--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anybody can do research. The plotting of…" description: "\"Anybody can do research. The plotting of the novel, writing the ending before you write anything else, which I always do - I don't know that everybody ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/john-irving-337_always_anybody-can-do-research-the-plotting-of_1517015.jpg" --- # Anybody can do research. The plotting of the novel… ![“Anybody can do research. The plotting of the novel, writing the ending before you write anything else, which I always do - I don't know that everybody can do that. That's the hard part.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/john-irving-337_always_anybody-can-do-research-the-plotting-of_1517015.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/john-irving-337_always_anybody-can-do-research-the-plotting-of_1517015.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/john-irving-337_always_anybody-can-do-research-the-plotting-of_1517015.jpg) > “Anybody can do research. The plotting of the novel, writing the ending before you write anything else, which I always do - I don't know that everybody can do that. That's the hard part.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Research is easy, but planning a story’s structure and ending ahead of time is the real challenge. **In simple terms:** Planning a story’s ending first is hard. Key Takeaway Focus on structure before writing. Themes creativity writing planning Mood reflective determined Type literary advice When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - academic research Key Concepts Narrative structure plotting Questions to Reflect On - Do you always outline before you write? - How does early plotting affect spontaneity? A Different Perspective Some writers thrive without pre‑planned endings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anybody/) [Anybody Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anybody-research-5598296/) [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/else/) [Ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ending/) [Ending Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ending-write-2378726/) [Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novel writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-writing/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [Plotting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plotting/) [Plotting Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plotting-novel-5598297/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Research Plotting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research-plotting-5598298/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [No one ever gets to write their ending, write their final script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-olsen/no-one-ever-gets-to-write-their-ending-write-their-final-script/) [Greg Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-olsen/) > [“You’ve gone far away to a place with no horses and very little grass, and you’re studying how to write a story with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/you-ve-gone-far-away-to-a-place-with-no-horses-and-very-little-grass/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [GOD never wrote a sad ending.He always write a happy endings.If at this point you're not happy,it means it's not yet the end.Don't loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeramae-panabia/god-never-wrote-a-sad-ending-he-always-write-a-happy-endings-if-at/) [Jeramae Panabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeramae-panabia/) > [I never know when I finish the novel I am writing which will be the next novel out of the station.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-never-know-when-i-finish-the-novel-i-am-writing-which-will-be-the/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [There's more to directing than plotting scenes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-juvonen/there-s-more-to-directing-than-plotting-scenes-out/) [Nancy Juvonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-juvonen/) > [“On THE AMBER SPYGLASS: "If this plotline was a motorist, it would have been arrested for driving while intoxicated, if it had not perished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-wright/on-the-amber-spyglass-if-this-plotline-was-a-motorist-it-would-have/) [John C. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-wright/) > [“Steven G. Johnson pointed out in the julia-​user mailing list that pyplot (a matplotlib wrapper) is another, fourth way for plotting in julia.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/steven-g-johnson-pointed-out-in-the-julia-user-mailing-list-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Introduction of deus ex machina is a tell-tale sign of sloppy plotting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mehalek/introduction-of-deus-ex-machina-is-a-tell-tale-sign-of-sloppy-plotting/) [Mike Mehalek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mehalek/) > [When I decided to take writing seriously, I did a lot of reading and analyzing of the books I liked, and came up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/when-i-decided-to-take-writing-seriously-i-did-a-lot-of-reading-and/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [As an engineer I'm constantly spotting problems and plotting how to solve them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dyson/as-an-engineer-i-m-constantly-spotting-problems-and-plotting-how-to/) [James Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dyson/) > [“How dare he call me while I was plotting his murder?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alycia-linwood/how-dare-he-call-me-while-i-was-plotting-his-murder/) [Alycia Linwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alycia-linwood/) > [My forte is the plotting. You sit down, and you work out a plot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/my-forte-is-the-plotting-you-sit-down-and-you-work-out-a-plot/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [Gettting to know your characters is so much more important than plotting. Working out every detail of your story in advance, especially when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/gettting-to-know-your-characters-is-so-much-more-important-than/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Tim Conway was a little different from the rest. He was always in the back of the studio building something with the prop man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/tim-conway-was-a-little-different-from-the-rest-he-was-always-in-the/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anybody can do research. 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