--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don’t just want to write a story. I…" description: "\"“I don’t just want to write a story. I want to pull the reader into my ink so they feel the cold of a snowy forest or the pain of a tortured soul. I wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/lyn-gardner-48725_books_i-don-t-just-want-to-write-a-story-i-wan_2559235.jpg" --- # I don’t just want to write a story. I want to pull the… ![“I don’t just want to write a story. I want to pull the reader into my ink so they feel the cold of a snowy forest or the pain of a tortured soul. I want them to laugh and cry, to smile and sigh, and when they reach the end of the book and find themselves wishing it hadn’t ended...then I’ve done my…” quote by Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/lyn-gardner-48725_books_i-don-t-just-want-to-write-a-story-i-wan_2559235.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/lyn-gardner-48725_books_i-don-t-just-want-to-write-a-story-i-wan_2559235.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/lyn-gardner-48725_books_i-don-t-just-want-to-write-a-story-i-wan_2559235.jpg) > ““I don’t just want to write a story. I want to pull the reader into my ink so they feel the cold of a snowy forest or the pain of a tortured soul. I want them to laugh and cry, to smile and sigh, and when they reach the end of the book and find themselves wishing it hadn’t ended...then I’ve done my job.”” [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer aims to immerse readers emotionally, making the story unforgettable. **In simple terms:** Writers want readers to feel deeply. Key Takeaway Craft vivid, emotional narratives. Themes creativity empathy storytelling Mood inspired hopeful Type instructional motivational When to use this quote - novels - short stories - screenplays - poetry - creative workshops Key Concepts immersive writing emotional resonance Questions to Reflect On - What techniques make a scene feel tangible? - How do you balance showing vs. telling? A Different Perspective Readers may interpret emotions differently, limiting uniform impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book Wishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-wishing-1589112/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Reader Ink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-ink-1589111/) [Story Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-want/) [Want Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-write/) [Write Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-story/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Write your own story... because you never want to end up just a footnote in somebody else's story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnreyes/write-your-own-story-because-you-never-want-to-end-up-just-a-footnote/) [JOHNREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnreyes/) > [First and foremost, I want people to have a good read, because I want everything I write to entertain people. There are always different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/first-and-foremost-i-want-people-to-have-a-good-read-because-i-want/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Find the story you want to tell. If you don't want to write it, find somebody to write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/find-the-story-you-want-to-tell-if-you-don-t-want-to-write-it-find/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [If it's commercial fiction that you want to write, it's story, story, story. You've got to get a story where if you tell it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/if-it-s-commercial-fiction-that-you-want-to-write-it-s-story-story/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [You don't want to write the same story again, but people are like 'We want the same story but different.' Well, how do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/you-don-t-want-to-write-the-same-story-again-but-people-are-like-we/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [I want to write a story for people where they finish it, and it sticks with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/i-want-to-write-a-story-for-people-where-they-finish-it-and-it-sticks/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [“I finally figured out that it doesn't matter what other people want to read. It matters what you want to write. You write the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-montgomery/i-finally-figured-out-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-other-people-want/) [Jami Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-montgomery/) > [ \[FBI\] philosophy is "Go ahead and make the story you want to make, and hopefully we'll love it." So that's that. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/fbi-philosophy-is-go-ahead-and-make-the-story-you-want-to-make-and/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [I'm a news junkie. I generally ad lib it. I find a story I want to key off on, open the mic, drag it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/i-m-a-news-junkie-i-generally-ad-lib-it-i-find-a-story-i-want-to-key/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [“Writers of the world, if you’ve got a story, I want to hear it. I promise it will follow me to my last breath.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/writers-of-the-world-if-you-ve-got-a-story-i-want-to-hear-it-i/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [“You are part of my story, and I want you to share the same ending I did--that of recovery, redemption, and hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-rose-steil/you-are-part-of-my-story-and-i-want-you-to-share-the-same-ending-i/) [Rachael Rose Steil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-rose-steil/) > [I don't want to just tell my story - I want to share the experiences, life lessons, and values that have shaped who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-don-t-want-to-just-tell-my-story-i-want-to-share-the-experiences/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [“Write like you are the last person on earth; like no one will ever read your story. Tell the story YOU want to read!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-bianco/write-like-you-are-the-last-person-on-earth-like-no-one-will-ever/) [Giuseppe Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-bianco/) > [I'm really not opposed to playing anything as long as it's a story that I want to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-really-not-opposed-to-playing-anything-as-long-as-it-s-a-story/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I ask my friend -what is your story?- because I want to give the answer of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ask-my-friend-what-is-your-story-because-i-want-to-give-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lyn Gardner > [Enchanting is not the word that would immediately spring to mind when describing a play that deals with fractal geometry, iterated algorithms, chaos theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/enchanting-is-not-the-word-that-would-immediately-spring-to-mind-when/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) > [Goodness its the kind of work I come to the Fringe to see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/goodness-its-the-kind-of-work-i-come-to-the-fringe-to-see/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) > [The best shows have a clear idea of what they want to achieve, where the performers have the ability to disrupt normality and engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/the-best-shows-have-a-clear-idea-of-what-they-want-to-achieve-where/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) > [“I recommend we don’t open this until Scotland or the bloody thing will projectile vomit all over the motorway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/i-recommend-we-don-t-open-this-until-scotland-or-the-bloody-thing/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) > [“I love you Aurora Eden you are so unpredictably predictable!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/i-love-you-aurora-eden-you-are-so-unpredictably-predictable/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) > [Improv Everywhere tramples the lines drawn between spectacle and spectator, theatre and real life, public and private, performance and protest, and reclaims the streets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/improv-everywhere-tramples-the-lines-drawn-between-spectacle-and/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) > [“There are few things more pleasurable than a cracking version of Hansel and Gretel and a good scab.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/there-are-few-things-more-pleasurable-than-a-cracking-version-of/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) [Explore all 8 Lyn Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don’t just want to write a story. I want to pull the reader into my ink so they feel the cold of a snowy forest or the pain of a tortured soul. 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