--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good story' means something worth telling…" description: "\"Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task...But the love of a good story, of terrific ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/robert-mckee-8479_character_good-story-means-something-worth-telling_563001.jpg" --- # Good story' means something worth telling that the world… ![“Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task...But the love of a good story, of terrific characters and a world driven by your passion, courage, and creative gifts is still not enough. Your goal must be a good story well told.” quote by Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/robert-mckee-8479_character_good-story-means-something-worth-telling_563001.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/robert-mckee-8479_character_good-story-means-something-worth-telling_563001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/robert-mckee-8479_character_good-story-means-something-worth-telling_563001.jpg) > “Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task...But the love of a good story, of terrific characters and a world driven by your passion, courage, and creative gifts is still not enough. Your goal must be a good story well told.” [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A compelling narrative must be both meaningful and engaging, resonating with audience desires while being crafted with skill and passion. **In simple terms:** A good story is meaningful and engaging. Key Takeaway Focus on crafting a resonant, well‑told story. Themes storytelling creativity passion craft audience Mood inspired determined Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - writing a screenplay - novel writing - pitching a story - teaching storytelling Key Concepts narrative structure character development world‑building Questions to Reflect On - What element of your story most connects with readers? - How can you balance passion with structure? A Different Perspective Great ideas alone aren’t enough without disciplined execution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Driven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Good story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-story/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [A good story is alive, ever changing and growing as it meets each listener or reader in a spirited and unique encounter, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/a-good-story-is-alive-ever-changing-and-growing-as-it-meets-each/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [I've been reading tabloids since I was nine. I love a good story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/i-ve-been-reading-tabloids-since-i-was-nine-i-love-a-good-story/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [I project love, music and love, and I pray for peace. A good song cuts straight to the heart; sometimes it doesn't need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-project-love-music-and-love-and-i-pray-for-peace-a-good-song-cuts/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [It is in your DNA to love a good story. You know, neat tales with heroes and villains and conflicts to resolve. A good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/it-is-in-your-dna-to-love-a-good-story-you-know-neat-tales-with/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [People still love a good story, and I don't think that will change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-iger/people-still-love-a-good-story-and-i-don-t-think-that-will-change/) [Bob Iger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-iger/) > [ “Death is 'where you run to when none of the principalities of your conscience will grant you asylum.' …'In my world \[(Africa)\] death will… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/death-is-where-you-run-to-when-none-of-the-principalities-of-your/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“Whatever the story means in the story which I told you, the fact of thinking in terms of stories does not isolate human beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-adams/whatever-the-story-means-in-the-story-which-i-told-you-the-fact-of/) [Cameron Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-adams/) > [“Death isn’t about endings, or beginnings, it’s about taking the next step on a long road to finding out what humanity really means. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chessela-helm/death-isn-t-about-endings-or-beginnings-it-s-about-taking-the-next/) [Chessela Helm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chessela-helm/) > [“But it’s hard to say where experience ends and imagination begins. The story is by no means a true story. But the feelings in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-it-s-hard-to-say-where-experience-ends-and-imagination-begins-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I write to find out what the story means to me, that is what I try to do especially with the first draft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-write-to-find-out-what-the-story-means-to-me-that-is-what-i-try-to/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise... Because this is how life is full of surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/a-story-to-me-means-a-plot-where-there-is-some-surprise-because-this/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this storyteller is alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/sad-words-are-just-another-beauty-a-sad-story-means-this-storyteller-2/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this storyteller is alive. The next thing you know something fine will happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/sad-words-are-just-another-beauty-a-sad-story-means-this-storyteller/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“Which is why books are such a lifeline. Stepping into the pages of someone else’s story means joining them in their normal life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-davidson-politano/which-is-why-books-are-such-a-lifeline-stepping-into-the-pages-of/) [Joanna Davidson Politano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-davidson-politano/) > [“To love someone is to put yourself in their place, we say, which is to put ourself in their story, or figure out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/to-love-someone-is-to-put-yourself-in-their-place-we-say-which-is-to/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) ## More by Robert McKee > [Story isn't a flight from reality but a vehicle that carries us on our search for reality,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/story-isn-t-a-flight-from-reality-but-a-vehicle-that-carries-us-on/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Don't be didactic - don't write about poverty. Write about poor people. When you dramatize their lives and let life and characters be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/don-t-be-didactic-don-t-write-about-poverty-write-about-poor-people/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [To connect to people at the deepest level, you need stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/to-connect-to-people-at-the-deepest-level-you-need-stories/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Talent without craft is like fuel without an engine, it burns wildly but accomplishes nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/talent-without-craft-is-like-fuel-without-an-engine-it-burns-wildly/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [“If the story you're telling, is the story you're telling, you're in deep shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/if-the-story-you-re-telling-is-the-story-you-re-telling-you-re-in/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Classical design is a mirror of the human mind. It's how we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/classical-design-is-a-mirror-of-the-human-mind-it-s-how-we-see-the/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [To get the truth, you want to get your own heart to pound while you write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/to-get-the-truth-you-want-to-get-your-own-heart-to-pound-while-you/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [What happens is fact, not truth. Truth is what we think about what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/what-happens-is-fact-not-truth-truth-is-what-we-think-about-what/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [The universal erosion of values has lead to the universal erosion of story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/the-universal-erosion-of-values-has-lead-to-the-universal-erosion-of/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [In a world of lies and liars, an honest work of art is always an act of social responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/in-a-world-of-lies-and-liars-an-honest-work-of-art-is-always-an-act/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Influence is just persuasion in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/influence-is-just-persuasion-in-slow-motion/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Most of life's actions are within our reach, but decisions take willpower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/most-of-life-s-actions-are-within-our-reach-but-decisions-take/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [We realize we can't go around saying and doing what we're actually thinking and feeling. If we all did that, life would be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/we-realize-we-can-t-go-around-saying-and-doing-what-we-re-actually/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Oh, by the way, I tend to use a lot of profanities. I do that for a reason: I like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/oh-by-the-way-i-tend-to-use-a-lot-of-profanities-i-do-that-for-a/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Story is metaphor for life and life is lived in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/story-is-metaphor-for-life-and-life-is-lived-in-time/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) [Explore all 78 Robert McKee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [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/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task...But the love of a good story, of terrific characters and a world driven by your passion, courage, and creative gifts is still not enough. Your goal must be a good story well told.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert McKee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/good-story-means-something-worth-telling-that-the-world-wants-to-hear/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/good-story-means-something-worth-telling-that-the-world-wants-to-hear/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/robert-mckee-8479_character_good-story-means-something-worth-telling_563001.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/robert-mckee-8479_character_good-story-means-something-worth-telling_563001.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/robert-mckee-8479_character_good-story-means-something-worth-telling_563001.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely…” — Robert McKee", "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": "Robert McKee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good story' means something worth telling...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/good-story-means-something-worth-telling-that-the-world-wants-to-hear/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/good-story-means-something-worth-telling-that-the-world-wants-to-hear/#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 } } ] } ```