--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I put together a graphic novel, I…" description: "\"When I put together a graphic novel, I don't think about literary prose. I think about storytelling.\" — Ted Rall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/ted-rall-13770_books_when-i-put-together-a-graphic-novel-i-do_2455170.png" --- # When I put together a graphic novel, I don't think about… ![“When I put together a graphic novel, I don't think about literary prose. I think about storytelling.” quote by Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/ted-rall-13770_books_when-i-put-together-a-graphic-novel-i-do_2455170.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/ted-rall-13770_books_when-i-put-together-a-graphic-novel-i-do_2455170.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/ted-rall-13770_books_when-i-put-together-a-graphic-novel-i-do_2455170.png) > “When I put together a graphic novel, I don't think about literary prose. I think about storytelling.” [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creator prioritizes visual storytelling over traditional prose, focusing on narrative flow through images. **In simple terms:** Visual storytelling matters more than prose for comics. Key Takeaway Focus on visual narrative. Themes storytelling visual art creativity Mood reflective inspired Type creative instructional When to use this quote - Comic creation - illustration projects - visual marketing - education - media production Key Concepts Narrative structure graphic design Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance image and text? - What storytelling elements translate best visually? A Different Perspective May neglect depth of language and character development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Graphic novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graphic-novels/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If I had to rank my skills, I have a long way to go before I can write a good graphic novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/if-i-had-to-rank-my-skills-i-have-a-long-way-to-go-before-i-can-write/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [I don't think anyone has written a great graphic novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-don-t-think-anyone-has-written-a-great-graphic-novel/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [In prose, I think you sometimes have to write in very plain language, where every line may not seem to be so important, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/in-prose-i-think-you-sometimes-have-to-write-in-very-plain-language/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [Back in the 1980s, when I was a lowly editorial assistant by day and trying to be a novelist by night, no god reigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hanff-korelitz/back-in-the-1980s-when-i-was-a-lowly-editorial-assistant-by-day-and/) [Jean Hanff Korelitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hanff-korelitz/) > [I think with something like 'Watchmen' you can genuinely call that a graphic novel because it has the weight and the intent of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/i-think-with-something-like-watchmen-you-can-genuinely-call-that-a/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [I never wanted to make a graphic novel. As soon as you become a 'writer,' you have to be intelligent all the time... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-never-wanted-to-make-a-graphic-novel-as-soon-as-you-become-a-writer/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [Comics are actually dubbed by euphemistic label of graphic novel, which became a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-mouly/comics-are-actually-dubbed-by-euphemistic-label-of-graphic-novel/) [Francoise Mouly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-mouly/) > [The graphic novel? I love comics and so, yes. I don't think we talked about that. We weren't influenced necessarily by graphic novels but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/the-graphic-novel-i-love-comics-and-so-yes-i-don-t-think-we-talked/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [I mistrust the term graphic novel because it sounds like a good thing to put on a tee-shirt. That's why the French like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-mistrust-the-term-graphic-novel-because-it-sounds-like-a-good-thing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I wrote a graphic novel called 'Soul Stealer' with big, beautiful, epic artwork by Chris Shy. It grew into a trilogy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-easton/i-wrote-a-graphic-novel-called-soul-stealer-with-big-beautiful-epic/) [Michael Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-easton/) > [I started on the original comics from Stan Lee and all the artists and storytellers did from there, and I got to the graphic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-helman/i-started-on-the-original-comics-from-stan-lee-and-all-the-artists/) [Josh Helman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-helman/) > [“The book is almost always better than the movie. You could have no better case in point than FROM HELL, Alan Moore's best graphic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/the-book-is-almost-always-better-than-the-movie-you-could-have-no/) [Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/) > [I always loved comic books and I'm still a great fan of the graphic novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-hill/i-always-loved-comic-books-and-i-m-still-a-great-fan-of-the-graphic/) [Walter Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-hill/) > [ We \[Rodriguez and Frank Miller\] wanted to take the movies and turn them into a graphic novel, so that people wouldn't even know what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rodriguez/we-rodriguez-and-frank-miller-wanted-to-take-the-movies-and-turn-them/) [Robert Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rodriguez/) > [In many ways, my entire graphic novel career was a long diversion. Originally, all I wanted to do was to be an underground cartoonist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/in-many-ways-my-entire-graphic-novel-career-was-a-long-diversion/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) ## More by Ted Rall > [I was reading through all these NSA programs that Snowden has revealed, and one of the ones that fascinated me was that smart TVs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-was-reading-through-all-these-nsa-programs-that-snowden-has/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [What people don't seem to ever understand is that any infrastructure that exists under your regime, in your current government, will be appropriated and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/what-people-don-t-seem-to-ever-understand-is-that-any-infrastructure/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [“What you read at Columbia is Plato's Republic and Homer's Iliad. What you learn at Columbia is that reading isn't education. Education is figuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/what-you-read-at-columbia-is-plato-s-republic-and-homer-s-iliad-what/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [I'm a better editorial cartoonist by default because so many editorial cartoonists out there are so awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-m-a-better-editorial-cartoonist-by-default-because-so-many/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [“I suppose I could have been nicer when I was at Columbia. I could have been polite, respectful, turned in my papers on time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-suppose-i-could-have-been-nicer-when-i-was-at-columbia-i-could-have/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [Imagine foreign troops sitting idly, laughing as hooligans trashed the Smithsonian, stole the gold from Fort Knox and burned down the Department of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/imagine-foreign-troops-sitting-idly-laughing-as-hooligans-trashed-the/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [I think Maus I is better than Maus II. The standard here is whether or not it's as good as a great book of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-think-maus-i-is-better-than-maus-ii-the-standard-here-is-whether-or/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [When you have birds you stare at them a lot and their eyes are recessed on their head. When they look at something they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/when-you-have-birds-you-stare-at-them-a-lot-and-their-eyes-are/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [Anyone should be able to read comics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/anyone-should-be-able-to-read-comics/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [The best thing about being a cartoonist is to walk into a bar or someone's apartment and they don't know you, but they've taped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/the-best-thing-about-being-a-cartoonist-is-to-walk-into-a-bar-or/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [The experts who managed the original Marshall Plan say Afghanistan needs a commitment of at least $5 to $10 billion over 5 to 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/the-experts-who-managed-the-original-marshall-plan-say-afghanistan/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [Up until 1995, I still had a day job that I hated. I was still personally involved in things in the 90s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/up-until-1995-i-still-had-a-day-job-that-i-hated-i-was-still/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [I never consciously do any work directly influenced from any movie, unless I'm doing a parody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-never-consciously-do-any-work-directly-influenced-from-any-movie/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [I don't think anyone has written a great graphic novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-don-t-think-anyone-has-written-a-great-graphic-novel/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [I think Dilbert is actually a radical strip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-think-dilbert-is-actually-a-radical-strip/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) [Explore all 49 Ted Rall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [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 have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I put together a graphic novel, I don't think about literary prose. 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