--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They say truth is sometimes stranger than…" description: "\"They say truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, but there's such a thing as believability when you're writing a novel.\" — Kevin Kwan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/kevin-kwan-9838_believability_they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-tha_2833078.jpg" --- # They say truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, but… ![“They say truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, but there's such a thing as believability when you're writing a novel.” quote by Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/kevin-kwan-9838_believability_they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-tha_2833078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/kevin-kwan-9838_believability_they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-tha_2833078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/kevin-kwan-9838_believability_they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-tha_2833078.jpg) > “They say truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, but there's such a thing as believability when you're writing a novel.” [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Believability in fiction requires grounding strange events in relatable truth. **In simple terms:** Make the strange feel real. Key Takeaway Ground fantasy in reality. Themes fiction believability novel writing Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary educational When to use this quote - writing a novel - screenwriting - storytelling workshops - creative brainstorming Key Concepts narrative plausibility character authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance truth and imagination? - What makes a story credible? A Different Perspective Too much realism can limit imaginative freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believability/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) [Stranger than fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger-than-fiction/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Truth is stranger than fiction; fiction has to make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/truth-is-stranger-than-fiction-fiction-has-to-make-sense/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Truth would quickly cease to be stranger than fiction, once we got as used to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/truth-would-quickly-cease-to-be-stranger-than-fiction-once-we-got-as/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [On 'Stranger Than Fiction,' the script was so good that I stuck to every line because it was just such brilliant writing from Zach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-forster/on-stranger-than-fiction-the-script-was-so-good-that-i-stuck-to-every/) [Marc Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-forster/) > [Tis strange,-but true; for truth is always strange; Stranger than fiction: if it could be told, How much would novels gain by the exchange!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tis-strange-but-true-for-truth-is-always-strange-stranger-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is stranger than fiction. It's nice to have stuff that people don't know about. And it helps when you read a bad review.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolph-lundgren/life-is-stranger-than-fiction-it-s-nice-to-have-stuff-that-people-don/) [Dolph Lundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolph-lundgren/) > [Youth is stranger than fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/youth-is-stranger-than-fiction/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [Truth is not only stranger than fiction, it is more telling. To know that a thing actually happened gives it a poignancy, touches a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/truth-is-not-only-stranger-than-fiction-it-is-more-telling-to-know/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [ When it \[truth\] emerges it often bears out the saying that 'truth is stranger than fiction.' 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Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) > [I don't impose political responsibilities on my fiction. The last thing I would ever want to do, for example, is write a novel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-goldman/i-don-t-impose-political-responsibilities-on-my-fiction-the-last/) [Francisco Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-goldman/) > [If it has horses and swords in it, it's a fantasy, unless it also has a rocketship in it, in which case it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-doyle/if-it-has-horses-and-swords-in-it-it-s-a-fantasy-unless-it-also-has-a/) Debra Doyle > [When I write something, I can't remember in the end if this is a memory or if it's not - I'm talking about fiction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ove-knausgard/when-i-write-something-i-can-t-remember-in-the-end-if-this-is-a/) [Karl Ove Knausgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ove-knausgard/) > [Fiction is the thing I esteem most in my own work; I feel that, even if it's no good, only I could have written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/fiction-is-the-thing-i-esteem-most-in-my-own-work-i-feel-that-even-if/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) ## More by Kevin Kwan > [My grandparents were far more English in their manners than they were Chinese. For example, we spoke English at home, had afternoon tea every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/my-grandparents-were-far-more-english-in-their-manners-than-they-were/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [Canada has become such a staging area for Chinese money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/canada-has-become-such-a-staging-area-for-chinese-money/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [I really don't keep an outline; I don't organize in any way. I just write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-really-don-t-keep-an-outline-i-don-t-organize-in-any-way-i-just/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [Hollywood is a whole other level of crazy. I've never met so many assistants who have assistants. It's a stratified society on its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/hollywood-is-a-whole-other-level-of-crazy-i-ve-never-met-so-many/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [I grew up in a household where there were really, really strong matriarchal characters. I think that's true of many Asian households. People tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-grew-up-in-a-household-where-there-were-really-really-strong/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [I'm not revealing any deep, hidden secret that there are wealthy people in Asia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-m-not-revealing-any-deep-hidden-secret-that-there-are-wealthy/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [I grew up with a posh English accent, and all my aunts sounded as if they came out of a Merchant Ivory movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-grew-up-with-a-posh-english-accent-and-all-my-aunts-sounded-as-if/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [I love Netflix and Amazon and watching movies on streamers as much as the next person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-love-netflix-and-amazon-and-watching-movies-on-streamers-as-much-as/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [My golden dream was to move to New York and live in the Village and become that cool rebel beatnik Jack Kerouac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/my-golden-dream-was-to-move-to-new-york-and-live-in-the-village-and/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [“Scientists talk about how we inherit health issues from our parents through our genes, but we also inherit this entire lineage of fear and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/scientists-talk-about-how-we-inherit-health-issues-from-our-parents/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [I remember I had an aunt that lived in a house that had this beautiful ceramic wall that was entirely a painting of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-remember-i-had-an-aunt-that-lived-in-a-house-that-had-this/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [Living in the West, you see how there's only two versions of how Asian men are supposed to be. Either they're very nice, yuppie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/living-in-the-west-you-see-how-there-s-only-two-versions-of-how-asian/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [People are often disappointed when they meet me because I'm not this giant, flamboyant - you know, I don't wear sequined jackets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/people-are-often-disappointed-when-they-meet-me-because-i-m-not-this/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > ['Crazy Rich Asians' may be fiction, but given the situation I grew up in, I've had an unparalleled view into the very real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/crazy-rich-asians-may-be-fiction-but-given-the-situation-i-grew-up-in/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [My father came from old money. There was less of an expectation for the children to earn a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/my-father-came-from-old-money-there-was-less-of-an-expectation-for/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) [Explore all 69 Kevin Kwan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) ## More Believability quotes > [If you stumble over mere believability, what are you living for? Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/if-you-stumble-over-mere-believability-what-are-you-living-for-love/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [I sing songs that I have lived or I write them because I have lived them. I think the believability factor is key.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/i-sing-songs-that-i-have-lived-or-i-write-them-because-i-have-lived/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [It's something that people relate to - and I hope my kid doesn't relate to - but there's a level of believability in playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-sisto/it-s-something-that-people-relate-to-and-i-hope-my-kid-doesn-t-relate/) [Jeremy Sisto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-sisto/) > [When you're faced with a choice, you have one of three choices that you can have. You can have those with power decide. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/when-you-re-faced-with-a-choice-you-have-one-of-three-choices-that/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I recently found myself going through a period of uncertainty about my future as a performer, my status as a personality, the believability of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-recently-found-myself-going-through-a-period-of-uncertainty-about/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [You don't want to be acting your way towards something. The sense of believability has to be great, so bringing it as close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-dunbar/you-don-t-want-to-be-acting-your-way-towards-something-the-sense-of/) [Adrian Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-dunbar/) > [If you stumble at mere believability, what are you living for? Isn't love hard to believe?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/if-you-stumble-at-mere-believability-what-are-you-living-for-isn-t/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [I try to tell the story about the song with the believability that I've lived it myself and I understand what it's all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-try-to-tell-the-story-about-the-song-with-the-believability-that-i/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [The truth will set you free: believability will give you credibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/the-truth-will-set-you-free-believability-will-give-you-credibility/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [I don't quite operate within the realist mode. I kind of push the stories out towards the cusp of believability - that's the area…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-barry/i-don-t-quite-operate-within-the-realist-mode-i-kind-of-push-the/) [Kevin Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-barry/) > [Freudian psychoanalytical theory is a mythology that answers pretty well to Levi-Strauss's descriptions. It brings some kind of order into incoherence; it, too, hangs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/freudian-psychoanalytical-theory-is-a-mythology-that-answers-pretty/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [“Authenticity is what makes a relatable person believable. It is what makes the relatability sustainable. Anyone can fake relatability for a time, but authenticity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-jennae/authenticity-is-what-makes-a-relatable-person-believable-it-is-what/) [Michele Jennae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-jennae/) > [If you stumble about believability, what are you living for? Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/if-you-stumble-about-believability-what-are-you-living-for-love-is/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [“If you stumble at mere believability, what are you living for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/if-you-stumble-at-mere-believability-what-are-you-living-for/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [Pixar films are not realistic. They are believable for the worlds we are creating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/pixar-films-are-not-realistic-they-are-believable-for-the-worlds-we/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) [Browse all 29 Believability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They say truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, but there's such a thing as believability when you're writing a novel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kevin Kwan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-than-fiction-but-there-s-such-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-than-fiction-but-there-s-such-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/kevin-kwan-9838_believability_they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-tha_2833078.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/kevin-kwan-9838_believability_they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-tha_2833078.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/kevin-kwan-9838_believability_they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-tha_2833078.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They say truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, but there's such a thing as believability when you're…” — Kevin Kwan", "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 Kwan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They say truth is sometimes stranger...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-than-fiction-but-there-s-such-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/they-say-truth-is-sometimes-stranger-than-fiction-but-there-s-such-a/#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 } } ] } ```