--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are stories that are true, in which…" description: "\"“There are stories that are true, in which each individual’s tale is unique and tragic, and the worst of the tragedy is that we have heard it before, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaf/neil-gaiman-29_storytelling_there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which_1259267.jpg" --- # There are stories that are true, in which each… ![“There are stories that are true, in which each individual’s tale is unique and tragic, and the worst of the tragedy is that we have heard it before, and we cannot allow ourselves to feel it too deeply.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaf/neil-gaiman-29_storytelling_there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which_1259267.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaf/neil-gaiman-29_storytelling_there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which_1259267.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaf/neil-gaiman-29_storytelling_there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which_1259267.jpg) > ““There are stories that are true, in which each individual’s tale is unique and tragic, and the worst of the tragedy is that we have heard it before, and we cannot allow ourselves to feel it too deeply.”” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories repeat universal tragedies, yet each personal experience is uniquely painful; we must avoid being overwhelmed by them. **In simple terms:** Repeated tragedies feel personal. Key Takeaway Balance empathy with emotional boundaries. Themes storytelling trauma empathy Mood introspective cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - reading groups - creative writing Key Concepts collective memory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay compassionate without being consumed? - When should you step back from a story? A Different Perspective Over‑identification can cause distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Individual Tale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-tale-634573/) [Stories True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-true/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Tragedy Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy-heard-975358/) [Unique Tragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique-tragic-634576/) [Worst Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-tragedy-3037120/) ## Related quotes > [There are stories that are true, in which each individual's tale is unique and tragic, and the worst of the tragedy is that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which-each-individual-s-tale-is-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“There was a girl, and her uncle sold her, wrote Mr. Ibis in his perfect copperplate handwriting. That is the tale; the rest is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-was-a-girl-and-her-uncle-sold-her-wrote-mr-ibis-in-his-perfect/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“There are stories that are true, in which each individual’s tale is unique and tragic, and the worst of the tragedy is that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which-each-individual-s-tale-is-3/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Yer the only friend I got, pigpiss... Ain't that the biggest tragedy you ever heard?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/yer-the-only-friend-i-got-pigpiss-ain-t-that-the-biggest-tragedy-you/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [A typical National World Weekly would tell the world how Jesus' face was seen on a Big Mac bun bought by someone from Des…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/a-typical-national-world-weekly-would-tell-the-world-how-jesus-face/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [The worst tragedy that could have befallen me was my success. I knew right away that I was through - cast out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-salk/the-worst-tragedy-that-could-have-befallen-me-was-my-success-i-knew/) [Jonas Salk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-salk/) > [The worst tragedy for a poet is to be admired through being misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/the-worst-tragedy-for-a-poet-is-to-be-admired-through-being/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [“The worst tragedy of sin isn't that it produced bad behavior, but that it produced the idea that bad behavior is strong enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-r-silva/the-worst-tragedy-of-sin-isn-t-that-it-produced-bad-behavior-but-that/) [D.R. Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-r-silva/) > [The worst tragedy is that this uncontrolled mind steals our consciousness away from Krishna and that is the beginning, the essence of all suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/the-worst-tragedy-is-that-this-uncontrolled-mind-steals-our/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [Man's worst tragedy in life is his failure to reach his greatest potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-palubinskas/man-s-worst-tragedy-in-life-is-his-failure-to-reach-his-greatest/) [Ed Palubinskas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-palubinskas/) > [“Yeah, I had all kinds of tragic reasons for feeling sorry for myself. Being fifteen didn't help. Sometimes I thought that being fifteen was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/yeah-i-had-all-kinds-of-tragic-reasons-for-feeling-sorry-for-myself/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [Everyday, day & night, we hear the lies that September 11th is the worst tragedy, worst accident, and worst crime to ever been committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-zulu-shabazz/everyday-day-night-we-hear-the-lies-that-september-11th-is-the-worst/) [Malik Zulu Shabazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-zulu-shabazz/) > [“Our lives feel fuller when we can weave them into stories, even if not all the stories are true and even if we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-hull/our-lives-feel-fuller-when-we-can-weave-them-into-stories-even-if-not/) [Jonathan Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-hull/) > [“All stories are true,” Skarpi said. “But this one really happened,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/all-stories-are-true-skarpi-said-but-this-one-really-happened/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [The best stories are often true...The narrative of human life is most beautiful when told truthfully and without boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/the-best-stories-are-often-true-the-narrative-of-human-life-is-most/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Storytelling quotes > [“Anyway, it's a pretty good story," I said. "You have to admit." "Yeah?" He crumpled up the Kleenex, having dispatched the solitary tear. "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/anyway-it-s-a-pretty-good-story-i-said-you-have-to-admit-yeah-he/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“A disproportionate number of stories are love stories – and what is homosexuality but a special narrative of love?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bram/a-disproportionate-number-of-stories-are-love-stories-and-what-is/) [Christopher Bram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bram/) > [If you do weave one-liners into a story, you have to have an overall story as well, otherwise it doesn't really count as narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/if-you-do-weave-one-liners-into-a-story-you-have-to-have-an-overall/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [I have always been fascinated by the supernatural elements in stories, whether fairy tales, myths, film or literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-supernatural-elements-in-stories/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [When we read a story, we inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/when-we-read-a-story-we-inhabit-it-the-covers-of-the-book-are-like-a/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [We can never tell what is in store for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/we-can-never-tell-what-is-in-store-for-us/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [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/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“Societies everywhere have a tendency to construct a genealogically useful past for themselves in which desirable versions of their history are favored and unwanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tudor-parfitt/societies-everywhere-have-a-tendency-to-construct-a-genealogically/) [Tudor Parfitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tudor-parfitt/) > [Some stories, you use up. Others use you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/some-stories-you-use-up-others-use-you-up/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I'm not a fan of endless mystery in storytelling - I like to know where the mythology's going; I like to get there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/i-m-not-a-fan-of-endless-mystery-in-storytelling-i-like-to-know-where/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [“We take creative license with the fictional narratives that become our memories. Anthologized, these are the tales that become the story of your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-ganek/we-take-creative-license-with-the-fictional-narratives-that-become/) [Danielle Ganek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-ganek/) > [Sometimes I am a collector of data, and only a collector, and am likely to be gross and miserly, piling up notes, pleased with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/sometimes-i-am-a-collector-of-data-and-only-a-collector-and-am-likely/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [I make no distinction between writing and storytelling; I've always wanted to tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-make-no-distinction-between-writing-and-storytelling-i-ve-always/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I think that storytelling and creation are very close to what the center of what magic is about. I think not just for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/i-think-that-storytelling-and-creation-are-very-close-to-what-the/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) [Browse all 5,638 Storytelling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There are stories that are true, in which each individual’s tale is unique and tragic, and the worst of the tragedy is that we have heard it before, and we cannot allow ourselves to feel it too deeply.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Gaiman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which-each-individual-s-tale-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Storytelling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which-each-individual-s-tale-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaf/neil-gaiman-29_storytelling_there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which_1259267.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaf/neil-gaiman-29_storytelling_there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which_1259267.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaf/neil-gaiman-29_storytelling_there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which_1259267.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are stories that are true, in which each individual’s tale is unique and tragic, and the worst of the…” — Neil Gaiman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Neil Gaiman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There are stories that are true,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which-each-individual-s-tale-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-are-stories-that-are-true-in-which-each-individual-s-tale-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```