--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The novel wins by points, the short story…" description: "\"The novel wins by points, the short story by knockout.\" — Julio Cortazar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/302/julio-cort-zar-698_books_the-novel-wins-by-points-the-short-story_680363.png" --- # The novel wins by points, the short story by knockout. ![“The novel wins by points, the short story by knockout.” quote by Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/302/julio-cort-zar-698_books_the-novel-wins-by-points-the-short-story_680363.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/302/julio-cort-zar-698_books_the-novel-wins-by-points-the-short-story_680363.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/302/julio-cort-zar-698_books_the-novel-wins-by-points-the-short-story_680363.png) > “The novel wins by points, the short story by knockout.” [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success in different literary forms depends on their structural strengths; novels build gradually, short stories aim for immediate impact. **In simple terms:** Novels need depth, short stories need punch. Key Takeaway Choose form that fits your story’s goal. Themes literature form impact structure Mood reflective analytical Type literary educational When to use this quote - writing workshops - editing - publishing - teaching literature Key Concepts Narrative design audience expectation Questions to Reflect On - How does your medium shape your message? - When is a quick impact more effective than a long build? A Different Perspective Short stories can lack depth if overly focused on shock. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Knockouts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knockouts/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [There is no sale without the story; no knockout without the setup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/there-is-no-sale-without-the-story-no-knockout-without-the-setup/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [The short-story writer knows that he can't proceed cumulatively, that time is not his ally. His only solution is to work vertically, heading up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/the-short-story-writer-knows-that-he-can-t-proceed-cumulatively-that/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [A short story relies on those values that make poetry and jazz what they are: tension, rhythms, inner beat, into unforeseen within foreseen parameters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/a-short-story-relies-on-those-values-that-make-poetry-and-jazz-what/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [Obamacare is a marketplace in the same way the Knockout Game is a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/obamacare-is-a-marketplace-in-the-same-way-the-knockout-game-is-a-game/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [I've always done whatever is necessary to retain my Knockouts title by any means necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-blanchard/i-ve-always-done-whatever-is-necessary-to-retain-my-knockouts-title/) [Tessa Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-blanchard/) > [I want to go out there and be clean in my performances and showcase great knockouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-lawler/i-want-to-go-out-there-and-be-clean-in-my-performances-and-showcase/) [Robbie Lawler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-lawler/) > [People like head trauma. They love knockouts. The crowd is silent, silent, silent... and then a knockout happens, and everyone goes native. There would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/people-like-head-trauma-they-love-knockouts-the-crowd-is-silent/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [I don't predict knockouts. The outcome and the performance I am looking for is a victory, nothing less than a victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavoris-cloud/i-don-t-predict-knockouts-the-outcome-and-the-performance-i-am/) [Tavoris Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavoris-cloud/) > [I thought I would go win 100 in a row with 100 knockouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/i-thought-i-would-go-win-100-in-a-row-with-100-knockouts/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [I want to show fans what I do best, which is hurt people in the ring and create knockouts. 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I don't think I'm super…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-alvarez/people-say-i-m-good-at-standup-i-don-t-even-think-i-m-that-great-at/) [Eddie Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-alvarez/) > [GGG is known for his knockouts. I knock out people, too, but I'm a better boxer than him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetrius-andrade/ggg-is-known-for-his-knockouts-i-knock-out-people-too-but-i-m-a/) [Demetrius Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetrius-andrade/) > [I've had a couple knockouts, but I feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanderlei-silva/i-ve-had-a-couple-knockouts-but-i-feel-good/) [Wanderlei Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanderlei-silva/) ## More by Julio Cortazar > [“Umblam fara sa ne cautam, dar stiind ca umblam ca sa ne gasim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/umblam-fara-sa-ne-cautam-dar-stiind-ca-umblam-ca-sa-ne-gasim/) [Julio Cortázar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [“También hay ríos metafísicos, Horacio. Vos te vas a tirar a uno de esos ríos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/tambi-n-hay-r-os-metaf-sicos-horacio-vos-te-vas-a-tirar-a-uno-de-esos/) [Julio Cortázar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [“Thus they went along, Punch and Judy, attracting each other and repelling, as love must do if it is not to end up as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/thus-they-went-along-punch-and-judy-attracting-each-other-and/) [Julio Cortázar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [“Me daba asco pensar así, una vez más estar pensando todo lo que a los otros les bastaba sentir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/me-daba-asco-pensar-as-una-vez-m-s-estar-pensando-todo-lo-que-a-los/) [Julio Cortázar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [“Y allá en el fondo está la muerte si no corremos y llegamos antes y comprendemos que ya no importa.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/y-all-en-el-fondo-est-la-muerte-si-no-corremos-y-llegamos-antes-y/) [Julio Cortázar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [But what is memory if not the language of feeling, a dictionary of faces and days and smells which repeat themselves like the verbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/but-what-is-memory-if-not-the-language-of-feeling-a-dictionary-of/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [“Kada otvorim vrata i pojavim se na stepeništu, znaću da dole počinje ulica. 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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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