--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why is it okay to write a work of…" description: "\"Why is it okay to write a work of literary fiction where horrible, explicit things happen, where you can't write a book of humor where silly, explicit ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/josh-gondelman-8695_books_why-is-it-okay-to-write-a-work-of-litera_1839904.jpg" --- # Why is it okay to write a work of literary fiction where… ![“Why is it okay to write a work of literary fiction where horrible, explicit things happen, where you can't write a book of humor where silly, explicit things are happening?” quote by Josh Gondelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/josh-gondelman-8695_books_why-is-it-okay-to-write-a-work-of-litera_1839904.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/josh-gondelman-8695_books_why-is-it-okay-to-write-a-work-of-litera_1839904.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/josh-gondelman-8695_books_why-is-it-okay-to-write-a-work-of-litera_1839904.jpg) > “Why is it okay to write a work of literary fiction where horrible, explicit things happen, where you can't write a book of humor where silly, explicit things are happening?” [Josh Gondelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-gondelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning genre limits challenges assumptions about content suitability and artistic freedom. **In simple terms:** Literary fiction can explore dark themes; humor can stay light. Key Takeaway Respect genre expectations while pushing boundaries. Themes art freedom genre ethics Mood thought‑provoking analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - novel writing - stand‑up comedy - screenwriting Key Concepts censorship creative risk audience expectations Questions to Reflect On - Should all art avoid explicit content? - How to balance humor and seriousness? A Different Perspective Balancing shock value with audience comfort is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Explicit Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explicit-things-2341034/) [Fiction Horrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-horrible-2341033/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Literary fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-fiction/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Silly Explicit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly-explicit-2341035/) [Things Are Happening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-are-happening/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-literary-1716603/) ## Related quotes > [This is how I understand literature - as a kind of remix or echo chamber. 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It is crowded, noisy, scruffy, crazy, but always interesting and things are happening all at a break neck speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-rice/why-ho-chi-minh-city-it-is-crowded-noisy-scruffy-crazy-but-always/) [Doug Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-rice/) > [When it gets going bad and it gets going to where all these things are happening around you, the thing that stands out most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/when-it-gets-going-bad-and-it-gets-going-to-where-all-these-things/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [There are amateurs who have seen that one of Uranus' poles is brighter than the other, or who have seen cloud formations on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-hammel/there-are-amateurs-who-have-seen-that-one-of-uranus-poles-is-brighter/) [Heidi Hammel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-hammel/) > [“When you're completely lost, when you have no idea what comes next or why things are happening, faith is what gets you through. 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I'm closer to a dork, if anything, just because I'm not good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-gondelman/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-nerd-i-consider-myself-a-dork-more-i-m/) [Josh Gondelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-gondelman/) > [I have - and this isn't a thing I talk about often - a decent set of legs. There's an unexpected musculature that lends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-gondelman/i-have-and-this-isn-t-a-thing-i-talk-about-often-a-decent-set-of-legs/) [Josh Gondelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-gondelman/) > [My comedy isn't clean; it's just friendly. So I get asked to do a lot of clean shows. 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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. 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