--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Often I don't read novels. The script is…" description: "\"Often I don't read novels. The script is more important, that's the springboard to your imagination, really. Peripheral information can be interesting ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/john-hurt-1669_books_often-i-don-t-read-novels-the-script-is_2131733.png" --- # Often I don't read novels. The script is more important… ![“Often I don't read novels. The script is more important, that's the springboard to your imagination, really. Peripheral information can be interesting to read but you can't use it when it's not in the script.” quote by John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/john-hurt-1669_books_often-i-don-t-read-novels-the-script-is_2131733.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/john-hurt-1669_books_often-i-don-t-read-novels-the-script-is_2131733.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/john-hurt-1669_books_often-i-don-t-read-novels-the-script-is_2131733.png) > “Often I don't read novels. The script is more important, that's the springboard to your imagination, really. Peripheral information can be interesting to read but you can't use it when it's not in the script.” [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scripts provide the essential framework for imagination, while extraneous details are less useful. **In simple terms:** Scripts guide imagination better than peripheral info. Key Takeaway Focus on core narratives for creative work. Themes creativity storytelling focus Mood inspired analytical Type creative educational When to use this quote - writing workshops - film production - storyboarding Key Concepts narrative structure imagination scriptwriting Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance script guidance with improvisation? - What peripheral details can enhance a story? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on scripts may stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels/) [Novels Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels-script-4396243/) [Read Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-novels/) [Read Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-use-4396244/) [Script Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script-important-1262539/) [Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts/) [Springboards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/springboards/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [My springboard is always the script. Even if the script is taken from a novel, I often haven't read the novel...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/my-springboard-is-always-the-script-even-if-the-script-is-taken-from/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [The sad thing is that I only ever read novels in bed and now only on the iPad, and thanks to Netflix and iTunes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hewlett/the-sad-thing-is-that-i-only-ever-read-novels-in-bed-and-now-only-on/) [David Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hewlett/) > [I would like my novels to be read the way I read the novels I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-would-like-my-novels-to-be-read-the-way-i-read-the-novels-i-love/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [“I read novels with the utmost pertinaity. I look upon them - I look upon good novels - as a very valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/i-read-novels-with-the-utmost-pertinaity-i-look-upon-them-i-look-upon/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [Novels with a "thesis" don't interest me. They just don't - novels that want to "show" something, that want to "argue" something specific. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-chejfec/novels-with-a-thesis-don-t-interest-me-they-just-don-t-novels-that/) [Sergio Chejfec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-chejfec/) > [People respect nonfiction but they read novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/people-respect-nonfiction-but-they-read-novels/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [I never even had the time to read novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-never-even-had-the-time-to-read-novels/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I think you can tell when you meet someone whether they read novels. There's some hollowness if they don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hensher/i-think-you-can-tell-when-you-meet-someone-whether-they-read-novels/) [Philip Hensher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hensher/) > [I don't read novels that are looking to convince me of anything. I believe that literature needs to be a machine of illusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-chejfec/i-don-t-read-novels-that-are-looking-to-convince-me-of-anything-i/) [Sergio Chejfec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-chejfec/) > [“... we read novels because they give us the comfortable sensation of living in worlds where the notion of truth is indisputable, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/we-read-novels-because-they-give-us-the-comfortable-sensation-of/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [People lose it when I say this, but I'm a novelist who doesn't read novels. There are lots of good reasons for not reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-traviss/people-lose-it-when-i-say-this-but-i-m-a-novelist-who-doesn-t-read/) [Karen Traviss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-traviss/) > [We don't read novels to have an experience like life. Heck, we're living lives, complete with all the incompleteness. We turn to fiction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-don-t-read-novels-to-have-an-experience-like-life-heck-we-re/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I love fiction and read novels constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/i-love-fiction-and-read-novels-constantly/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [I'd probably play games obsessively if I didn't write, although I admit I don't read novels partly because I don't enjoy it, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-traviss/i-d-probably-play-games-obsessively-if-i-didn-t-write-although-i/) [Karen Traviss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-traviss/) > [I like very much to read novels. I like very much some writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurizio-sarri/i-like-very-much-to-read-novels-i-like-very-much-some-writers/) [Maurizio Sarri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurizio-sarri/) ## More by John Hurt > [I can't say that I wouldn't prefer to make small films, basically because I think they are probably more interesting in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-can-t-say-that-i-wouldn-t-prefer-to-make-small-films-basically/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Acting is an imaginative leap, really, isn't it? And imaginations prosper in different circumstances. 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I just know how far you have to bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/things-come-in-a-quieter-way-to-me-it-s-not-laziness-and-it-s-not/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I've spent a great deal of my life doing independent film, and that is partly because the subject matter interests me and partly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-ve-spent-a-great-deal-of-my-life-doing-independent-film-and-that-is/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I find myself more interested in producing. Not because I'm interested in the financial side of it, but just getting together the right elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-find-myself-more-interested-in-producing-not-because-i-m-interested/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Actors are not always the best judges. 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