--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I write novellas, short books, whatever…" description: "\"“I write novellas, short books, whatever. I set out to write a good story not write a dictionary.”\" — Jason E. Hodges" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/jason-e-hodges-23333_books_i-write-novellas-short-books-whatever-i_926987.jpg" --- # I write novellas, short books, whatever. I set out to… ![“I write novellas, short books, whatever. I set out to write a good story not write a dictionary.” quote by Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/jason-e-hodges-23333_books_i-write-novellas-short-books-whatever-i_926987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/jason-e-hodges-23333_books_i-write-novellas-short-books-whatever-i_926987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/jason-e-hodges-23333_books_i-write-novellas-short-books-whatever-i_926987.jpg) > ““I write novellas, short books, whatever. I set out to write a good story not write a dictionary.”” [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author prioritizes storytelling over technical perfection, aiming for engaging narratives rather than exhaustive detail. **In simple terms:** Write engaging stories, not exhaustive dictionaries. Key Takeaway Focus on narrative flow over exhaustive detail. Themes writing storytelling creativity Mood inspirational practical Type creative advice When to use this quote - author workshops - creative writing classes - self‑publishing Key Concepts literature focus Questions to Reflect On - What balance between story and accuracy works for you? - How do you avoid over‑editing? A Different Perspective Neglecting research can lead to factual errors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Novellas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novellas/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I write novellas because I don't like loose sprawling prose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harrison/i-write-novellas-because-i-don-t-like-loose-sprawling-prose/) [Jim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harrison/) > [I grew up Spanish, so I grew up watching a lot of novellas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-gonzalo/i-grew-up-spanish-so-i-grew-up-watching-a-lot-of-novellas/) [Julie Gonzalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-gonzalo/) > [My father thought a novel was a broken short story. There's something to that. Many of my favorite novels are novellas. The authors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-hunt/my-father-thought-a-novel-was-a-broken-short-story-there-s-something/) [Samantha Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-hunt/) > [“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it." Goethe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-alan-fahey/whatever-you-can-do-or-dream-you-can-begin-it-goethe/) Paul Alan Fahey > [A creative person can suddenly realize it's not 90 minutes. They haven't got to do three acts, they haven't got to do the arc,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/a-creative-person-can-suddenly-realize-it-s-not-90-minutes-they-haven/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) > [Those around you can have their novellas, sweet, their short stories of cliché and coincidence, occasionally spiced up with tricks of the quirky, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/those-around-you-can-have-their-novellas-sweet-their-short-stories-of/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [I only respond to Telemundo when it's about novellas, in regards to music or movies they have nothing to do with it; that's mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jencarlos-canela/i-only-respond-to-telemundo-when-it-s-about-novellas-in-regards-to/) [Jencarlos Canela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jencarlos-canela/) > [I love movies like 'The Postman Always Rings Twice' that are based on short novellas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-ramsay/i-love-movies-like-the-postman-always-rings-twice-that-are-based-on/) [Lynne Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-ramsay/) > [“No one, none of us have rights. There is no destiny. We have responsibilities to ourselves and each other. We have responsibilities and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fatah-steele/no-one-none-of-us-have-rights-there-is-no-destiny-we-have/) Brian Fatah Steele > [Write the best story that you can and write it as straight as you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-write-it-as-straight-as-you-can/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“You would have to abandon the jig-saw kind of story and write a book about human beings for a change.’ ‘I’m afraid to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/you-would-have-to-abandon-the-jig-saw-kind-of-story-and-write-a-book/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [If you don't like someone's story, write your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/if-you-don-t-like-someone-s-story-write-your-own/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When I finally write the first sentence, I want to know everything that happens, so that I am not inventing the story as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/when-i-finally-write-the-first-sentence-i-want-to-know-everything/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Anything you write, even if you have to start over, is valuable. I let the story write itself through the characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/anything-you-write-even-if-you-have-to-start-over-is-valuable-i-let/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [I don't really decide what the core of the story is before I write. I write to figure out what the story is. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-don-t-really-decide-what-the-core-of-the-story-is-before-i-write-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) ## More by Jason E. Hodges > [“You know you’re getting somewhere as a writer when the rejection letters mean as much as spam in your inbox.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/you-know-you-re-getting-somewhere-as-a-writer-when-the-rejection/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“For some folks the world is filled to the top with hurt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/for-some-folks-the-world-is-filled-to-the-top-with-hurt/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“Lies are served like a fine delicacy. But beware, the truth of it all will sour, lodge in your throat, and choke your very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/lies-are-served-like-a-fine-delicacy-but-beware-the-truth-of-it-all/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“Sleeplessness and being a writer seem to go together hand in hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/sleeplessness-and-being-a-writer-seem-to-go-together-hand-in-hand/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“Chaos is life, if you're doing great things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/chaos-is-life-if-you-re-doing-great-things/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“I was just a drifter, a writer of what I saw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/i-was-just-a-drifter-a-writer-of-what-i-saw/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“Writers that are pouring their soul out for the world to see, will cast a perfect reflection of themselves in their work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/writers-that-are-pouring-their-soul-out-for-the-world-to-see-will/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“I’m not afraid to die, but I’m also, not afraid to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/i-m-not-afraid-to-die-but-i-m-also-not-afraid-to-live/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“A shovel is the greatest motivational teacher I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/a-shovel-is-the-greatest-motivational-teacher-i-know/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“Express to our world what is alive inside us not what their world says we should be… Our true selves should never be created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/express-to-our-world-what-is-alive-inside-us-not-what-their-world/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“We didn’t have AC or Cable TV. We had shade trees and storytellers. This is where my writing comes from.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/we-didn-t-have-ac-or-cable-tv-we-had-shade-trees-and-storytellers/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“Even the wolf gets anxious, but the wolf keeps moving and doing, all while being washed in the magic of moonlight”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/even-the-wolf-gets-anxious-but-the-wolf-keeps-moving-and-doing-all/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“Some live it, some wish they lived it, and some never know it’s there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/some-live-it-some-wish-they-lived-it-and-some-never-know-it-s-there/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“People who think following your dreams is a fairytale don’t realize they’re living the biggest fairytale of all, following the sheep”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/people-who-think-following-your-dreams-is-a-fairytale-don-t-realize/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) > [“For the writer that has truly suffered, their pen, their words, their art will become as important as breathing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-e-hodges/for-the-writer-that-has-truly-suffered-their-pen-their-words-their/) [Jason E. Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-e-hodges/) [Explore all 26 Jason E. 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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 > [“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 > [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": "“I write novellas, short books, whatever. I set out to write a good story not write a dictionary.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jason E. 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