About Quote by Roald Dahl
“When you're writing a book, with people in it as opposed to animals, it is no good having people who are ordinary, because they are not going to interest your readers at all. Every writer in the world has to use the characters that have something interesting about them, and this is even more true in children's books.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Roald Dahl Storytelling Talk, 1990
Writers need distinctive, compelling characters to engage readers; ordinary characters fail to capture interest, especially in children's literature.
In simple terms: Interesting characters keep readers engaged.
Key Takeaway
Create memorable, unique characters.
Themes
character development
engagement
children's literature
creativity
storytelling
Mood
thoughtful
inspired
Type
advice
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- children's book drafting
- character brainstorming
- editing drafts
Key Concepts
character archetypes
psychology of readers
narrative hook
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you make an ordinary character intriguing?
- When is an ordinary character appropriate?
A Different Perspective
Ordinary characters can still serve a purpose in realism or satire.
![“When you're done [with writing a book], people tell you "Well, gee, I'm not interested." "Great, I'm glad I sat down and wrote this!"” quote by Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1ce/lewis-black-1143_book_when-you-re-done-with-writing-a-book-peo_674099.jpg)
