--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing fiction is very different to…" description: "\"Writing fiction is very different to writing non-fiction. I love writing novels, but on history books, like my biographies of Stalin or Catherine the G..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/simon-sebag-montefiore-2994_books_writing-fiction-is-very-different-to-wri_3131479.jpg" --- # Writing fiction is very different to writing non-fiction… ![“Writing fiction is very different to writing non-fiction. I love writing novels, but on history books, like my biographies of Stalin or Catherine the Great or Jerusalem, I spend endless hours doing vast amounts of research. But it ends up being based on the same principle as all writing about…” quote by Simon Sebag Montefiore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/simon-sebag-montefiore-2994_books_writing-fiction-is-very-different-to-wri_3131479.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/simon-sebag-montefiore-2994_books_writing-fiction-is-very-different-to-wri_3131479.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/simon-sebag-montefiore-2994_books_writing-fiction-is-very-different-to-wri_3131479.jpg) > “Writing fiction is very different to writing non-fiction. I love writing novels, but on history books, like my biographies of Stalin or Catherine the Great or Jerusalem, I spend endless hours doing vast amounts of research. But it ends up being based on the same principle as all writing about people: and that is curiosity!” [Simon Sebag Montefiore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sebag-montefiore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing fiction and non‑fiction differ in form, but both rely on curiosity to explore human stories. **In simple terms:** Curiosity drives all writing about people. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity in research and storytelling. Themes writing curiosity history Mood reflective thoughtful Type literary educational When to use this quote - academic work - creative workshops - documentary projects - personal essays Key Concepts research narrative biography Questions to Reflect On - What questions spark your curiosity about a subject? - How do you verify facts while maintaining narrative flow? A Different Perspective Balancing factual accuracy with narrative flair can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-books/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-fiction/) ## Related quotes > [When I am writing political op-eds, I do think carefully about the impact of my words. When I am writing fiction, it's a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-safak/when-i-am-writing-political-op-eds-i-do-think-carefully-about-the/) [Elif Safak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-safak/) > [We've all faced the charge that our novels are history lite, and to some extent, that's true. 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