--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a given scene I may know nothing more…" description: "\"In a given scene I may know nothing more than how it's supposed to end, most of the time not even that. Scenes are improvised. A character does or says..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-price-14327_brain_in-a-given-scene-i-may-know-nothing-more_3026287.jpg" --- # In a given scene I may know nothing more than how it's… ![“In a given scene I may know nothing more than how it's supposed to end, most of the time not even that. Scenes are improvised. A character does or says something, and with as much spontaneity and schizophrenia as I can muster, another character responds. In this way, everything I write is…” quote by Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-price-14327_brain_in-a-given-scene-i-may-know-nothing-more_3026287.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-price-14327_brain_in-a-given-scene-i-may-know-nothing-more_3026287.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-price-14327_brain_in-a-given-scene-i-may-know-nothing-more_3026287.jpg) > “In a given scene I may know nothing more than how it's supposed to end, most of the time not even that. Scenes are improvised. A character does or says something, and with as much spontaneity and schizophrenia as I can muster, another character responds. In this way, everything I write is spontaneous chain reaction and I'm running around playing leapfrog in my brain trying to "be" all my people.” [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) ## 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 often knows only the intended ending, improvising each scene like a spontaneous chain reaction. **In simple terms:** Writing is improvised, reacting scene by scene. Key Takeaway Embrace spontaneity in storytelling. Themes creativity improvisation character Mood energetic reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - screenwriting - theatre - improv workshops - character development Key Concepts narrative flow collaboration instinct Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance spontaneity with narrative coherence? - What techniques keep improvised scenes focused? A Different Perspective Improvisation can lead to incoherence without a clear structure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Chain reactions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chain-reactions/) [Chains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Responds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-responds-4833827/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-scene-2103580/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Improvised Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvised-character-4923090/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Muster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muster/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reactions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactions/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Scenes Improvised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scenes-improvised-4923089/) [Schizophrenia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schizophrenia/) [Spontaneity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spontaneity/) [Spontaneous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spontaneous/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“What can you do with a character who responds to everything by either punching it or deploying Bat Anti-thing Spray. . . then punching it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahtzee-croshaw/what-can-you-do-with-a-character-who-responds-to-everything-by-either/) [Yahtzee Croshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahtzee-croshaw/) > [What I do have to get across is the truth of the moment within the given scene. 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We release the tension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-we-smile-the-muscles-around-our-mouth-are-stretched-and-relaxed/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [Scientists say every action initiates an equal and opposite reaction. I say that's just the start. I say every action initiates a most unequal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/scientists-say-every-action-initiates-an-equal-and-opposite-reaction/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [Not causing harm requires staying awake. Part of being awake is slowing down enough to notice what we say and do. The more we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/not-causing-harm-requires-staying-awake-part-of-being-awake-is/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The sad part is that all we're trying to do is not feel that underlying uneasiness. 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It's enough to make you lose your mind day by day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/writers-spend-three-years-rearranging-26-letters-of-the-alphabet-it-s/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [“almost nobody made it out of the game in one piece, and almost everybody thought they would be the exception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/almost-nobody-made-it-out-of-the-game-in-one-piece-and-almost/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [“On the nights they went to bed at the same time, Rocco would lie there and watch her go to the closet, watch her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/on-the-nights-they-went-to-bed-at-the-same-time-rocco-would-lie-there/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [“His voice was languidly dense, as if he was a little slow on the uptake, but Strike knew that tone came from the man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/his-voice-was-languidly-dense-as-if-he-was-a-little-slow-on-the/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [“It was time to chuck this life, with its Jo-Jos and Rodneys, its bloody burning children and walking-dead parents, just kick dirt over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/it-was-time-to-chuck-this-life-with-its-jo-jos-and-rodneys-its-bloody/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [If I can tell you the story from beginning to end in five minutes, I'm ready to start writing. Then it's a constant spreading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/if-i-can-tell-you-the-story-from-beginning-to-end-in-five-minutes-i-m/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [I write because I write - as anyone in the arts does. You're a painter because you feel you have no choice but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/i-write-because-i-write-as-anyone-in-the-arts-does-you-re-a-painter/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [And what is the religion of many persons but a kind of demonism that delights in human sacrifices and causes them to look with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/and-what-is-the-religion-of-many-persons-but-a-kind-of-demonism-that/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [“In the beginning - not now, thank God - Patty was always sharing the important books of her life with him, like Black Elk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/in-the-beginning-not-now-thank-god-patty-was-always-sharing-the/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [You don't write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid's burnt socks lying in the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/you-don-t-write-about-the-horrors-of-war-no-you-write-about-a-kid-s/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [I don't need all that much - I just need to know who my characters are and what kind of jam they're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/i-don-t-need-all-that-much-i-just-need-to-know-who-my-characters-are/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [I started thinking about my relationship with my students; I'm this guy who comes in from book - and movie - land and descends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/i-started-thinking-about-my-relationship-with-my-students-i-m-this/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [I write because I can't imagine not writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/i-write-because-i-can-t-imagine-not-writing/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [I do small cameos here and there but nothing that requires more than a paragraph of talking, because I'm just an amateur. The movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/i-do-small-cameos-here-and-there-but-nothing-that-requires-more-than/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) [Explore all 47 Richard Price quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. 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Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. 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