--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The danger of writing a so-called…" description: "\"The danger of writing a so-called thriller is that in your last 100 pages, all of these really interesting characters you've created are just running a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/noah-hawley-3673_danger_the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thrill_1724533.jpg" --- # The danger of writing a so-called thriller is that in your… ![“The danger of writing a so-called thriller is that in your last 100 pages, all of these really interesting characters you've created are just running away from something or toward something, but they're no longer capable of innovation or discovery.” quote by Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/noah-hawley-3673_danger_the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thrill_1724533.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/noah-hawley-3673_danger_the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thrill_1724533.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/noah-hawley-3673_danger_the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thrill_1724533.jpg) > “The danger of writing a so-called thriller is that in your last 100 pages, all of these really interesting characters you've created are just running away from something or toward something, but they're no longer capable of innovation or discovery.” [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thrillers risk losing originality when characters become mere plot devices, halting discovery. **In simple terms:** Characters should drive innovation, not just chase plot. Key Takeaway Keep characters active, preserve novelty. Themes creativity character plot Mood analytical inquisitive Type creative strategic When to use this quote - Screenwriting - novel drafting - story workshops Key Concepts narrative tension character agency Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance plot momentum with character growth? - What methods keep characters inventive? A Different Perspective Focusing on plot can stifle character depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [100 Pages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/100-pages-1370332/) [Called Thriller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-thriller-1370330/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Danger Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger-writing-1370331/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Running away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-away/) [Thriller 100](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thriller-100-1370333/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The real danger of writing a great song when you're on something is that it might get you thinking that the only way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/the-real-danger-of-writing-a-great-song-when-you-re-on-something-is/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [The danger in writing about a world you don't know very well is that you can get lost in it, and sometimes I'll end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/the-danger-in-writing-about-a-world-you-don-t-know-very-well-is-that/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [One danger, when you're writing lots of quick, opinionated blog items about the latest developments, is that you never get around to stating fully,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-kaus/one-danger-when-you-re-writing-lots-of-quick-opinionated-blog-items/) [Mickey Kaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-kaus/) > [There's a real danger in writing or acting as therapy because if you've ever been on-screen with someone or on stage or worked with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-coughlan/there-s-a-real-danger-in-writing-or-acting-as-therapy-because-if-you/) [Nicola Coughlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-coughlan/) > [Usually, when I write a novel, it takes me about 100 pages to figure out the voice of the narrator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/usually-when-i-write-a-novel-it-takes-me-about-100-pages-to-figure/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [If you get a book which is 600 pages, you have to reduce it to a script of 100 pages. In two hours of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dino-de-laurentiis/if-you-get-a-book-which-is-600-pages-you-have-to-reduce-it-to-a/) [Dino De Laurentiis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dino-de-laurentiis/) > [“Only a reader can understand how a book with 100 pages can be too long and one with 1000 pages can be too short.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofija/only-a-reader-can-understand-how-a-book-with-100-pages-can-be-too/) [Sofija](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofija/) > [I might spend 100 pages trying to get to know the world I'm writing about: its contours, who are my main characters, what are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-might-spend-100-pages-trying-to-get-to-know-the-world-i-m-writing/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [It takes me two to three years to write a novel. A screenplay is 100 pages and takes five years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/it-takes-me-two-to-three-years-to-write-a-novel-a-screenplay-is-100/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“Most of them were running away from something―usually the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/most-of-them-were-running-away-from-something-usually-the-law/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Why is it," she asked, snuggling closer, "that I so often imagine myself running away and running free?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/why-is-it-she-asked-snuggling-closer-that-i-so-often-imagine-myself/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I say I'm chasing dreams but you know I've been running away from, running away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-posner/i-say-i-m-chasing-dreams-but-you-know-i-ve-been-running-away-from/) [Mike Posner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-posner/) > [I never felt like running away from my dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paresh-rawal/i-never-felt-like-running-away-from-my-dreams/) [Paresh Rawal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paresh-rawal/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) ## More by Noah Hawley > [It's always very important to me to try to create a story that feels unpredictable. You can't jump ahead and see what's coming, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-always-very-important-to-me-to-try-to-create-a-story-that-feels/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [A two-hour movie tends to be a plot-delivery device; you tend to have to introduce all the characters, say what the goal is, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/a-two-hour-movie-tends-to-be-a-plot-delivery-device-you-tend-to-have/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [For some reason, I tend to take on the stuff that people are really passionate about. 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Writing is a means of communicating, and if enough people say, 'I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-m-not-that-guy-who-thinks-i-have-all-the-answers-writing-is-a-means/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I think a writer's first job is to entertain, even in novels: to tell a compelling story that pulls the reader along toward an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-a-writer-s-first-job-is-to-entertain-even-in-novels-to-tell-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I think for really good-hearted people, that idea of putting yourself in the shoes of a monster to figure out why they acted that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-for-really-good-hearted-people-that-idea-of-putting-yourself/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > ['Downton Abbey' didn't have the impact it had just because it was a good story about people. It was something about that period and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/downton-abbey-didn-t-have-the-impact-it-had-just-because-it-was-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [Making a new season for 'Legion' is not something you just switch into. It's not something you do between dropping the kids off in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/making-a-new-season-for-legion-is-not-something-you-just-switch-into/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of jumping into a backstory or an aside. Vonnegut is a great example -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind-is-in-terms-of-jumping-into/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) [Explore all 124 Noah Hawley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) ## More Danger quotes > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“Anything you fear is a shackle to ur soul. It is a phobia that tethers and blinds ur ability to see and comprehend your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/anything-you-fear-is-a-shackle-to-ur-soul-it-is-a-phobia-that-tethers/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“The set of circumstances that justifies the use of deadly force is a situation of immediate danger of death or great bodily harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massad-ayoob/the-set-of-circumstances-that-justifies-the-use-of-deadly-force-is-a/) [Massad Ayoob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massad-ayoob/) > [These days grief seems like walking on a frozen river; most of the time he feels safe enough, but there is always that danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/these-days-grief-seems-like-walking-on-a-frozen-river-most-of-the/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [The term 'Pre-Raphaelite' is in danger of becoming one of the most misused tags in art history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wood/the-term-pre-raphaelite-is-in-danger-of-becoming-one-of-the-most/) [Christopher Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wood/) > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“I’ll always come back to you,” he said. “Always.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/i-ll-always-come-back-to-you-he-said-always/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [A sea setting us upon the ice has brought us close to danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hudson/a-sea-setting-us-upon-the-ice-has-brought-us-close-to-danger/) [Henry Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hudson/) > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [There's a danger in starting a fire, you'll never know how many bridges you'll burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-danger-in-starting-a-fire-you-ll-never-know-how-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) [Browse all 5,463 Danger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The danger of writing a so-called thriller is that in your last 100 pages, all of these really interesting characters you've created are just running away from something or toward something, but they're no longer capable of innovation or discovery.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noah Hawley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thriller-is-that-in-your-last-100/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Danger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thriller-is-that-in-your-last-100/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/noah-hawley-3673_danger_the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thrill_1724533.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/noah-hawley-3673_danger_the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thrill_1724533.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/noah-hawley-3673_danger_the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thrill_1724533.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The danger of writing a so-called thriller is that in your last 100 pages, all of these really interesting…” — Noah Hawley", "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": "Noah Hawley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The danger of writing a so-called...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thriller-is-that-in-your-last-100/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thriller-is-that-in-your-last-100/#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 } } ] } ```