--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tend to like writing characters that…" description: "\"I tend to like writing characters that are not typical heroes.\" — N. K. Jemisin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/n-k-jemisin-2-15368_characters_i-tend-to-like-writing-characters-that-a_1330034.jpg" --- # I tend to like writing characters that are not typical… ![“I tend to like writing characters that are not typical heroes.” quote by N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/n-k-jemisin-2-15368_characters_i-tend-to-like-writing-characters-that-a_1330034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/n-k-jemisin-2-15368_characters_i-tend-to-like-writing-characters-that-a_1330034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/n-k-jemisin-2-15368_characters_i-tend-to-like-writing-characters-that-a_1330034.jpg) > “I tend to like writing characters that are not typical heroes.” [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) ## 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 prefers crafting non‑heroic characters, exploring diverse roles beyond typical heroes. **In simple terms:** Writing non‑heroic characters. Key Takeaway Explore varied character archetypes. Themes creativity diversity character development Mood creative analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - novel writing - role‑playing games - screenwriting Key Concepts subverting tropes narrative depth Questions to Reflect On - Why choose non‑heroic protagonists? - How does this choice affect story impact? A Different Perspective Audience may expect traditional heroes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Characters Typical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-typical-4460576/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Like Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-writing-250073/) [Tend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tend/) [Typical Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typical-heroes-4460577/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-characters-415901/) ## Related quotes > [When I write songs, I try to remove myself a little bit. Obviously, they're very personal to me, but it feels easier if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/when-i-write-songs-i-try-to-remove-myself-a-little-bit-obviously-they/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) > [“If your characters write your story, rather than you writing your characters, it's like your dog taking YOU for a walk. Don't let them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-bell/if-your-characters-write-your-story-rather-than-you-writing-your/) [Jessica Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-bell/) > [So much of writing is about what characters don't say, and in the early drafts, sometimes things get overwritten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hedges/so-much-of-writing-is-about-what-characters-don-t-say-and-in-the/) [Peter Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hedges/) > [When you're working with a smaller budget I suppose one of the things that has to be in your mind when you are writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atom-egoyan/when-you-re-working-with-a-smaller-budget-i-suppose-one-of-the-things/) [Atom Egoyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atom-egoyan/) > [I've been in the industry for 15 years, and I knew all the pieces that needed to be included to make a series. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-hartman/i-ve-been-in-the-industry-for-15-years-and-i-knew-all-the-pieces-that/) [Butch Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-hartman/) > [Plotting is difficult for me, and always has been. I do that before I actually start writing, but I always do characters, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/plotting-is-difficult-for-me-and-always-has-been-i-do-that-before-i/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [“We never end up with the book we began writing. Characters twist it and turn it until they get the life that is perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-webb/we-never-end-up-with-the-book-we-began-writing-characters-twist-it/) [C.K. Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-webb/) > [When you start writing, you have your characters on a metaphorical paved road, and as they go down it, all these other roads become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/when-you-start-writing-you-have-your-characters-on-a-metaphorical/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [I just want to keep writing characters who are interesting and complicated people and interesting roles for women, in TV or film or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-meriwether/i-just-want-to-keep-writing-characters-who-are-interesting-and/) [Elizabeth Meriwether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-meriwether/) > [In my early writing, all of my characters were exactly the same person. They all spoke the same, made the same types of jokes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/in-my-early-writing-all-of-my-characters-were-exactly-the-same-person/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [One piece of advice I have is: Want something else more than success. Success is a lovely thing, but your desire to say something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/one-piece-of-advice-i-have-is-want-something-else-more-than-success/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [When it comes to writing characters, whether men or women, I think a good writer writes good characters. I know many men who, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoya-akhtar/when-it-comes-to-writing-characters-whether-men-or-women-i-think-a/) [Zoya Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoya-akhtar/) > [“There's a certain magic about writing even when the characters refuse to act the way I want them to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-bevan/there-s-a-certain-magic-about-writing-even-when-the-characters-refuse/) [Gloria Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-bevan/) > [I used to say I wasn't interested in writing about characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-healey/i-used-to-say-i-wasn-t-interested-in-writing-about-characters/) [Emma Healey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-healey/) > [I like writing characters that seem different from one another. So if you were to hypothetically look at a bunch of lines from books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-soule/i-like-writing-characters-that-seem-different-from-one-another-so-if/) [Charles Soule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-soule/) ## More by N. K. Jemisin > [I write for myself - but it is nice when other people like it, too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-write-for-myself-but-it-is-nice-when-other-people-like-it-too/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [In the 'Dreamblood' books, I'm focusing more on what I like about epic fantasy: the layering and depth of tension; the chance to really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/in-the-dreamblood-books-i-m-focusing-more-on-what-i-like-about-epic/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [Actual Victorian mores and politics were a reaction to a specific series of historical events, technological and scientific developments, and ethical trends in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/actual-victorian-mores-and-politics-were-a-reaction-to-a-specific/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I don't really understand why so many fantasy writers choose to focus on worlds that just seem strangely denuded. But to them, I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-don-t-really-understand-why-so-many-fantasy-writers-choose-to-focus/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [To some degree, as I move outside of the exclusive genre audience, the exclusive genre issues don't bother me as much. Maybe that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/to-some-degree-as-i-move-outside-of-the-exclusive-genre-audience-the/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I would love to just write and not have everything I say or do turn into a political battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-would-love-to-just-write-and-not-have-everything-i-say-or-do-turn/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [As a black woman, I have no particular interest in maintaining the status quo. Why would I? The status quo is harmful; the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/as-a-black-woman-i-have-no-particular-interest-in-maintaining-the/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I've been very happy with Orbit and am thrilled that they're giving me more chances to explore my creative visions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-ve-been-very-happy-with-orbit-and-am-thrilled-that-they-re-giving/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [It's the way the human brain works: when enough events occur in a pattern, we stop thinking and go into macro mode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/it-s-the-way-the-human-brain-works-when-enough-events-occur-in-a/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [A fantasy novel set in something other than medieval Europe, featuring an almost entirely black cast, is considered risky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/a-fantasy-novel-set-in-something-other-than-medieval-europe-featuring/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I think the people who believe that works can and always should be divorced from the context are people who have the privilege to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-think-the-people-who-believe-that-works-can-and-always-should-be/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [It's human nature that we come in our own flavours, and it doesn't make any sense to write a monochromatic or monocultural story unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/it-s-human-nature-that-we-come-in-our-own-flavours-and-it-doesn-t/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [Magic is the mysteries into which not everyone is so lucky, or unlucky, as to be initiated. It can be affected by belief, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/magic-is-the-mysteries-into-which-not-everyone-is-so-lucky-or-unlucky/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [It takes practice to do anything unique within this field, period, in writing, practice doing anything unique in writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/it-takes-practice-to-do-anything-unique-within-this-field-period-in/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I was raised to be very wary of the police. I was raised to stay away from them unless you absolutely have to. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-was-raised-to-be-very-wary-of-the-police-i-was-raised-to-stay-away/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) [Explore all 43 N. K. Jemisin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) ## More Characters quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [I have played several characters that are crabby and cranky. I don't know if I'm just not a very well-developed human being or if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-have-played-several-characters-that-are-crabby-and-cranky-i-don-t/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) > [You do get fond of your characters. Handing them on is like giving a child to a nanny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/you-do-get-fond-of-your-characters-handing-them-on-is-like-giving-a/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [Your job as a writer is to find storylines, narrative structures, and characters to show the things that you believe rather than saying them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/your-job-as-a-writer-is-to-find-storylines-narrative-structures-and/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-dhawan/being-of-indian-heritage-is-a-challenge-and-it-s-a-blessing-as-well/) [Sacha Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-dhawan/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [I really like all of the characters in 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt, especially Camilla, the one girl. I find her fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-murray/i-really-like-all-of-the-characters-in-the-secret-history-by-donna/) [Hannah Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-murray/) > [I've just always loved really good projects. 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I always wanted to be all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-fireman-a-cop-an-indian-chief-a-doctor-a/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) [Browse all 3,066 Characters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tend to like writing characters that are not typical heroes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "N. K. 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