--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to understand that while I…" description: "\"You have to understand that while I pre-plot the meta story of a given book, I often have no idea of what will happen on the next page, let alone the n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/r-a-salvatore-2-12849_alone_you-have-to-understand-that-while-i-pre_1178349.jpg" --- # You have to understand that while I pre-plot the meta… ![“You have to understand that while I pre-plot the meta story of a given book, I often have no idea of what will happen on the next page, let alone the next chapter. That's what makes it fun for me; I write the books the same way many people read them.” quote by R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/r-a-salvatore-2-12849_alone_you-have-to-understand-that-while-i-pre_1178349.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/r-a-salvatore-2-12849_alone_you-have-to-understand-that-while-i-pre_1178349.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/r-a-salvatore-2-12849_alone_you-have-to-understand-that-while-i-pre_1178349.jpg) > “You have to understand that while I pre-plot the meta story of a given book, I often have no idea of what will happen on the next page, let alone the next chapter. That's what makes it fun for me; I write the books the same way many people read them.” [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authors may outline a story’s arc but cannot predict every twist, making writing an exploratory adventure. **In simple terms:** Authors plan but discover as they write. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and enjoy the creative journey. Themes creativity uncertainty process Mood inspirational reflective Type literary motivational When to use this quote - novel drafting - screenwriting - game development - creative workshops Key Concepts narrative design spontaneity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance planning with improvisation? - What unexpected plot twists have shaped your work? A Different Perspective Over‑planning can stifle spontaneity and originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Next chapter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-chapter/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [“You can never move to the next chapter of your life if you focus on the past. Close that not-so-sweet chapter and focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/you-can-never-move-to-the-next-chapter-of-your-life-if-you-focus-on/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [You can't start the next chapter if you keep re-reading the last one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-start-the-next-chapter-if-you-keep-re-reading-the-last-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't start the next chapter if you keep re-reading the last](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/you-can-t-start-the-next-chapter-if-you-keep-re-reading-the-last/) Unkown > [“Maybe we were still on the same page - we'd just moved onto the next chapter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-sterritt/maybe-we-were-still-on-the-same-page-we-d-just-moved-onto-the-next/) [Kate Sterritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-sterritt/) > [You cant start the next chapter if you keep re-reading the last one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cant-start-the-next-chapter-if-you-keep-re-reading-the-last-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It can be difficult workshopping novels because any questions or qualms you have as the author can be like, 'That's next chapter, don't worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/it-can-be-difficult-workshopping-novels-because-any-questions-or/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [“Life is like reading a book... Sometimes when you need to move forward you just have to start the next chapter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-cote/life-is-like-reading-a-book-sometimes-when-you-need-to-move-forward/) [Christie Cote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-cote/) > [“Oil may run out, liquidity may dry up, but as long as ink flows freely, the next chapter of Life will continue to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morritt/oil-may-run-out-liquidity-may-dry-up-but-as-long-as-ink-flows-freely/) [Alex Morritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morritt/) > [Like I said, I enjoyed my time there in Indy. You just have gotta move on, get ready for the next chapter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-hibbert/like-i-said-i-enjoyed-my-time-there-in-indy-you-just-have-gotta-move/) [Roy Hibbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-hibbert/) > [You can't start the next chapter of your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcmillian/you-can-t-start-the-next-chapter-of-your-life/) [Michael McMillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcmillian/) > [“What happens in my next chapter depends on whether I wake up feeling creative or murderous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-rachelle/what-happens-in-my-next-chapter-depends-on-whether-i-wake-up-feeling/) [Joyce Rachelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-rachelle/) > [“I don't believe in telling people what they should do, so I'll tell you what you shouldn't do instead... young people can't write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/i-don-t-believe-in-telling-people-what-they-should-do-so-i-ll-tell/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [People ask me if I ever thought of writing a children's book. I say, 'If I had a serious brain injury I might well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/people-ask-me-if-i-ever-thought-of-writing-a-children-s-book-i-say-if/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [At the moment, I'm toying with a new idea for a book, but fully engaged with writing screenplays, so the book idea - which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tremain/at-the-moment-i-m-toying-with-a-new-idea-for-a-book-but-fully-engaged/) [Rose Tremain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tremain/) > [“(In reply to the question, 'Would you like some suggestions for a plot for your next book?') There are three problems with getting plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/in-reply-to-the-question-would-you-like-some-suggestions-for-a-plot/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) ## More by R. A. Salvatore > [And the real thing can kill you whether you believe in it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/and-the-real-thing-can-kill-you-whether-you-believe-in-it-or-not/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Whenever you're writing a book or creating a movie or a game, your first task is to get the reader to suspend disbelief, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/whenever-you-re-writing-a-book-or-creating-a-movie-or-a-game-your/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Writing is an incredibly lonely job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/writing-is-an-incredibly-lonely-job/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [The meekest of animals will fight bravely when it is backed against a wall, for it has nothing left to lose. A poor man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/the-meekest-of-animals-will-fight-bravely-when-it-is-backed-against-a/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I don't often know exactly what's coming next, and that makes it more fun. And you know, for me, this entire genre is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/i-don-t-often-know-exactly-what-s-coming-next-and-that-makes-it-more/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I shudder at the concept of a world tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/i-shudder-at-the-concept-of-a-world-tamed/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [So, while I gave up the notions of publishing at that time, I never stopped editing and refining that book. A few years later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/so-while-i-gave-up-the-notions-of-publishing-at-that-time-i-never/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Science fiction is the ugly stepchild of mainstream literature, and fantasy is the ugly stepchild of science fiction, and tie-in novels are the ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/science-fiction-is-the-ugly-stepchild-of-mainstream-literature-and/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [These were the companions who justified my principles, who gave me the strength to continue against any foe, real or imagined. These were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/these-were-the-companions-who-justified-my-principles-who-gave-me-the/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I won't hold any illusions of changing the world or any such nonsense. But maybe, just maybe, I'm helping someone else change his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/i-won-t-hold-any-illusions-of-changing-the-world-or-any-such-nonsense/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Whenever you're writing a book or creating a movie or a game, your first task is to get the reader/audience/player to suspend disbelief, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/whenever-you-re-writing-a-book-or-creating-a-movie-or-a-game-your-2/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [To any intelligent being, there is no emotion more important than hope. Individually or collectively, we must hope that the future will be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/to-any-intelligent-being-there-is-no-emotion-more-important-than-hope/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [“Sane is boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/sane-is-boring/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I never intended to be a professional writer; as the story developed, the one thing I had in my hopes was that this would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/i-never-intended-to-be-a-professional-writer-as-the-story-developed/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [Here's the thing, for me at least: this is a huge genre now. It wasn't always so. Not so many years ago, it wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/here-s-the-thing-for-me-at-least-this-is-a-huge-genre-now-it-wasn-t/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) [Explore all 53 R. A. Salvatore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) ## More Alone quotes > [I can be taken away from myself quite easily, I kind of start betraying myself and compromising my integrity, to keep someone else happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-can-be-taken-away-from-myself-quite-easily-i-kind-of-start/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [Perhaps our own opposition to even the level of European integration we have now, let alone any more, is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/perhaps-our-own-opposition-to-even-the-level-of-european-integration/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [If your goal is to look different, you'll see results faster with strength training than with cardio alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kaiser/if-your-goal-is-to-look-different-you-ll-see-results-faster-with/) [Anna Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kaiser/) > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [I should have liked to get married, but over many decades I have lived essentially alone. I go to sleep when I'm tired, get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-should-have-liked-to-get-married-but-over-many-decades-i-have-lived/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [I am not alone in that I've had times of unemployment - unemployment is huge amongst disabled people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/i-am-not-alone-in-that-i-ve-had-times-of-unemployment-unemployment-is/) [Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/) > [I never knew a heart could feel so cold so empty so broken until now , I don't know what to say I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-knew-a-heart-could-feel-so-cold-so-empty-so-broken-until-now/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Real love is a permanently self-enlarging experience…A Journey With My Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luckybannu/real-love-is-a-permanently-self-enlarging-experience-a-journey-with/) Luckybannu > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [I'm used to being alone in a quiet, isolated environment - I'm kind of a low-energy, low-vibration, low-stamina person to begin with - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-m-used-to-being-alone-in-a-quiet-isolated-environment-i-m-kind-of-a/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) > [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. I had no girlfriend to warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-look-back-at-myself-at-age-twenty-what-i-remember-most-is/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I have developed a nasty habit of losing to the guy who wins the tournament, and that alone makes you think what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-have-developed-a-nasty-habit-of-losing-to-the-guy-who-wins-the/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [As a child, I was this record collector/listener that would sit in a room and listen to the entire Beatles catalog alone, over and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/as-a-child-i-was-this-record-collector-listener-that-would-sit-in-a/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [How one hates to think of oneself as alone. How one avoids it. It seems to imply rejection or unpopularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/how-one-hates-to-think-of-oneself-as-alone-how-one-avoids-it-it-seems/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) [Browse all 3,082 Alone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to understand that while I pre-plot the meta story of a given book, I often have no idea of what will happen on the next page, let alone the next chapter. That's what makes it fun for me; I write the books the same way many people read them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. A. 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