--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can’t write novels about people who…" description: "\"“You can’t write novels about people who are timid, risk-averse and passive. Or you can, but they’re called literary novels.”\" — Ken Follett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/ken-follett-941_books_you-can-t-write-novels-about-people-who_732156.jpg" --- # You can’t write novels about people who are timid… ![“You can’t write novels about people who are timid, risk-averse and passive. Or you can, but they’re called literary novels.” quote by Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/ken-follett-941_books_you-can-t-write-novels-about-people-who_732156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/ken-follett-941_books_you-can-t-write-novels-about-people-who_732156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/ken-follett-941_books_you-can-t-write-novels-about-people-who_732156.jpg) > ““You can’t write novels about people who are timid, risk-averse and passive. Or you can, but they’re called literary novels.”” [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Timid, risk‑averse characters make unengaging stories; daring protagonists create compelling literature. **In simple terms:** Bold characters make better books. Key Takeaway Write daring, flawed heroes. Themes creativity risk character development Mood inspirational challenging Type creative instructional When to use this quote - novel writing - screenplay drafting - character workshops - marketing pitches Key Concepts literary theory heroic archetype Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance risk and relatability? - What traits make a hero compelling? A Different Perspective Risky characters may alienate some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I think there's a false division people sometimes make in describing literary novels, where there are people who write systems novels, or novels of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-spiotta/i-think-there-s-a-false-division-people-sometimes-make-in-describing/) [Dana Spiotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-spiotta/) > [What is commonly called literary history is actually a record of choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-is-commonly-called-literary-history-is-actually-a-record-of/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [People used to expect literary novels to deepen the experience of living; now they are happy with any sustained display of writerly cleverness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-used-to-expect-literary-novels-to-deepen-the-experience-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As far as I am concerned, I write novels, and other people can do the labelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-temple/as-far-as-i-am-concerned-i-write-novels-and-other-people-can-do-the/) [Peter Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-temple/) > [Nothing like this has been attempted before. (...) It might be called a literary Porto Alegre. That implies a beginning, with much fierce argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-anderson/nothing-like-this-has-been-attempted-before-it-might-be-called-a/) [Perry Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-anderson/) > [Authors of so-called 'literary' fiction insist that action, like plot, is vulgar and unworthy of a true artist. Don't pay any attention to misguided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/authors-of-so-called-literary-fiction-insist-that-action-like-plot-is/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“If there's another writer, like Ross McDonald or Raymond Chandler, and all they're writing are mysteries, they won't be accepted," he said. "And that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/if-there-s-another-writer-like-ross-mcdonald-or-raymond-chandler-and/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [People who wrote literary novels about the past probably didn't want them pegged as historical fiction. Certainly that was true in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-who-wrote-literary-novels-about-the-past-probably-didn-t-want/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“I'm equally sure, however, that I won't walk into a lamp-post while reading {literature}, like I did with {a legal thriller} all those years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-equally-sure-however-that-i-won-t-walk-into-a-lamp-post-while/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Today the crime novelist has one advantage denied to writers of 'straight' or 'literary' novels. Unlike them he can range over all levels of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-massie/today-the-crime-novelist-has-one-advantage-denied-to-writers-of/) [Allan Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-massie/) > [If you read many contemporary literary novels today, you may notice that regardless of the subject matter there's a 'sameness' about them, the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhayl-saadi/if-you-read-many-contemporary-literary-novels-today-you-may-notice/) [Suhayl Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhayl-saadi/) > [I asked a French critic a couple of years ago why my books did so well in France. He said it was because in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harrison/i-asked-a-french-critic-a-couple-of-years-ago-why-my-books-did-so/) [Jim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harrison/) > [Travel books are all sorts - some are autobiographies, some are about falling in love. Some are about having great meals, some are about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/travel-books-are-all-sorts-some-are-autobiographies-some-are-about/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [It's rather useless to write a gripping narrative with nothing in it but climate change because novels are always about people even if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-rather-useless-to-write-a-gripping-narrative-with-nothing-in-it/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Call me territorial or narcissistic, but I avoid novels about people who share my vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/call-me-territorial-or-narcissistic-but-i-avoid-novels-about-people/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) ## More by Ken Follett > [“A child will always be what he is, she thought, and not what you want him to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/a-child-will-always-be-what-he-is-she-thought-and-not-what-you-want/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“The extra line or two around her eyes only made them more fascinating; the touch of silver in her hair enhanced the blackness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/the-extra-line-or-two-around-her-eyes-only-made-them-more-fascinating/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“You're the one who doesn't understand," Lev said. "In America, I have my own car. There's more food than you can eat, all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/you-re-the-one-who-doesn-t-understand-lev-said-in-america-i-have-my/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“They did not suspect her for a moment. It did not occur to them that a woman could be dangerous. How foolish they were.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/they-did-not-suspect-her-for-a-moment-it-did-not-occur-to-them-that-a/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Remember our story. You’re going to visit a cousin who has just started to farm in North Carolina. You’re taking gifts.” “Even though we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/remember-our-story-you-re-going-to-visit-a-cousin-who-has-just/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“What don’t I know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/what-don-t-i-know/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“And here's my advice to you. If you get the chance of the mad kind of love, grab it with both hands, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/and-here-s-my-advice-to-you-if-you-get-the-chance-of-the-mad-kind-of/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Two blades clashed, ringing like a bell. Like all small boys, Philip thought his father was invincible; and this was the moment when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/two-blades-clashed-ringing-like-a-bell-like-all-small-boys-philip/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“It had been a morning of vivid images: the man-made streams, the rats in the butchers’ shops, the stacks of new-minted silver pennies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/it-had-been-a-morning-of-vivid-images-the-man-made-streams-the-rats/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“tickets and lifts begged on carts, but Grigori was mesmerized by her face as she talked. Once again Lev listened with rapt attention, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/tickets-and-lifts-begged-on-carts-but-grigori-was-mesmerized-by-her/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“A man who has no fear can do anything he wants, Feliks thought. He had learned that lesson eleven years ago, in a railway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/a-man-who-has-no-fear-can-do-anything-he-wants-feliks-thought-he-had/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Alison was relieved: she would have hated to see Mary lose her dignity as well as her life. “Follow me,” said the sheriff. Mary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated-to-see-mary-lose-her-dignity/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Jack was too absorbed in his work to hear the bell. He was mesmerized by the challenge of making soft, round shapes of hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/jack-was-too-absorbed-in-his-work-to-hear-the-bell-he-was-mesmerized/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“might spook Harald and cause him to flee. She had to visit in person. This would be even more risky. Morlunde was a town,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/might-spook-harald-and-cause-him-to-flee-she-had-to-visit-in-person/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“I bambini vennero presto per assistere all'impiccagione.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/i-bambini-vennero-presto-per-assistere-all-impiccagione/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) [Explore all 291 Ken Follett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. 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