--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I really knew how to do good…" description: "\"If I really knew how to do good storytelling, I would be a writer. Mystery is not a huge part of it. ... It's tension, it's relationships. I think it's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/scott-cohen-23412_good-storytelling_if-i-really-knew-how-to-do-good-storytel_1862260.png" --- # If I really knew how to do good storytelling, I would be a… ![“If I really knew how to do good storytelling, I would be a writer. Mystery is not a huge part of it. ... It's tension, it's relationships. I think it's a struggle.” quote by Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/scott-cohen-23412_good-storytelling_if-i-really-knew-how-to-do-good-storytel_1862260.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/scott-cohen-23412_good-storytelling_if-i-really-knew-how-to-do-good-storytel_1862260.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/scott-cohen-23412_good-storytelling_if-i-really-knew-how-to-do-good-storytel_1862260.png) > “If I really knew how to do good storytelling, I would be a writer. Mystery is not a huge part of it. ... It's tension, it's relationships. I think it's a struggle.” [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits that good storytelling relies more on tension and relationships than mystery, viewing it as an ongoing struggle. **In simple terms:** Storytelling needs tension and relationships, not just mystery. Key Takeaway Focus on character dynamics and conflict. Themes storytelling conflict relationships Mood analytical encouraging Type educational reflective When to use this quote - writing workshops - film production - novel drafting Key Concepts narrative theory creative writing Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance tension with plot? - What relationships drive your narrative? A Different Perspective The view may undervalue plot-driven stories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-storytelling/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Tension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tension/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [No, the thing is, we all love storytelling, and as a writer you get to tell stories all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/no-the-thing-is-we-all-love-storytelling-and-as-a-writer-you-get-to/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... the main concern of the fiction writer is with mystery as it is incarnated in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-main-concern-of-the-fiction-writer-is-with-mystery-as-it-is/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [I am more of a suspense writer. A mystery writer solves mysteries. I am a high suspense writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/i-am-more-of-a-suspense-writer-a-mystery-writer-solves-mysteries-i-am/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [The thing about being a mystery writer, what marks a mystery writer out from a chick lit author or historical fiction writer, is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/the-thing-about-being-a-mystery-writer-what-marks-a-mystery-writer/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [To me good storytelling is about journeys. It's about people's journeys, people's discoveries and how they deal with those discoveries; circumstances that put people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/to-me-good-storytelling-is-about-journeys-it-s-about-people-s/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [Good storytelling for me is not so much technical expertise, which I know is applauded often; it's actually freshness of approach. It does mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/good-storytelling-for-me-is-not-so-much-technical-expertise-which-i/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [My theory for nonfiction is that nobody can be free of some kind of conceptions about whatever story they're writing. But if you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/my-theory-for-nonfiction-is-that-nobody-can-be-free-of-some-kind-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Good storytelling appeals to me - good writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanaa-lathan/good-storytelling-appeals-to-me-good-writing/) [Sanaa Lathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanaa-lathan/) > [There's no harmony in most people in a way, and I'm attracted to it, and I think it makes for good storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/there-s-no-harmony-in-most-people-in-a-way-and-i-m-attracted-to-it/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [An author must learn the principles of good storytelling only in order to write better from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-shulevitz/an-author-must-learn-the-principles-of-good-storytelling-only-in/) Uri Shulevitz > [Good storytelling is harder than it sounds, but the easy part is that everyone has the ability to do it. ...Tap into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-guber/good-storytelling-is-harder-than-it-sounds-but-the-easy-part-is-that/) [Peter Guber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-guber/) > [I look for really great characters. I say great because as long as they're really good, there's something you can do. And really good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/i-look-for-really-great-characters-i-say-great-because-as-long-as/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [I think that good storytelling of any kind does promote a humility in that it encourages you to see the world the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-think-that-good-storytelling-of-any-kind-does-promote-a-humility-in/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [Good storytelling doesn't have to be in the form of the classics. It doesn't have to be revered by everybody. In fact, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/good-storytelling-doesn-t-have-to-be-in-the-form-of-the-classics-it/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [I really just believe in good storytelling, and we shouldn't have to sacrifice that just because we're a comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinta-brunson/i-really-just-believe-in-good-storytelling-and-we-shouldn-t-have-to/) [Quinta Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinta-brunson/) ## More by Scott Cohen > [There are just times when your body and your soul feed into a character and you somehow meet at the point where that character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/there-are-just-times-when-your-body-and-your-soul-feed-into-a/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [I have always wanted to do a book about actors because I think that the death of a character is a tremendously emotional experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/i-have-always-wanted-to-do-a-book-about-actors-because-i-think-that/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [Throughout my life, I have held the strongest belief that if you write down what you want to accomplish in your life: your dreams,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/throughout-my-life-i-have-held-the-strongest-belief-that-if-you-write/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [When I take a role I wonder how I can use it to find out who I really am. I don't think I'm so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/when-i-take-a-role-i-wonder-how-i-can-use-it-to-find-out-who-i-really/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [The most magical moments for me come from the little ones in elementary school. They ask adorable and meaningful questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/the-most-magical-moments-for-me-come-from-the-little-ones-in/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [As an actor, you're never really in control of the product. I think the goal is to create what you want. And if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/as-an-actor-you-re-never-really-in-control-of-the-product-i-think-the/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [I made a conscious decision to take my life and career in a different direction. I started working on a play, and also, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/i-made-a-conscious-decision-to-take-my-life-and-career-in-a-different/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [There is nothing like understanding that your work has touched somebody. That is the sole purpose of acting. To be able to move and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/there-is-nothing-like-understanding-that-your-work-has-touched/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [If you are lucky as an actor, you are doing a character that really matches where you are in life, or you're doing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/if-you-are-lucky-as-an-actor-you-are-doing-a-character-that-really/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [I believe in struggle. And I believe that the struggle is beautiful. You have to try it or you will never know what's beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/i-believe-in-struggle-and-i-believe-that-the-struggle-is-beautiful/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [The Life Cube Burn is cathartic, fun, exciting, and even reverent. It's a spectacular opportunity to put a sense of finality to the event.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/the-life-cube-burn-is-cathartic-fun-exciting-and-even-reverent-it-s-a/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [I've always been creative, with a huge amount of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/i-ve-always-been-creative-with-a-huge-amount-of-energy/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [A lot of people have already been impacted by the Life Cube Project and the principles behind it. They write to me and post…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/a-lot-of-people-have-already-been-impacted-by-the-life-cube-project/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [What really put me over the top was receiving a packet of hundreds of hand-written thank you notes, telling me how the kids were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/what-really-put-me-over-the-top-was-receiving-a-packet-of-hundreds-of/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [New York is just New York. It's a hard city, it's a hard city to live in. It's a desperate city. It's filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/new-york-is-just-new-york-it-s-a-hard-city-it-s-a-hard-city-to-live/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) [Explore all 26 Scott Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) ## More Good storytelling quotes > [I really just believe in good storytelling, and we shouldn't have to sacrifice that just because we're a comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinta-brunson/i-really-just-believe-in-good-storytelling-and-we-shouldn-t-have-to/) [Quinta Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinta-brunson/) > [Good storytelling doesn't have to be in the form of the classics. It doesn't have to be revered by everybody. In fact, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/good-storytelling-doesn-t-have-to-be-in-the-form-of-the-classics-it/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [I think that good storytelling of any kind does promote a humility in that it encourages you to see the world the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-think-that-good-storytelling-of-any-kind-does-promote-a-humility-in/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [I look for really great characters. I say great because as long as they're really good, there's something you can do. And really good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/i-look-for-really-great-characters-i-say-great-because-as-long-as/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [Good storytelling is harder than it sounds, but the easy part is that everyone has the ability to do it. ...Tap into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-guber/good-storytelling-is-harder-than-it-sounds-but-the-easy-part-is-that/) [Peter Guber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-guber/) > [An author must learn the principles of good storytelling only in order to write better from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-shulevitz/an-author-must-learn-the-principles-of-good-storytelling-only-in/) Uri Shulevitz > [There's no harmony in most people in a way, and I'm attracted to it, and I think it makes for good storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/there-s-no-harmony-in-most-people-in-a-way-and-i-m-attracted-to-it/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [Good storytelling appeals to me - good writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanaa-lathan/good-storytelling-appeals-to-me-good-writing/) [Sanaa Lathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanaa-lathan/) > [My theory for nonfiction is that nobody can be free of some kind of conceptions about whatever story they're writing. But if you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/my-theory-for-nonfiction-is-that-nobody-can-be-free-of-some-kind-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Good storytelling for me is not so much technical expertise, which I know is applauded often; it's actually freshness of approach. It does mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/good-storytelling-for-me-is-not-so-much-technical-expertise-which-i/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [Im not really devoted or specified towards any specific genre at all. I really like it all. Theres good storytelling in all the genres,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-bettis/im-not-really-devoted-or-specified-towards-any-specific-genre-at-all/) [Angela Bettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-bettis/) > [Specificity is what makes good storytelling, and good storytelling is what makes money, and making money is then what encourages new producers to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/specificity-is-what-makes-good-storytelling-and-good-storytelling-is/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [“good storytelling is good because the characters — not the author — are in charge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-platt/good-storytelling-is-good-because-the-characters-not-the-author-are/) [Sean Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-platt/) > [That's what we have with the Old Testament and the New Testament: good storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-andrews/that-s-what-we-have-with-the-old-testament-and-the-new-testament-good/) [Naveen Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-andrews/) > [While I don't like violent programs per se, I do like good storytelling, which made me a fan of shows like Breaking Bad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-stuever/while-i-don-t-like-violent-programs-per-se-i-do-like-good/) [Hank Stuever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-stuever/) [Browse all 35 Good storytelling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-storytelling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I really knew how to do good storytelling, I would be a writer. 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