--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Settings are obviously important - and as…" description: "\"Settings are obviously important - and as a writer, you have to respect what was real at the time of the story you're writing. But the real key to succ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/joan-lingard-36385_key-to-success_settings-are-obviously-important-and-as_2784293.jpg" --- # Settings are obviously important - and as a writer, you… ![“Settings are obviously important - and as a writer, you have to respect what was real at the time of the story you're writing. But the real key to success lies in finding the right characters to carry that story.” quote by Joan Lingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/joan-lingard-36385_key-to-success_settings-are-obviously-important-and-as_2784293.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/joan-lingard-36385_key-to-success_settings-are-obviously-important-and-as_2784293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/joan-lingard-36385_key-to-success_settings-are-obviously-important-and-as_2784293.jpg) > “Settings are obviously important - and as a writer, you have to respect what was real at the time of the story you're writing. But the real key to success lies in finding the right characters to carry that story.” [Joan Lingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-lingard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical accuracy matters, but the right characters drive a story’s success. **In simple terms:** Characters matter more than strict history. Key Takeaway Prioritize compelling characters. Themes writing history character development Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type literary creative When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - museum exhibits - education Key Concepts narrative theory historical fiction Questions to Reflect On - How to balance fact and fiction? - What makes a character timeless? A Different Perspective Historical constraints may limit imagination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Key to success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/key-to-success/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Story writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-writing/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Another sex worker and writer I respect put it this way: she said that as a writer, you're not about pleasing people, and as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/another-sex-worker-and-writer-i-respect-put-it-this-way-she-said-that/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [It is one of the most important factors to develop a good team, that you have the right players but also the right characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-ten-hag/it-is-one-of-the-most-important-factors-to-develop-a-good-team-that/) [Erik ten Hag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-ten-hag/) > [“Nearly every writer writes a book with a great amount of attention and intention and hopes and dreams. 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I think that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/to-have-someone-who-never-makes-a-mistake-never-finds-her-personal/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [“Don't for once ever think that what you're doing is easy. If it feels that way, you're probably doing something wrong. Throwing words onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-m-dickson/don-t-for-once-ever-think-that-what-you-re-doing-is-easy-if-it-feels/) [Allison M. Dickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-m-dickson/) > [“...the demands of writing and of real life are not always similar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-demands-of-writing-and-of-real-life-are-not-always-similar/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I don't think that writing, real writing, has much to do with affirming belief--if anything it causes rifts and gaps in belief which make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/i-don-t-think-that-writing-real-writing-has-much-to-do-with-affirming/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) ## More by Joan Lingard > [“Life is limited, but by writing, and reading, we can live in different worlds, get inside the skins and minds of other people, and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-lingard/life-is-limited-but-by-writing-and-reading-we-can-live-in-different/) [Joan Lingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-lingard/) > [I like writing about teenagers because it's a time of great change and conflict. Up to then, you accept what your parents tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-lingard/i-like-writing-about-teenagers-because-it-s-a-time-of-great-change/) [Joan Lingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-lingard/) > [The 325-foot Seagram Tower is the most southerly and closest to the Canadian falls and also affords the best view of the churning upper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-lingard/the-325-foot-seagram-tower-is-the-most-southerly-and-closest-to-the/) [Joan Lingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-lingard/) > [When writing about Edinburgh, I place my characters in the parts of the city that I myself have lived in, or else know well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-lingard/when-writing-about-edinburgh-i-place-my-characters-in-the-parts-of/) [Joan Lingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-lingard/) > [I had a very distant relationship with my father. It was always just me and my mother. 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I just sweat it off, doing what you love is the key to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/i-do-not-see-myself-as-talented-i-just-sweat-it-off-doing-what-you/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [The most important ingredient of leadership is character. Most of the proficiencies can be learned, but what's inside you is something that's difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-robredo/the-most-important-ingredient-of-leadership-is-character-most-of-the/) Jesse Robredo > [They'll try to close the door on you... Just open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/they-ll-try-to-close-the-door-on-you-just-open-it/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [Buy gold and sit on it. That is the key to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-pick/buy-gold-and-sit-on-it-that-is-the-key-to-success/) Franz Pick > [“Seeing persistence as the key to success is also democratic. 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