fiction-is-conceived-very-much-the-same-way-as-a-dream-2/) [Gloria Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-vanderbilt/) > [Anyway, several rewrites later, Del Rey Books did publish my first novel, and it did become the first work of fiction on the New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/anyway-several-rewrites-later-del-rey-books-did-publish-my-first/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [The Bible, I've said it before, is a beautifully written work of fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/the-bible-i-ve-said-it-before-is-a-beautifully-written-work-of-fiction/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [I have always held the old-fashioned opinion that the primary object of work of fiction should be to tell a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/i-have-always-held-the-old-fashioned-opinion-that-the-primary-object/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“I consider all things a work of fiction, even myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/i-consider-all-things-a-work-of-fiction-even-myself/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [A work of fiction is conceived very much the same way as a dream occurs in the mind of a sleeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-vanderbilt/a-work-of-fiction-is-conceived-very-much-the-same-way-as-a-dream/) [Gloria Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-vanderbilt/) > [But please remember: this is only a work of fiction. The truth, as always, will be far stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/but-please-remember-this-is-only-a-work-of-fiction-the-truth-as/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“I'm a novelist. Anything you say can be taken down and used against you in a work of fiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-r-allen/i-m-a-novelist-anything-you-say-can-be-taken-down-and-used-against/) Anne R. Allen > [There is an odd sense of responsibility attached to appearing in a drama about a real piece of history. A work of fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/there-is-an-odd-sense-of-responsibility-attached-to-appearing-in-a/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I keep losing and regaining my equilibrium, which is the basic plot of all popular fiction. And I myself am a work of fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-keep-losing-and-regaining-my-equilibrium-which-is-the-basic-plot-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [For about 30 years, I stayed in the same department and worked the same job, which was rare among people of my age. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/for-about-30-years-i-stayed-in-the-same-department-and-worked-the/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) ## More by Isaac Bashevis Singer > [Every body resisted (the slaughterer) in its own fashion, tried to escape and seemed to argue with the Creator to its last breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/every-body-resisted-the-slaughterer-in-its-own-fashion-tried-to/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/people-often-say-that-humans-have-always-eaten-animals-as-if-this-is/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/as-long-as-people-will-shed-the-blood-of-innocent-creatures-there-can/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [There must be a way for man to attain all possible pleasures, all the powers and knowledge that nature can grant him, and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/there-must-be-a-way-for-man-to-attain-all-possible-pleasures-all-the/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [What nature creates has eternity in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/what-nature-creates-has-eternity-in-it/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [“The rabbi thought he saw an expression of perplexity in the golem's eyes. It seemed to the rabbi that his eyes were asking, Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-rabbi-thought-he-saw-an-expression-of-perplexity-in-the-golem-s/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [“If you hear I'm dead, don't come to my funeral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/if-you-hear-i-m-dead-don-t-come-to-my-funeral/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [If you keep saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/if-you-keep-saying-things-are-going-to-be-bad-you-have-a-good-chance/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Men want all women to lie down as whores and get up as virgins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/men-want-all-women-to-lie-down-as-whores-and-get-up-as-virgins/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise... Because this is how life is full of surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/a-story-to-me-means-a-plot-where-there-is-some-surprise-because-this/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Night is a time of rigor, but also of mercy. There are truths which one can see only when it’s dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/night-is-a-time-of-rigor-but-also-of-mercy-there-are-truths-which-one/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [No doubt the world is entirely an imaginary world, but it is only once removed from the true world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/no-doubt-the-world-is-entirely-an-imaginary-world-but-it-is-only-once/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [It is a general rule that when the grain of truth cannot be found, men will swallow great helpings of falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/it-is-a-general-rule-that-when-the-grain-of-truth-cannot-be-found-men/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [As often as Herman had witnessed the slaughter of animals and fish, he always had the same thought: in their behaviour towards creatures, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/as-often-as-herman-had-witnessed-the-slaughter-of-animals-and-fish-he/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Sometimes love is stronger than a man's convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/sometimes-love-is-stronger-than-a-man-s-convictions/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) [Explore all 169 Isaac Bashevis Singer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) ## More Being successful quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/) Blair Hull [Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Three characteristics a work of fiction must possess in order to be successful: 1. It must have a precise and suspenseful plot. 2. The author must feel a passionate urge to write it. 3. 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