--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't put anything into a story that does…" description: "\"Don't put anything into a story that does not reveal character or advance the action.\" — Kurt Vonnegut" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/kurt-vonnegut-41_action_don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-doe_2293064.jpg" --- # Don't put anything into a story that does not reveal… ![“Don't put anything into a story that does not reveal character or advance the action.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/kurt-vonnegut-41_action_don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-doe_2293064.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/kurt-vonnegut-41_action_don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-doe_2293064.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/kurt-vonnegut-41_action_don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-doe_2293064.jpg) > “Don't put anything into a story that does not reveal character or advance the action.” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Every element of a story must serve character development or plot progression. **In simple terms:** Only include story parts that develop characters or move plot. Key Takeaway Write purposefully. Themes writing craft efficiency Mood analytical critical Type literary instructional When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - teaching - editing Key Concepts narrative structure character arcs Questions to Reflect On - What scenes in your work serve no clear purpose? - How can you tighten a story without losing depth? A Different Perspective May restrict artistic freedom or experimental style. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [“1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted. 2.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/1-use-the-time-of-a-total-stranger-in-such-a-way-that-he-or-she-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Every sentence must do one of two things-reveal character or advance the action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/every-sentence-must-do-one-of-two-things-reveal-character-or-advance/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [One of the ways that you reveal character is by getting a character into a situation and seeing what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bass/one-of-the-ways-that-you-reveal-character-is-by-getting-a-character/) [Ben Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bass/) > [The best way to reveal a character is to get them to open their mouths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-doyle/the-best-way-to-reveal-a-character-is-to-get-them-to-open-their-mouths/) [Roddy Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-doyle/) > [“EYou reveal your character by what you do with what you have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ge-paulus/eyou-reveal-your-character-by-what-you-do-with-what-you-have/) [GE Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ge-paulus/) > [“You reveal your character by what you do with what you have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ge-paulus/you-reveal-your-character-by-what-you-do-with-what-you-have/) [GE Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ge-paulus/) > [Circumstances don't create character. They reveal character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/circumstances-don-t-create-character-they-reveal-character/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“Every character has a back story. It’s what makes them fully formed and believable. But resist the urge to describe your character’s past with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-sandler/every-character-has-a-back-story-it-s-what-makes-them-fully-formed/) Karen Sandler > [Dialogue is what a character's willing to share and reveal to another character, and the 90% they aren't willing to share is what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/dialogue-is-what-a-character-s-willing-to-share-and-reveal-to-another/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [People reveal their character even in the simplest things they do. Fools do not enter a room, nor leave it, nor sit down, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/people-reveal-their-character-even-in-the-simplest-things-they-do/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Dialogue is not always the best way to show emotion, to show your thought process, or to reveal yourself, as a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/dialogue-is-not-always-the-best-way-to-show-emotion-to-show-your/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [The surest way to reveal one's character is not through adversity but by giving them power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-surest-way-to-reveal-one-s-character-is-not-through-adversity-but/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Words reveal your beliefs and intentions. Actions reveal your character. When they are in alignment, they reveal your greatest life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/words-reveal-your-beliefs-and-intentions-actions-reveal-your/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [You reveal your own character most clearly when you describe someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-gumbel/you-reveal-your-own-character-most-clearly-when-you-describe-someone/) [Nicky Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-gumbel/) > [In my career as a director, there's always been some point where you get halfway through it, or three-quarters, and you go: 'What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/in-my-career-as-a-director-there-s-always-been-some-point-where-you/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't put anything into a story that does not reveal character or advance the action.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kurt Vonnegut" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-does-not-reveal-character-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-does-not-reveal-character-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/kurt-vonnegut-41_action_don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-doe_2293064.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/kurt-vonnegut-41_action_don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-doe_2293064.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/kurt-vonnegut-41_action_don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-doe_2293064.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don't put anything into a story that does not reveal character or advance the action.” — Kurt Vonnegut", "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": "Kurt Vonnegut", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Don't put anything into a story...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-does-not-reveal-character-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/don-t-put-anything-into-a-story-that-does-not-reveal-character-or/#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 } } ] } ```