--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing creators have to remember is…" description: "\"“The thing creators have to remember is that to a very real extent they are fictional characters to their fans—and that what fans want (the product the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/john-scalzi-2071_creators_the-thing-creators-have-to-remember-is-t_1631583.jpg" --- # The thing creators have to remember is that to a very real… ![“The thing creators have to remember is that to a very real extent they are fictional characters to their fans—and that what fans want (the product they like, they way they like it, served up by someone who they often see as being just like them, only more interesting/exciting/successful/etc) isn’t…” quote by John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/john-scalzi-2071_creators_the-thing-creators-have-to-remember-is-t_1631583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/john-scalzi-2071_creators_the-thing-creators-have-to-remember-is-t_1631583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/john-scalzi-2071_creators_the-thing-creators-have-to-remember-is-t_1631583.jpg) > ““The thing creators have to remember is that to a very real extent they are fictional characters to their fans—and that what fans want (the product they like, they way they like it, served up by someone who they often see as being just like them, only more interesting/exciting/successful/etc) isn’t always going to conform to what they actually need in their lives. Additionally, fans will construct narratives to justify whatever behavior a creator dishes up…as long as the end result is more of what they want. Enabling! It’s a thing.”” [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creators must recognize fans view them as fictional personas, shaping expectations that may not align with real needs; fans also craft narratives to justify creator output. **In simple terms:** Creators are seen as characters, influencing fan expectations and narratives. Key Takeaway Balance authenticity with audience expectations. Themes creativity fan dynamics authenticity media influence Mood reflective critical Type advice media commentary When to use this quote - content creation - marketing strategy - fan engagement - brand building Key Concepts persona construction expectation management narrative justification Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain personal integrity while satisfying fan desires? - Can creators influence fans’ real needs positively? A Different Perspective Fans may prioritize entertainment over genuine benefit, limiting impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characters Fans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-fans-489690/) [Creators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creators/) [End result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-result/) [Fans Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fans-want/) [Fictional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fictional/) [Fictional Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fictional-characters/) ## Related quotes > [Writers are magpies, and we collect details about people and we use them for fictional characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-leavitt/writers-are-magpies-and-we-collect-details-about-people-and-we-use/) [Caroline Leavitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-leavitt/) > [People do not spring forth out of the blue, fully formed – they become themselves slowly, day by day, starting from babyhood. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-duncan/people-do-not-spring-forth-out-of-the-blue-fully-formed-they-become/) [Lois Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-duncan/) > [“Fictional Characters" Do they ever want to escape? Climb out of the white pages and enter our world? Holden Caulfield slipping in the movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danusha-lam-ris/fictional-characters-do-they-ever-want-to-escape-climb-out-of-the/) [Danusha Laméris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danusha-lam-ris/) > [Whoa, I've really got to stop making plans with fictional characters. It can't be healthy to develop relationships with people who don't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/whoa-i-ve-really-got-to-stop-making-plans-with-fictional-characters/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [“I'd said to them that when we read fiction, we pour our own paricular store of emotions - say, the sense of loss we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandler-burr/i-d-said-to-them-that-when-we-read-fiction-we-pour-our-own-paricular/) [Chandler Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandler-burr/) > [A lot of our songs are based in reality but imagined or using fictional characters as a way to write about something. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-smith/a-lot-of-our-songs-are-based-in-reality-but-imagined-or-using/) [Dan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-smith/) > [Writing historical novels can be dangerous. We need to be as accurate and as fair about the historical record as we can be, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-rutherfurd/writing-historical-novels-can-be-dangerous-we-need-to-be-as-accurate/) [Edward Rutherfurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-rutherfurd/) > [Talking out loud to fictional characters is just the tip of the iceberg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/talking-out-loud-to-fictional-characters-is-just-the-tip-of-the/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Fictional characters exist in only two places, neither of which is on the printed page. They exist, first, in the mind of the writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maren-elwood/fictional-characters-exist-in-only-two-places-neither-of-which-is-on/) [Maren Elwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maren-elwood/) > [If people ever look down upon you for crying for fictional characters, you should give them a gentle, pitying look and feel bad for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-people-ever-look-down-upon-you-for-crying-for-fictional-characters/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The world is full of fictional characters looking for their stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/the-world-is-full-of-fictional-characters-looking-for-their-stories/) [Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/) > [The world is a stage we walk upon. We are all in a way fictional characters who write ourselves with our beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-theroux/the-world-is-a-stage-we-walk-upon-we-are-all-in-a-way-fictional/) [Louis Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-theroux/) > [We referenced fictional characters as if they were people to learn from. As if real-life people were too nebulous, too private and unreal for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-syjuco/we-referenced-fictional-characters-as-if-they-were-people-to-learn/) [Miguel Syjuco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-syjuco/) > [“If a writer doesn't believe his fictional characters are actually real, how can he expect the readers to?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-power/if-a-writer-doesn-t-believe-his-fictional-characters-are-actually/) [Jim Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-power/) > [“Fictional characters exert a great deal of influence over our choices in love by representing inaccessible ideals to which we try to make others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayard/fictional-characters-exert-a-great-deal-of-influence-over-our-choices/) [Pierre Bayard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayard/) ## More by John Scalzi > [“To everyone who thinks writing a sequel should be easy because you've already clreated the universe: Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha! Heh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/to-everyone-who-thinks-writing-a-sequel-should-be-easy-because-you-ve/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [When you're a kid all you want to do is be somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/when-you-re-a-kid-all-you-want-to-do-is-be-somewhere-else/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [Being poor is people wondering why you didn't leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/being-poor-is-people-wondering-why-you-didn-t-leave/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [“It’s a hell of a thing to say good-bye to your whole life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/it-s-a-hell-of-a-thing-to-say-good-bye-to-your-whole-life/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [“That as far as I can tell,” Jenkins said, “it’s not actually a very good show.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/that-as-far-as-i-can-tell-jenkins-said-it-s-not-actually-a-very-good/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [I both love and am terrified by Greg Van Eekhout's vision of Los Angeles. I already want to go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/i-both-love-and-am-terrified-by-greg-van-eekhout-s-vision-of-los/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [There's always been a little bit of tension between the writers of science fiction literature and then science-fiction televised shows or movies, partly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/there-s-always-been-a-little-bit-of-tension-between-the-writers-of/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [“I mean that you and I know that in this universe, God is a hack," he said. "He's a writer on an awful science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/i-mean-that-you-and-i-know-that-in-this-universe-god-is-a-hack-he/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [“The diagnostics and modifications screens. Ugly and utilitarian, just like they have been since the very beginnings of visual user interface. They were beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/the-diagnostics-and-modifications-screens-ugly-and-utilitarian-just/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [“You can’t afford anthropomorphic biases when some of the aliens most like us would rather make human hamburgers than peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/you-can-t-afford-anthropomorphic-biases-when-some-of-the-aliens-most/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [Ultimately the first, best step in getting your work noticed is to write good work. If people don't engage in your writing, no amount…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/ultimately-the-first-best-step-in-getting-your-work-noticed-is-to/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [“It was this philosophy that had Harvey taking the hovercraft Sagan had stolen, mounting it, and, after a few moments to glean the fundamentals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/it-was-this-philosophy-that-had-harvey-taking-the-hovercraft-sagan/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [I tell people the first time I decided to write a novel I was in my mid-20s, and it was, 'Well, it's time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/i-tell-people-the-first-time-i-decided-to-write-a-novel-i-was-in-my/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [“I don't think food safety laws are going to protect you from a third carnitas burrito," Hanson said. "That's not about food safety. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/i-don-t-think-food-safety-laws-are-going-to-protect-you-from-a-third/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) > [I did two things on my seventy-fifth birthday. I visited my wife's grave. Then I joined the army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/i-did-two-things-on-my-seventy-fifth-birthday-i-visited-my-wife-s/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) [Explore all 187 John Scalzi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) ## More Creators quotes > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [America is a land of creators and rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/america-is-a-land-of-creators-and-rebels/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [But unless we are creators, we are not fully alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/but-unless-we-are-creators-we-are-not-fully-alive/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Cable had a latitude to move which created less censorship and bestowed upon the artists, the writers and the creators, more liberty to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gillies/cable-had-a-latitude-to-move-which-created-less-censorship-and/) [Daniel Gillies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gillies/) > [We are the creators and creatures of each other, causing and bearing each other's burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/we-are-the-creators-and-creatures-of-each-other-causing-and-bearing/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Companions the creator seeks, not corpses, not herds and believers. Fellow creators the creator seeks -- those who write new values on new tablets.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/companions-the-creator-seeks-not-corpses-not-herds-and-believers/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Great businessmen are creators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/great-businessmen-are-creators/) [Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/) > [“Creators don't criticize, they make others do so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/creators-don-t-criticize-they-make-others-do-so/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Innovation comes to you from creators who do have a vision and a passion, and that is how we succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-littlefield/innovation-comes-to-you-from-creators-who-do-have-a-vision-and-a/) [Warren Littlefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-littlefield/) > [The truth is, truly passionate media creators don't get into the media business to make huge gains from spectacular unicorn exits. When it happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/the-truth-is-truly-passionate-media-creators-don-t-get-into-the-media/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [“It takes no genius to destroy. The creators, the givers, the lovers, the healers - these are the heroes who know - the building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-overmire/it-takes-no-genius-to-destroy-the-creators-the-givers-the-lovers-the/) [Laurence Overmire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-overmire/) > [Jean Renoir once suggested that most true creators have only one idea and spend their lives reworking it, but then very rapidly he added…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/jean-renoir-once-suggested-that-most-true-creators-have-only-one-idea/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [Software and digital devices are imbued with the values of their creators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/software-and-digital-devices-are-imbued-with-the-values-of-their/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [But unless we are creators we are not fully alive. What do I mean by creators? Not only artists, whose acts of creation are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/but-unless-we-are-creators-we-are-not-fully-alive-what-do-i-mean-by/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [The failure of Socialism since 1945 is that whilst encouraging us all, the creators of wealth, to produce less through strikes, it has caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-harris/the-failure-of-socialism-since-1945-is-that-whilst-encouraging-us-all/) [Brian Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-harris/) [Browse all 164 Creators quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creators/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The thing creators have to remember is that to a very real extent they are fictional characters to their fans—and that what fans want (the product they like, they way they like it, served up by someone who they often see as being just like them, only more interesting/exciting/successful/etc) isn’t always going to conform to what they actually need in their lives. 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