--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course! Isn’t that what a good story…" description: "\"“Of course! Isn’t that what a good story does? It pulls you in and never lets you go.”\" — Jennifer Donnelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/jennifer-donnelly-1585_books_of-course-isn-t-that-what-a-good-story-d_1221683.jpg" --- # Of course! Isn’t that what a good story does? It pulls you… ![“Of course! Isn’t that what a good story does? It pulls you in and never lets you go.” quote by Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/jennifer-donnelly-1585_books_of-course-isn-t-that-what-a-good-story-d_1221683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/jennifer-donnelly-1585_books_of-course-isn-t-that-what-a-good-story-d_1221683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/jennifer-donnelly-1585_books_of-course-isn-t-that-what-a-good-story-d_1221683.jpg) > ““Of course! Isn’t that what a good story does? It pulls you in and never lets you go.”” [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A good story captivates, pulling readers in and never letting go. **In simple terms:** Compelling stories hold attention fully. Key Takeaway Craft narratives that fully engage readers. Themes storytelling engagement immersion Mood inspiring creative Type instructional descriptive When to use this quote - novel writing - marketing copy - film scripts Key Concepts literature psychology attention span Questions to Reflect On - What elements make a story irresistible? - How can you sustain reader interest? A Different Perspective Not all stories achieve this; requires skill and emotional resonance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Good books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-books/) [Good story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [A good story, just like a good sentence, does more than one job at once. That's what literature is: a story that does more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/a-good-story-just-like-a-good-sentence-does-more-than-one-job-at-once/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [It's a terrible thing that your life turns into a good story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/it-s-a-terrible-thing-that-your-life-turns-into-a-good-story/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Belle hesitated. “What is this place?” she asked. “A bit of magic, like all goodbooks,” the man replied. “An escape. A place where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/belle-hesitated-what-is-this-place-she-asked-a-bit-of-magic-like-all/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“Sometimes a story does not make immediate sense—one has to listen and keep it in one’s heart, in one’s blood, until the day it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/sometimes-a-story-does-not-make-immediate-sense-one-has-to-listen-and/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [A story does that: it will reach out and hook somebody and hold them for just a few moments while you unpack this story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/a-story-does-that-it-will-reach-out-and-hook-somebody-and-hold-them/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“No one likes incomplete story, so does the God :-)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-vanjara/no-one-likes-incomplete-story-so-does-the-god/) Raj Vanjara > [That's what a powerful story does. It creates a more intense experience of life for you to watch. That's what a good film does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlto-copley/that-s-what-a-powerful-story-does-it-creates-a-more-intense/) [Sharlto Copley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlto-copley/) > [I like working in any medium. Who's making it? How much do I like the story? Does it contribute something?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-moreau/i-like-working-in-any-medium-who-s-making-it-how-much-do-i-like-the/) [Marguerite Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-moreau/) > [One thing that happens on the 'Newsroom' is that every time a real story does get incorporated into the show, there's always an angle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gallagher-jr/one-thing-that-happens-on-the-newsroom-is-that-every-time-a-real/) [John Gallagher, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gallagher-jr/) > [Because the meaning of a story does not lie on its surface, visible and self-defining, does not mean that meaning does not exist. Indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/because-the-meaning-of-a-story-does-not-lie-on-its-surface-visible/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I'm interested in telling stories that add up to more than the entertainment of the story. That's what does it for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-miller/i-m-interested-in-telling-stories-that-add-up-to-more-than-the/) [Bennett Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-miller/) > [New York in a way functions as another character within the story, as it does within most of Woody Allen's stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-mitchell/new-york-in-a-way-functions-as-another-character-within-the-story-as/) [Radha Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-mitchell/) > [“Of all the people around me, you know best that it takes two to complete a story; it always does”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/refaat-alareer/of-all-the-people-around-me-you-know-best-that-it-takes-two-to/) [Refaat Alareer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/refaat-alareer/) > [In my career as a director, there's always been some point where you get halfway through it, or three-quarters, and you go: 'What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/in-my-career-as-a-director-there-s-always-been-some-point-where-you/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Don't put anything into a story that does not reveal character or advance the action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-does-not-reveal-character-or/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More by Jennifer Donnelly > [“Yves G. Bonnard, archivero jefe, alias el Poderoso Oz, alias el Gran Inquisidor, alias el Anticristo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/yves-g-bonnard-archivero-jefe-alias-el-poderoso-oz-alias-el-gran/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“She wanted to scream her grief to the skies and wail like an animal, but she couldn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/she-wanted-to-scream-her-grief-to-the-skies-and-wail-like-an-animal/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“ As sure as the seabirds in flight, As sure as the endless deep blue, My love is as certain as sunrise. I vow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/as-sure-as-the-seabirds-in-flight-as-sure-as-the-endless-deep-blue-my/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [Cripes Miss Wilcox, they're not guns,' I said. No, they're not Mattie, they're books. And a hundred times more dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/cripes-miss-wilcox-they-re-not-guns-i-said-no-they-re-not-mattie-they/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [He loves the sparkling fountains and their cascades and says the strangest things as he watches them. they look like stars breaking. Or, They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/he-loves-the-sparkling-fountains-and-their-cascades-and-says-the/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [Men are the weak ones, luv. Didn't you know? Oh, you make a lot of noise, but its the women who are strong. Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/men-are-the-weak-ones-luv-didn-t-you-know-oh-you-make-a-lot-of-noise/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“It's kind of beautiful, this scary world. I still want to go out of it as soon as possible, but when I look around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/it-s-kind-of-beautiful-this-scary-world-i-still-want-to-go-out-of-it/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“Cry your grief to God. Howl to the heavens. Tear your shirt. Your hair. Your flesh. Gouge your eyes. Carve out your heart. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/cry-your-grief-to-god-howl-to-the-heavens-tear-your-shirt-your-hair/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“Humans are selfish creatures who can always be counted on to do the wrong thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/humans-are-selfish-creatures-who-can-always-be-counted-on-to-do-the/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [Every heart is made of stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/every-heart-is-made-of-stories/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [DNA tells you all the secrets of life,’ he used to say. Except for one—how to live it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/dna-tells-you-all-the-secrets-of-life-he-used-to-say-except-for-one/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [Because beautiful things never last. Not roses nor snow… And not fireworks, either](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/because-beautiful-things-never-last-not-roses-nor-snow-and-not/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [There is only one thing I fear now-love. For I have seen it and I have felt it and I know that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/there-is-only-one-thing-i-fear-now-love-for-i-have-seen-it-and-i-have/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“I'm not snapping," I snapped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/i-m-not-snapping-i-snapped/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“And then I remember this morning and I wonder if it really happened or if I dreamed it. It was nice. And weird. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/and-then-i-remember-this-morning-and-i-wonder-if-it-really-happened/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) [Explore all 218 Jennifer Donnelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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": "“Of course! Isn’t that what a good story does? 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