--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing a novel is like making soup. The…" description: "\"“Writing a novel is like making soup. The base is a broth we make up wholesale—for instance, I have one child, not five, and am not only not a doctor b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/laurie-frankel-12675_books_writing-a-novel-is-like-making-soup-the_504422.jpg" --- # Writing a novel is like making soup. The base is a broth… ![“Writing a novel is like making soup. The base is a broth we make up wholesale—for instance, I have one child, not five, and am not only not a doctor but, in fact, am made woozy by paper cuts. Then, to that entirely made-up broth, we add a sprinkling of research, some chunks of childhood memories…” quote by Laurie Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/laurie-frankel-12675_books_writing-a-novel-is-like-making-soup-the_504422.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/laurie-frankel-12675_books_writing-a-novel-is-like-making-soup-the_504422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/laurie-frankel-12675_books_writing-a-novel-is-like-making-soup-the_504422.jpg) > ““Writing a novel is like making soup. The base is a broth we make up wholesale—for instance, I have one child, not five, and am not only not a doctor but, in fact, am made woozy by paper cuts. Then, to that entirely made-up broth, we add a sprinkling of research, some chunks of childhood memories, a handful of sautéed morsels overheard at the playground, a few diced bits we weren’t planning on but turned out to need for depth of flavor, and some finely chopped pieces of our own lives. Simmer until all the disparate parts mellow and blend but still enhance and augment one another. This is how you cook a novel. Some made up, some real life, all true.”” [Laurie Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-frankel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Frankel likens novel writing to soup, blending imagined and real elements to create depth. **In simple terms:** Writing mixes made‑up and real experiences like cooking soup. Key Takeaway Blend imagination with reality. Themes creativity writing process Mood inspired reflective Type instructional metaphorical When to use this quote - novel planning - draft revisions - workshop feedback Key Concepts storytelling craft imagination Questions to Reflect On - What ingredients make your story flavorful? - How do you balance fact and fiction? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑reliance on personal anecdotes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Childhood memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-memories/) [Paper cuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper-cuts/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“In fact, there is no such thing as character, something fixed and final. The real thing is something that novelists don’t know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/in-fact-there-is-no-such-thing-as-character-something-fixed-and-final/) [Soseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [A short story collection can be as exciting as a novel. 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