--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most interesting things that happen…" description: "\"The most interesting things that happen in my books are usually the things that arise spontaneously, the things that surprise me.\" — Jay McInerney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/jay-mcinerney-7092_arise_the-most-interesting-things-that-happen_2472960.png" --- # The most interesting things that happen in my books are… ![“The most interesting things that happen in my books are usually the things that arise spontaneously, the things that surprise me.” quote by Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/jay-mcinerney-7092_arise_the-most-interesting-things-that-happen_2472960.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/jay-mcinerney-7092_arise_the-most-interesting-things-that-happen_2472960.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/jay-mcinerney-7092_arise_the-most-interesting-things-that-happen_2472960.png) > “The most interesting things that happen in my books are usually the things that arise spontaneously, the things that surprise me.” [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spontaneous moments often become the most memorable parts of a story, surprising both author and reader. **In simple terms:** Unexpected events make stories memorable. Key Takeaway Welcome surprise in writing. Themes creativity writing surprise Mood playful inspired Type advice creative When to use this quote - novel drafting - workshop exercises - storytelling Key Concepts narrative theory serendipity Questions to Reflect On - How can you create space for surprise? - What unexpected moments have shaped your work? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on planning can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arise/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-things/) [Most interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most-interesting/) [Spontaneously Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spontaneously-things-780519/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Surprise me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise-me/) [Things Arise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-arise-780520/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Things Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-surprise-353871/) ## Related quotes > [When I go to the movies, I do like to see things that surprise me, a little bit, in ways that seem truthful to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/when-i-go-to-the-movies-i-do-like-to-see-things-that-surprise-me-a/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [There are very few things that surprise me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/there-are-very-few-things-that-surprise-me/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [I try to leave some space in my mind for things to surprise me or change my mind, I think that's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-try-to-leave-some-space-in-my-mind-for-things-to-surprise-me-or/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Good order results spontaneously when things are let alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/good-order-results-spontaneously-when-things-are-let-alone/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [“There are things that are brought into our lives to lead us back to the true path of our Personal Legend. 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Fitzgerald lived the longest. He was 44.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/most-all-of-the-writers-i-admired-when-i-was-in-my-teens-and-twenties/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [I certainly think that the publishing houses have to learn more about this informal network of literary blogging and get over the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/i-certainly-think-that-the-publishing-houses-have-to-learn-more-about/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [“She said that certain facts are accessible only from one point of view – the point of view of the creature who experiences them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/she-said-that-certain-facts-are-accessible-only-from-one-point-of/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [Your presence here is is only a matter of conducting an experiment in limits, reminding yourself of what you aren’t.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/your-presence-here-is-is-only-a-matter-of-conducting-an-experiment-in/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [My former wife is a very eccentric woman, which is why I still love her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/my-former-wife-is-a-very-eccentric-woman-which-is-why-i-still-love-her/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [“Tears come to your eyes, and you feel such a rush of tenderness and pity that you stop beside a lamppost and hang on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/tears-come-to-your-eyes-and-you-feel-such-a-rush-of-tenderness-and/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [Sometimes I think everything I touch turns into a Page Six item.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/sometimes-i-think-everything-i-touch-turns-into-a-page-six-item/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [Sometimes I think the difference between what we want and what we're afraid of is about the width of an eyelash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/sometimes-i-think-the-difference-between-what-we-want-and-what-we-re/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [“Suffering is supposed to be the raw stuff of art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/suffering-is-supposed-to-be-the-raw-stuff-of-art/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [I think it's dangerous to think you know what you're writing. 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