--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A fact is interesting, an idea is…" description: "\"“A fact is interesting, an idea is important, but only a story, a good argument, a well-crafted narrative is amazing, never to be forgotten.”\" — Kevin ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/kevin-kelly-2418_story_a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-importa_2759674.png" --- # A fact is interesting, an idea is important, but only a… ![“A fact is interesting, an idea is important, but only a story, a good argument, a well-crafted narrative is amazing, never to be forgotten.” quote by Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/kevin-kelly-2418_story_a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-importa_2759674.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/kevin-kelly-2418_story_a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-importa_2759674.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/kevin-kelly-2418_story_a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-importa_2759674.png) > ““A fact is interesting, an idea is important, but only a story, a good argument, a well-crafted narrative is amazing, never to be forgotten.”” [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A compelling story or well-structured argument is more memorable and impactful than mere facts or ideas. **In simple terms:** Stories and arguments stick in memory. Key Takeaway Craft narratives to convey important ideas. Themes storytelling communication memory Mood creative engaging Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - marketing - teaching - political speeches Key Concepts narrative structure persuasive techniques cognitive impact Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn data into a story? - What makes a narrative persuasive? A Different Perspective Facts alone may lack emotional resonance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [The World requires at least ten years to understand a new idea, however important or simple it may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-ross/the-world-requires-at-least-ten-years-to-understand-a-new-idea/) [Ronald Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-ross/) > [You know, an idea is just an idea. There seems to... the kind of epiphanies that you have, like the little sudden bursts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/you-know-an-idea-is-just-an-idea-there-seems-to-the-kind-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Having a great idea is important. But having a great team is also important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-case/having-a-great-idea-is-important-but-having-a-great-team-is-also/) [Steve Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-case/) > [When we frist met i honestly had no idea that you would be so important to me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-rana/when-we-frist-met-i-honestly-had-no-idea-that-you-would-be-so/) [Rohit Rana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-rana/) > [Every Ruler was once a crying baby And Every tall building was once an idea. It's not important where you are Right Now. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/every-ruler-was-once-a-crying-baby-and-every-tall-building-was-once/) Pacifiersucker > [The most important external environment is the government of India. You have to sell your ideas to the government. Selling the idea is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhirubhai-ambani/the-most-important-external-environment-is-the-government-of-india/) [Dhirubhai Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhirubhai-ambani/) > [When we first met, I had no idea you'd become this important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-first-met-i-had-no-idea-you-d-become-this-important-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we first met I honestly had no idea that you would be so important to me :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-first-met-i-honestly-had-no-idea-that-you-would-be-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Entertainment is all right, but entertainment with an idea behind it is much more important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-peck/entertainment-is-all-right-but-entertainment-with-an-idea-behind-it/) [Gregory Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-peck/) > [“Take it or leave it—you take the good and build on it; you leave the bad, in favor of a new idea. Most important,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/take-it-or-leave-it-you-take-the-good-and-build-on-it-you-leave-the/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [You have know idea how important you are to me and I have no idea how to explain it to you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-know-idea-how-important-you-are-to-me-and-i-have-no-idea-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When We first met,I had no idea you would be so important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-first-met-i-had-no-idea-you-would-be-so-important-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The idea is this: It's important to upset one's work habits, to topple the cart for each project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-idea-is-this-it-s-important-to-upset-one-s-work-habits-to-topple/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [The idea is more important than the object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/the-idea-is-more-important-than-the-object/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [When we first meet.. I honestly head no idea that you will be so important to me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keren-zhims/when-we-first-meet-i-honestly-head-no-idea-that-you-will-be-so/) [Keren Zhims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keren-zhims/) ## More by Kevin Kelly > [We are reaching deep within ourselves to adjust the master knob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/we-are-reaching-deep-within-ourselves-to-adjust-the-master-knob/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [This is the culmination of a lot of people's vision. I think this is just another step towards making Central Michigan football among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/this-is-the-culmination-of-a-lot-of-people-s-vision-i-think-this-is/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“When copies are free, you need to sell things that cannot be copied. Well, what can’t be copied? Trust, for instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/when-copies-are-free-you-need-to-sell-things-that-cannot-be-copied/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“Existence, it seems, is chiefly maintenance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/existence-it-seems-is-chiefly-maintenance/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“We have no certainty we’ll contact extraterrestrial beings from one of the billion earthlike planets in the sky in the next 200 years, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/we-have-no-certainty-we-ll-contact-extraterrestrial-beings-from-one/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/changing-things-from-the-top-down-works-when-things-are-stable/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [It's generally much easier to kill an organization than to change it substantially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/it-s-generally-much-easier-to-kill-an-organization-than-to-change-it/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [The only organization capable of unprejudiced growth, or unguided learning, is a network. All othertopologies limit what can happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/the-only-organization-capable-of-unprejudiced-growth-or-unguided/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [We have to get better at believing the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/we-have-to-get-better-at-believing-the-impossible/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“Our most important mechanical inventions are not machines that do what humans do better, but machines that can do things we can’t do at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/our-most-important-mechanical-inventions-are-not-machines-that-do/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“In the universal library, no book will be an island. It’s all connected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/in-the-universal-library-no-book-will-be-an-island-it-s-all-connected/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Singularity is the point at which "all the change in the last million years will be superseded by the change in the next five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/singularity-is-the-point-at-which-all-the-change-in-the-last-million/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [We tend to think of the mind of an organization residing in the CEO and the organization's top managers, perhaps with the help of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/we-tend-to-think-of-the-mind-of-an-organization-residing-in-the-ceo/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [The smallest thought could not exist unless the entire universe and the laws of physics were in some way encouraging it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/the-smallest-thought-could-not-exist-unless-the-entire-universe-and/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“From the days of Sumerian clay tablets until now, humans have “published” at least 310 million books, 1.4 billion articles and essays, 180 million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/from-the-days-of-sumerian-clay-tablets-until-now-humans-have/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) [Explore all 167 Kevin Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) ## More Story quotes > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [“Saving History One Story at a Time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwsa-website/saving-history-one-story-at-a-time/) MWSA website > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [When I was 3, my parents strapped on a pair of Playskool plastic roller skates to my feet, and that's where the story begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/when-i-was-3-my-parents-strapped-on-a-pair-of-playskool-plastic/) [J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [If you look back at my story, it doesn’t matter where you look, but God’s fingerprints are all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/if-you-look-back-at-my-story-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-look-but-god/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [What a cool job to be part of - whether it's doing lighting or acting or serving food on set. You're part of telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/what-a-cool-job-to-be-part-of-whether-it-s-doing-lighting-or-acting/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [If you do weave one-liners into a story, you have to have an overall story as well, otherwise it doesn't really count as narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/if-you-do-weave-one-liners-into-a-story-you-have-to-have-an-overall/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [Each child’s story is worthy of telling. There shouldn’t be a sliding scale of death. The weight of it is crushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/each-child-s-story-is-worthy-of-telling-there-shouldn-t-be-a-sliding/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) [Browse all 9,674 Story quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A fact is interesting, an idea is important, but only a story, a good argument, a well-crafted narrative is amazing, never to be forgotten.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kevin Kelly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-important-but-only-a-story-a-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Story" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-important-but-only-a-story-a-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/kevin-kelly-2418_story_a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-importa_2759674.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/kevin-kelly-2418_story_a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-importa_2759674.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/kevin-kelly-2418_story_a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-importa_2759674.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A fact is interesting, an idea is important, but only a story, a good argument, a well-crafted narrative is…” — Kevin Kelly", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kevin Kelly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A fact is interesting, an idea...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-important-but-only-a-story-a-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/a-fact-is-interesting-an-idea-is-important-but-only-a-story-a-good/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```