--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always been drawn to characters…" description: "\"I have always been drawn to characters, and this was true for my feature-writing career as well, where there is a tension between rule-breaking and rul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/matt-nix-26629_careers_i-have-always-been-drawn-to-characters-a_103502.jpg" --- # I have always been drawn to characters, and this was true… ![“I have always been drawn to characters, and this was true for my feature-writing career as well, where there is a tension between rule-breaking and rule-following.” quote by Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/matt-nix-26629_careers_i-have-always-been-drawn-to-characters-a_103502.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/matt-nix-26629_careers_i-have-always-been-drawn-to-characters-a_103502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/matt-nix-26629_careers_i-have-always-been-drawn-to-characters-a_103502.jpg) > “I have always been drawn to characters, and this was true for my feature-writing career as well, where there is a tension between rule-breaking and rule-following.” [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A writer reflects on the creative tension between adhering to conventions and breaking them to forge compelling characters. **In simple terms:** Balancing rule‑following with rule‑breaking fuels storytelling. Key Takeaway Creative tension drives character depth. Themes creativity rules character tension writing Mood inquisitive motivated Type reflection advice When to use this quote - screenwriting workshop - novel drafting - character development session - advertising copy creation Key Concepts narrative strategy Practical Applications - experiment with rule‑breaking to discover fresh angles - use structured frameworks as a springboard for innovation Questions to Reflect On - When does rule‑breaking enhance a character versus alienate the audience? - How can a writer decide which conventions to subvert? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Tension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tension/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Suppose there is a group of friends who create a club where the rule is to “not follow any rules.” However, “do not follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-carter/suppose-there-is-a-group-of-friends-who-create-a-club-where-the-rule/) [Lucy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-carter/) > [The most fun in breaking a rule is in knowing what rule you're breaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-most-fun-in-breaking-a-rule-is-in-knowing-what-rule-you-re/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [“You may not know this about me, but deep in my little rule following heart there is a rebel who doesn't like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-reed/you-may-not-know-this-about-me-but-deep-in-my-little-rule-following/) Shannon Reed > [Speaking as a writer, I'm not interested in trends, I want to write books that are honest, with characters as true to the inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-patron/speaking-as-a-writer-i-m-not-interested-in-trends-i-want-to-write/) [Susan Patron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-patron/) > [I like playing characters that are true to life, and there's no guarantee that any of us are going to be okay, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehcad-brooks/i-like-playing-characters-that-are-true-to-life-and-there-s-no/) [Mehcad Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehcad-brooks/) > [All the great writers root their characters in true human behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/all-the-great-writers-root-their-characters-in-true-human-behaviour/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [I always liked those characters in 'True Blood' who could turn into animals. I'd love to be an animal of some kind and run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-always-liked-those-characters-in-true-blood-who-could-turn-into/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [“There was never any comfortable way to mention or discuss one's successes without breaking the rule against bragging, even if one didn't mean to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/there-was-never-any-comfortable-way-to-mention-or-discuss-one-s/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [Donald Trump is breaking every rule and getting away with it. He's breaking every rule and getting more popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-breaking-every-rule-and-getting-away-with-it-he-s/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Um...are you busy tonight?" "Why?" His voice dropped to a seductive base, accent thickening. "You want to break a Fuck Club rule?" "No! 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What I mean is people having reactions to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/i-really-gravitate-to-the-comedy-of-tonal-contrasts-i-hope-that-doesn/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) > [Obviously, everybody's favorite form of web content is more story with principal actors. But the economics of the web do not yet support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/obviously-everybody-s-favorite-form-of-web-content-is-more-story-with/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) > [I am fortunate in that I am motivated to do what I do by just a really goofy desire to do it. Maybe I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/i-am-fortunate-in-that-i-am-motivated-to-do-what-i-do-by-just-a/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) > [I have to say, as a showrunner, being niche-y is kind of a great thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/i-have-to-say-as-a-showrunner-being-niche-y-is-kind-of-a-great-thing/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) > [You don't want to be slavishly doing the same thing over and over again that everybody else has done, but at the same time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/you-don-t-want-to-be-slavishly-doing-the-same-thing-over-and-over/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) > [I'm fortunate to have had my own level of success. 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Let's all get television shows!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/everybody-should-have-a-television-show-let-s-all-get-television-shows/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) > [I am very conscious on a daily basis of how extraordinarily blessed I am to get to do what I do and work with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/i-am-very-conscious-on-a-daily-basis-of-how-extraordinarily-blessed-i/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) > [I came to accept in myself a long time ago that I really do like writing articulate sociopaths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/i-came-to-accept-in-myself-a-long-time-ago-that-i-really-do-like/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) > [The idea of the writer/producer in television is much younger than people think it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-nix/the-idea-of-the-writer-producer-in-television-is-much-younger-than/) [Matt Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) [Explore all 21 Matt Nix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-nix/) ## More Careers quotes > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [The only thing I try to watch carefully is that I never lose the love for the instrument. 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My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? 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