Books Quote by Maureen Johnson
“Being an author means, almost by definition, that you make up characters and then complicate their lives. That's it, really. You make up characters and give them problem after problem after problem.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: “The Author’s Craft” with Maureen Johnson
Authors create characters and continuously introduce problems, driving narrative complexity.
In simple terms: Writers generate characters and endless challenges.
Key Takeaway
Embrace conflict to deepen stories.
Themes
writing
conflict
character development
Mood
inspirational
practical
Type
educational
creative
When to use this quote
- novel writing
- screenwriting
- story workshops
Key Concepts
plot dynamics
narrative tension
creative process
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance conflict with resolution?
- When does conflict become filler?
A Different Perspective
Risk of overcomplicating plots.
![“My definition [of genius] would be about being completely involved in your art form. So that's outside of sciences. Within the arts it's about taking people on a journey, being able to involve me completely-whether you're singing a song, whether it's in the theater, whether you're dancing-if you…” quote by Russell Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f30/russell-crowe-3564_able_my-definition-of-genius-would-be-about-b_55463.jpg)
