--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Smart writers really take their time in…" description: "\"Smart writers really take their time in investing in backstories and characters. As a viewer, you have to invest in them and love them before you can c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/liza-weil-29620_level_smart-writers-really-take-their-time-in_1817777.jpg" --- # Smart writers really take their time in investing in… ![“Smart writers really take their time in investing in backstories and characters. As a viewer, you have to invest in them and love them before you can chip away at what's going on more on a deeper level with secondary characters.” quote by Liza Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/liza-weil-29620_level_smart-writers-really-take-their-time-in_1817777.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/liza-weil-29620_level_smart-writers-really-take-their-time-in_1817777.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/liza-weil-29620_level_smart-writers-really-take-their-time-in_1817777.jpg) > “Smart writers really take their time in investing in backstories and characters. As a viewer, you have to invest in them and love them before you can chip away at what's going on more on a deeper level with secondary characters.” [Liza Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-weil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smart writers develop deep backstories; viewers must invest emotionally to appreciate deeper layers. **In simple terms:** Writers build depth; viewers must engage. Key Takeaway Engage deeply with characters. Themes storytelling depth engagement Mood analytical curious Type critical educational When to use this quote - reading clubs - film analysis - creative writing Key Concepts character development narrative structure empathy Questions to Reflect On - What makes a backstory compelling? - How do you balance depth with accessibility? A Different Perspective Complex stories can alienate casual audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The interesting thing about a lot of serialized television is that it's a blessing and curse. 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The kind of people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-torres/as-a-kid-i-was-always-very-into-secondary-characters-things-that/) [Julio Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-torres/) > [“Accept the unknown. There are no secondary characters. Each one is silhouetted against the sky. All have the same stature. Within a given story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/accept-the-unknown-there-are-no-secondary-characters-each-one-is/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [“The storyteller gave me a sideways look. “Miss Lea, it doesn’t do to get attached to these secondary characters. It’s not their story. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/the-storyteller-gave-me-a-sideways-look-miss-lea-it-doesn-t-do-to-get/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [“Word to the wise writer...never underestimate your secondary characters! But watch them...they sneak off with stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ka-hancock/word-to-the-wise-writer-never-underestimate-your-secondary-characters/) Ka Hancock > [“the glory of the protagonist is always paid for by a lot of secondary characters”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hoagland/the-glory-of-the-protagonist-is-always-paid-for-by-a-lot-of-secondary/) [Tony Hoagland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hoagland/) > [“Miss Lea, it doesn't do to get attached to these secondary characters. It's not their story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/miss-lea-it-doesn-t-do-to-get-attached-to-these-secondary-characters/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [The problem a lot of writers have is that they really, really enjoy people saying, "You're brilliant." 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Smart writers really take their time in investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-weil/the-interesting-thing-about-a-lot-of-serialized-television-is-that-it/) [Liza Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-weil/) > [I did feel like I had a relationship and knew so many people in 'Shondaland,' and that certainly made me feel very welcomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-weil/i-did-feel-like-i-had-a-relationship-and-knew-so-many-people-in/) [Liza Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-weil/) > [The interesting thing about a lot of serialized television is that it's a blessing and curse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-weil/the-interesting-thing-about-a-lot-of-serialized-television-is-that-it-2/) [Liza Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-weil/) > [I think I'm starting to be able to stand a little taller. 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Good ol’ Joe!” “Captain, you’re drunk!” Lofflin said, stating the obvious while trying to keep his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/joe-he-groaned-attempting-to-speak-clearly-joe-good-ol-joe-captain/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [Even with cheat codes, you can't get on my level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-with-cheat-codes-you-can-t-get-on-my-level/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/) > [Beyond providing some level of scrutiny of Kenyan MPs, we built Mzalendo to demonstrate that there is only so much bemoaning you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ory-okolloh/beyond-providing-some-level-of-scrutiny-of-kenyan-mps-we-built/) [Ory Okolloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ory-okolloh/) > [In open source, you really have to be near the watershed to have an impact on the source code. 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I have been cycling since I can remember, had previously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunima-sinha/everyone-in-my-family-enjoys-sports-and-i-was-naturally-athletic-as-a/) [Arunima Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunima-sinha/) > [Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/never-keep-up-with-the-joneses-drag-them-down-to-your-level/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) Browse all 2,094 Level quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Smart writers really take their time in investing in backstories and characters. 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