--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I feel like in telling stories, there are…" description: "\"I feel like in telling stories, there are the things the audience thinks are important, and then there are the things that are actually important.\" — J..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/j-j-abrams-3542_audience_i-feel-like-in-telling-stories-there-are_2465041.jpg" --- # I feel like in telling stories, there are the things the… ![“I feel like in telling stories, there are the things the audience thinks are important, and then there are the things that are actually important.” quote by J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/j-j-abrams-3542_audience_i-feel-like-in-telling-stories-there-are_2465041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/j-j-abrams-3542_audience_i-feel-like-in-telling-stories-there-are_2465041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/j-j-abrams-3542_audience_i-feel-like-in-telling-stories-there-are_2465041.jpg) > “I feel like in telling stories, there are the things the audience thinks are important, and then there are the things that are actually important.” [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Storytellers must balance audience expectations with the deeper truths they wish to convey. **In simple terms:** Balance audience expectations with deeper truths. Key Takeaway Prioritize core message over assumed importance. Themes storytelling audience perception truth communication Mood reflective strategic Type advice insightful When to use this quote - film scripts - novel writing - public speaking - marketing pitches Key Concepts narrative hierarchy authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify what truly matters? - What risks arise when ignoring audience expectations? A Different Perspective Audience may resist unexpected truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Like Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-telling-516190/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-things-292433/) [Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling/) [Telling stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-stories/) [Things Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-audience-696905/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [It sounds trite, but I like telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/it-sounds-trite-but-i-like-telling-stories/) [Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/) > [My life isn't very racy or exciting so I make things up, tell stories. I like telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/my-life-isn-t-very-racy-or-exciting-so-i-make-things-up-tell-stories/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I like telling stories about people with problems. I can't really put it much simpler than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/i-like-telling-stories-about-people-with-problems-i-can-t-really-put/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [I like telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/i-like-telling-stories/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [I really like telling stories. When I was a kid, I wanted to write songs. In quite a fundamental, gratifying, childish way, I enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bettany/i-really-like-telling-stories-when-i-was-a-kid-i-wanted-to-write/) [Paul Bettany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bettany/) > [I keep everything very simple. I like telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fassbender/i-keep-everything-very-simple-i-like-telling-stories/) [Michael Fassbender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fassbender/) > [I like telling the story in a visual way. I don't like explaining a lot in dialogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-coppola/i-like-telling-the-story-in-a-visual-way-i-don-t-like-explaining-a/) [Sofia Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-coppola/) > [Trying to describe what I do in prayer would be like telling the world how I make love to my wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-describe-what-i-do-in-prayer-would-be-like-telling-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people don't like telling the truth... And some people can't handle hearing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-don-t-like-telling-the-truth-and-some-people-can-t-handle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The mere telling of how a need was met is often like telling of a need, which is asking crookedly instead of straight out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/the-mere-telling-of-how-a-need-was-met-is-often-like-telling-of-a/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [I feel that a picture that stays with you is made up of a hundred or more hidden things. They’re things that the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincente-minnelli/i-feel-that-a-picture-that-stays-with-you-is-made-up-of-a-hundred-or/) [Vincente Minnelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincente-minnelli/) > [I always wish I could just see the 'Stranger Things' from an audience standpoint and not from mine. 'Cause when I watch it, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-schnapp/i-always-wish-i-could-just-see-the-stranger-things-from-an-audience/) [Noah Schnapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-schnapp/) > [You never want your second act or the whole movie to just be this relentless march towards its goal. You want things to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/you-never-want-your-second-act-or-the-whole-movie-to-just-be-this/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [Bad people sometimes do good things, and good people do really bad things or do something the audience disagrees with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/bad-people-sometimes-do-good-things-and-good-people-do-really-bad/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [I think every theater in America wants a younger audience... and you can't just hope to have a younger audience, you have to program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-think-every-theater-in-america-wants-a-younger-audience-and-you-can/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) ## More by J. J. Abrams > [I guess the idea of not wanting to choose to direct a film, for which I've not read a script. It's a tough decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-guess-the-idea-of-not-wanting-to-choose-to-direct-a-film-for-which/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I do think there's something about the digital age that is increasingly dehumanising us. We're in this very weird place where we're being pulled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-do-think-there-s-something-about-the-digital-age-that-is/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I hate to look at the stuff I've written and consider what it means or why I do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-hate-to-look-at-the-stuff-i-ve-written-and-consider-what-it-means/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I feel like obviously the standard for what TV looks like changes all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-feel-like-obviously-the-standard-for-what-tv-looks-like-changes-all/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I'd love to do a movie where the monster is human, where the issue is not otherworldly, or horror or science fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-d-love-to-do-a-movie-where-the-monster-is-human-where-the-issue-is/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I feel blessed that I get to be part of entertaining people in any capacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-feel-blessed-that-i-get-to-be-part-of-entertaining-people-in-any/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [There are always a bunch of ideas floating around and I do the best that I can to try to not do them. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/there-are-always-a-bunch-of-ideas-floating-around-and-i-do-the-best/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I love recording music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-love-recording-music/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I'd like to use IMAX. The problem with IMAX is that it's a very loud camera. It's a very unreliable camera. Only so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-d-like-to-use-imax-the-problem-with-imax-is-that-it-s-a-very-loud/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I have nothing against 3-D in theory. But I've also never run to the movies because something's in 3-D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-have-nothing-against-3-d-in-theory-but-i-ve-also-never-run-to-the/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [But I'm grateful for everyone who would want to read a spoiler because it means that they care and want to see the movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/but-i-m-grateful-for-everyone-who-would-want-to-read-a-spoiler/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I think that even if you're wondering if two characters are ever going to kiss, drawing out the inevitability is part of the fun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-think-that-even-if-you-re-wondering-if-two-characters-are-ever/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [When I was a little kid - and even still - I loved magic tricks. When I saw how movies got made - at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/when-i-was-a-little-kid-and-even-still-i-loved-magic-tricks-when-i/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) is probably the most influential film of my generation. It's the personification of good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/star-wars-episode-iv-a-new-hope-1977-is-probably-the-most-influential/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [Directing's the best part. Whenever I've directed something, there's this feeling of demand and focus that I like. And secondly, it means that you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/directing-s-the-best-part-whenever-i-ve-directed-something-there-s/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) [Explore all 128 J. J. Abrams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I feel like in telling stories, there are the things the audience thinks are important, and then there are the things that are actually important.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. J. 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