--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find it interesting that people often…" description: "\"I find it interesting that people often seem to believe that authors of realistic fiction are directly translating their personal experiences into thei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/malinda-lo-21759_believe_i-find-it-interesting-that-people-often_86941.jpg" --- # I find it interesting that people often seem to believe… ![“I find it interesting that people often seem to believe that authors of realistic fiction are directly translating their personal experiences into their work. The fact is that telling a story is a transformative experience. There is rarely a one-to-one translation onto the page unless you're…” quote by Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/malinda-lo-21759_believe_i-find-it-interesting-that-people-often_86941.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/malinda-lo-21759_believe_i-find-it-interesting-that-people-often_86941.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/malinda-lo-21759_believe_i-find-it-interesting-that-people-often_86941.jpg) > “I find it interesting that people often seem to believe that authors of realistic fiction are directly translating their personal experiences into their work. The fact is that telling a story is a transformative experience. There is rarely a one-to-one translation onto the page unless you're writing memoir, and even then, memory is unreliable. I think that the best books feel emotionally true, and that truth has to be rooted in real-world experience.” [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Storytelling transforms experience; emotional authenticity arises from lived reality, not literal transcription of memory. **In simple terms:** Emotional truth over factual recount. Key Takeaway Great fiction feels real without being memoir. Themes authenticity memory fiction emotion creativity Mood reflective inquisitive Type observation advice When to use this quote - writing realistic fiction - teaching creative writing - literary criticism Key Concepts transformative storytelling subjective truth Practical Applications - guiding authors to mine experience - designing workshops on emotional truth Questions to Reflect On - How does a writer balance personal experience with imagination? - What makes a story emotionally true? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Memoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memoir/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Realistic fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realistic-fiction/) [Telling A Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-a-story/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Translations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translations/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Telling your story is transformative. For both the storyteller and their audience, a new bridge to understanding is created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-burton/telling-your-story-is-transformative-for-both-the-storyteller-and/) [Susan Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-burton/) > [Very seldom in my fiction have I directly used the stories people have told me. I think ripping off people's lives in fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/very-seldom-in-my-fiction-have-i-directly-used-the-stories-people/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“I think that the best fiction is directly rooted in an ability to identify and tell the psychological truth about people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-cross/i-think-that-the-best-fiction-is-directly-rooted-in-an-ability-to/) [Alistair Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-cross/) > [“Why is it that when you don't want to think about something, you can't stop thinking about it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-lennon/why-is-it-that-when-you-don-t-want-to-think-about-something-you-can-t/) Stella Lennon > [“Transition occurred not only in Neha’s life. Kovai also transitioned from sweltering summers with extreme temperatures as high as 40 degrees to monsoon madness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neetha-joseph/transition-occurred-not-only-in-neha-s-life-kovai-also-transitioned/) [Neetha Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neetha-joseph/) > [“He wasn’t kissing me like I was going to break; he was kissing me like he thought he would break without this kiss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-cote/he-wasn-t-kissing-me-like-i-was-going-to-break-he-was-kissing-me-like/) [Christie Cote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-cote/) > [“I was only going to shoot you if he was in one band. And only if it had a name like Uncle Toejam's Acid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-wittlinger/i-was-only-going-to-shoot-you-if-he-was-in-one-band-and-only-if-it/) [Ellen Wittlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-wittlinger/) > [“The knowledge that even the most effective bullying policies of schools failed to protect a student, whose difference attracted unwanted attention and scarring comments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neetha-joseph/the-knowledge-that-even-the-most-effective-bullying-policies-of/) [Neetha Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neetha-joseph/) > [“The Sisters of Fate celebrated their success as a scandalous affair was born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neetha-joseph/the-sisters-of-fate-celebrated-their-success-as-a-scandalous-affair/) [Neetha Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neetha-joseph/) > [“Dad?' 'Yeah?' 'Could you tell me a story?' 'Sure.' 'A good one.' 'As opposed to all the boring ones I tell.' 'Right.' I tucked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/dad-yeah-could-you-tell-me-a-story-sure-a-good-one-as-opposed-to-all/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“Celestial bodies witnessed the disrobing of human dignity in abomination while the moonlight caressed away the vestige of perverse mauling that was captured on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neetha-joseph/celestial-bodies-witnessed-the-disrobing-of-human-dignity-in/) [Neetha Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neetha-joseph/) > [“Kyle must have seen my panic, because when I looked up at him again, his jacket and shirt were off and he was handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-cote/kyle-must-have-seen-my-panic-because-when-i-looked-up-at-him-again/) [Christie Cote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-cote/) > [“Love's beauty is in its simplicity and authenticity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rendi-ansyah/love-s-beauty-is-in-its-simplicity-and-authenticity/) [Rendi Ansyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rendi-ansyah/) > [“So you want to know all about me, Who I am What chance meeting of brush and canvas painted the face you see? what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/so-you-want-to-know-all-about-me-who-i-am-what-chance-meeting-of/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [“Vronsky meanwhile, in spite of the complete fulfilment of what he had so long desired, was not completely happy. He soon felt that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/vronsky-meanwhile-in-spite-of-the-complete-fulfilment-of-what-he-had/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Malinda Lo > [“All you can do is make your decisions based on what you know now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/all-you-can-do-is-make-your-decisions-based-on-what-you-know-now/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“It's like -- this is going to sound weird, but it's like we're in a movie and every time I'm with you, the camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/it-s-like-this-is-going-to-sound-weird-but-it-s-like-we-re-in-a-movie/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“(...) she knew this: She was falling for this girl, this beautiful, beautiful girl, and she wanted to fall. She wanted to leap right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/she-knew-this-she-was-falling-for-this-girl-this-beautiful-beautiful/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“Then they took the last step together, and when she kissed her, her mouth as warm as summer, the taste of her sweet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/then-they-took-the-last-step-together-and-when-she-kissed-her-her/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“You shall not discover the truth being being blinded to faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/you-shall-not-discover-the-truth-being-being-blinded-to-faith/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“It is never a crime to love someone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/it-is-never-a-crime-to-love-someone/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [I find it interesting that authors of fantasy and science fiction novels are rarely asked if their books are based on their personal experiences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/i-find-it-interesting-that-authors-of-fantasy-and-science-fiction/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“She would rather be alone in her room than alone in the midst of a celebration she was not a part of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/she-would-rather-be-alone-in-her-room-than-alone-in-the-midst-of-a/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“It may not be your dream, Stepsister, but do not scoff at those who do dream of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/it-may-not-be-your-dream-stepsister-but-do-not-scoff-at-those-who-do/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“The world is inviolable: it has no beginning and no end. Those who seek to change it will be changed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/the-world-is-inviolable-it-has-no-beginning-and-no-end-those-who-seek/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“making a decision isn't about knowing every potential consequence. It's about knowing what you want and chasing a path that takes you in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/making-a-decision-isn-t-about-knowing-every-potential-consequence-it/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“Kissing Amber was like falling into the sea: Her body surrendered to the pull of the tide, buoyed by the saltwater, every breath tasting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/kissing-amber-was-like-falling-into-the-sea-her-body-surrendered-to/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“Julian was always trying to convince her that E.T. had already visited Earth multiple times. One night in Dolores Park, while they were hanging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/julian-was-always-trying-to-convince-her-that-e-t-had-already-visited/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [“I don't believe in worrying. It's a waste of energy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/i-don-t-believe-in-worrying-it-s-a-waste-of-energy/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [Traditional murder mysteries are interesting because they're ostensibly about a horrible thing - murder - but underneath that, they're about restoring order to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/traditional-murder-mysteries-are-interesting-because-they-re/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) [Explore all 28 Malinda Lo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I find it interesting that people often seem to believe that authors of realistic fiction are directly translating their personal experiences into their work. The fact is that telling a story is a transformative experience. There is rarely a one-to-one translation onto the page unless you're writing memoir, and even then, memory is unreliable. 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