--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I might not write fiction in the literary…" description: "\"I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialogue is good. And my stories are really involvin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/joy-fielding-27041_characters_i-might-not-write-fiction-in-the-literar_3113758.png" --- # I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I… ![“I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialogue is good. And my stories are really involving.” quote by Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/joy-fielding-27041_characters_i-might-not-write-fiction-in-the-literar_3113758.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/joy-fielding-27041_characters_i-might-not-write-fiction-in-the-literar_3113758.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/joy-fielding-27041_characters_i-might-not-write-fiction-in-the-literar_3113758.png) > “I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialogue is good. And my stories are really involving.” [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker claims strong writing skills despite not labeling work as literary fiction. **In simple terms:** I write well even if not literary. Key Takeaway Focus on craft over genre. Themes writing craft genre confidence characterization Mood proud confident Type personal reflective When to use this quote - writing workshops - self‑promotion - publishing pitches Key Concepts literary classification self‑assessment authorial identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you define literary quality? - What feedback would improve your work? A Different Perspective Self‑assessment may overlook critical feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Characters Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-good-1258827/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Dialogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dialogue/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fiction Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-literary-4655622/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Dialogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-dialogue-607372/) [I write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-write/) [Involving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involving/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [Well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-fiction/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Science fiction is a literature that belongs to all humankind. It portrays events of interest to all of humanity, and thus science fiction should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/science-fiction-is-a-literature-that-belongs-to-all-humankind-it/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“The standards for horror fiction should be no less than those for 'serious literary' fiction in which originality of concept, depth of characters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-standards-for-horror-fiction-should-be-no-less-than-those-for/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“science fiction is literary fiction with the lid blown off”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-winter/science-fiction-is-literary-fiction-with-the-lid-blown-off/) [Robin Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-winter/) > [For me, if the writing and - by extension - the subject matter and the characters are all good, it doesn't matter if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-croasdell/for-me-if-the-writing-and-by-extension-the-subject-matter-and-the/) [Adam Croasdell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-croasdell/) > [“Characters, for good or evil, are part of an author's family. 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The struggles they have to go through, and when you really love them, how much they affect you. When the characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-zappia/the-characters-themselves-the-struggles-they-have-to-go-through-and/) [Francesca Zappia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-zappia/) > [I always resented books that tried to teach a lesson, where the characters are too good: They don't swear, they tell their mothers everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-von-ziegesar/i-always-resented-books-that-tried-to-teach-a-lesson-where-the/) [Cecily von Ziegesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-von-ziegesar/) > [Let's be honest, any show will live or die based on how good the characters are, how good the actors are, how complicated the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/let-s-be-honest-any-show-will-live-or-die-based-on-how-good-the/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [A good novelist pays attention to his characters. A good biographer pays attention to the documents before her. A good critic pays close attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dean/a-good-novelist-pays-attention-to-his-characters-a-good-biographer/) [Michelle Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dean/) > [Part of the core of my system, is a way of trying to give the characters more control. If I'm practicing making up what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/part-of-the-core-of-my-system-is-a-way-of-trying-to-give-the/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [My only conclusion about structure is that nothing works if you don't have interesting characters and a good story to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/my-only-conclusion-about-structure-is-that-nothing-works-if-you-don-t/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I think it's definitely beneficial for these characters to have good acting voices behind them and it affects the characters in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-strong/i-think-it-s-definitely-beneficial-for-these-characters-to-have-good/) [Tara Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-strong/) > [First of all, I never think of my characters as good or evil. I play them as honestly as I can. When you're playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/first-of-all-i-never-think-of-my-characters-as-good-or-evil-i-play/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) ## More by Joy Fielding > [“We are who we pretend to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/we-are-who-we-pretend-to-be/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [My books are not generic. You know when you're reading a Joy Fielding book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/my-books-are-not-generic-you-know-when-you-re-reading-a-joy-fielding/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [“Give a hundred writers the same idea and you'll get a hundred different stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/give-a-hundred-writers-the-same-idea-and-you-ll-get-a-hundred/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [I'm very happy being me, although sometimes I'd love to be a bird so that I could fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/i-m-very-happy-being-me-although-sometimes-i-d-love-to-be-a-bird-so/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [“No matter how grim things may seem, they always get better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/no-matter-how-grim-things-may-seem-they-always-get-better/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [I've always been hopelessly stuck in the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/i-ve-always-been-hopelessly-stuck-in-the-present/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [The point is that we have no control. The point is that there are no guarantees, that we never know what's going to happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/the-point-is-that-we-have-no-control-the-point-is-that-there-are-no/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [“You're the one who can do no wrong." "I do plenty wrong." "You don't have to tell me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/you-re-the-one-who-can-do-no-wrong-i-do-plenty-wrong-you-don-t-have/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [“Once lost, they are rarely found.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/once-lost-they-are-rarely-found/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [There aren't too many people out there who can start one of my books and not finish it. I don't think too many writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/there-aren-t-too-many-people-out-there-who-can-start-one-of-my-books/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [Perfect happiness is knowing that everyone I love is healthy, safe, and content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/perfect-happiness-is-knowing-that-everyone-i-love-is-healthy-safe-and/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [“There's something very satisfying about numbers. Numbers are what they are. They are very straightforward. Unlike people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/there-s-something-very-satisfying-about-numbers-numbers-are-what-they/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [I'm writing exactly the kinds of books I like to write. And they're the kinds of books I like to read. They're popular commercial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/i-m-writing-exactly-the-kinds-of-books-i-like-to-write-and-they-re/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [October was always the least dependable of months ... full of ghosts and shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/october-was-always-the-least-dependable-of-months-full-of-ghosts-and/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) > [Florida was a living tomb, she used to tell anyone who'd listen, an old-age home in the shape of a state, God's little waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-fielding/florida-was-a-living-tomb-she-used-to-tell-anyone-who-d-listen-an-old/) [Joy Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) [Explore all 19 Joy Fielding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-fielding/) ## More Characters quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [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/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [I have played several characters that are crabby and cranky. I don't know if I'm just not a very well-developed human being or if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-have-played-several-characters-that-are-crabby-and-cranky-i-don-t/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) > [You do get fond of your characters. Handing them on is like giving a child to a nanny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/you-do-get-fond-of-your-characters-handing-them-on-is-like-giving-a/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [Your job as a writer is to find storylines, narrative structures, and characters to show the things that you believe rather than saying them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/your-job-as-a-writer-is-to-find-storylines-narrative-structures-and/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-dhawan/being-of-indian-heritage-is-a-challenge-and-it-s-a-blessing-as-well/) [Sacha Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-dhawan/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. 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I always wanted to be all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-fireman-a-cop-an-indian-chief-a-doctor-a/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) [Browse all 3,066 Characters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialogue is good. 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