--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People who don't read fiction really…" description: "\"“People who don't read fiction really scare me.”\" — Tenaya Jayne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/tenaya-jayne-69717_quote_people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-sca_2150267.jpg" --- # People who don't read fiction really scare me. ![“People who don't read fiction really scare me.” quote by Tenaya Jayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/tenaya-jayne-69717_quote_people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-sca_2150267.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/tenaya-jayne-69717_quote_people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-sca_2150267.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/tenaya-jayne-69717_quote_people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-sca_2150267.jpg) > ““People who don't read fiction really scare me.”” Tenaya Jayne ## 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 believes that reading fiction is essential for empathy and imagination, and those who avoid it lack depth. **In simple terms:** Fiction builds empathy; lacking it is scary. Key Takeaway Read fiction to expand empathy. Themes empathy literature culture Mood thoughtful critical Type observational inspirational When to use this quote - education - book clubs - personal growth - teaching reading Key Concepts psychology social critique Questions to Reflect On - What does fiction teach you about others? - How can non‑readers develop empathy? A Different Perspective Not everyone enjoys fiction; other media can also foster empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) ## Related quotes > [It's not good to let any kid near a container that has a skull and crossbones on it, because there might be a skeleton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-not-good-to-let-any-kid-near-a-container-that-has-a-skull-and/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [The idea that I'm going to have to sit down to write some fiction where I'm going to have to think of a plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/the-idea-that-i-m-going-to-have-to-sit-down-to-write-some-fiction/) [Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/) > [I think that when people read fiction, they're really reading for wisdom. I am. That's what most of us really love. If we read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-think-that-when-people-read-fiction-they-re-really-reading-for/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Gory stuff can be shocking but it doesn't really scare me. I'd say the kind of stuff that gets under my skin is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-peli/gory-stuff-can-be-shocking-but-it-doesn-t-really-scare-me-i-d-say-the/) [Oren Peli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-peli/) > [“Do I really scare you that much?” He cupped the side of her face in his hand. “Because I gotta tell you, you scare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-connor/do-i-really-scare-you-that-much-he-cupped-the-side-of-her-face-in-his/) [Claudia Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-connor/) > [Ghost stories really scare me. I have such a big imagination that after I watch a horror movie like 'The Grudge', I look in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-hudgens/ghost-stories-really-scare-me-i-have-such-a-big-imagination-that/) [Vanessa Hudgens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-hudgens/) > [Any magazine-cover hack can splash paint around wildly and call it a nightmare, or a witches sabbath or a portrait of the devil; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-magazine-cover-hack-can-splash-paint-around-wildly-and-call-it-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What do you want?” She gasped. His eyes deepened. All of those blue flecks commingled into something dark. “Baby, if I answered that, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-zanetti/what-do-you-want-she-gasped-his-eyes-deepened-all-of-those-blue/) [Rebecca Zanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-zanetti/) > [“Rose, you really do scare me sometimes. Just not for the reasons I originally thought you would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/rose-you-really-do-scare-me-sometimes-just-not-for-the-reasons-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [It's a guilty secret of a lot of writers, as you get older you don't read as much fiction as you used to, mainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-a-guilty-secret-of-a-lot-of-writers-as-you-get-older-you-don-t/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Why is life a constant disappointment?' 'Because we read fiction,' Mia said, and Shelley nodded, knowing it was true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/why-is-life-a-constant-disappointment-because-we-read-fiction-mia/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [It had also been my belief since I started writing fiction that science fiction is never really about the future. When science fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/it-had-also-been-my-belief-since-i-started-writing-fiction-that/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [I like films about people who figured out what they believed and had the guts to act on it in a way that added…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-kaplan/i-like-films-about-people-who-figured-out-what-they-believed-and-had/) [Robert S. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) > [I swing with a lot of torque from non-fiction to fiction, and I really like that place in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/i-swing-with-a-lot-of-torque-from-non-fiction-to-fiction-and-i-really/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [The range of my interests in science fiction - it really does run a gamut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laeta-kalogridis/the-range-of-my-interests-in-science-fiction-it-really-does-run-a/) [Laeta Kalogridis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laeta-kalogridis/) ## More by Tenaya Jayne > [“You're not going to just walk out of my life. Especially when your reasons are ass backwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenaya-jayne/you-re-not-going-to-just-walk-out-of-my-life-especially-when-your/) Tenaya Jayne > [“all hearts are capable of hate, forest. That doesn't make them worthless”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenaya-jayne/all-hearts-are-capable-of-hate-forest-that-doesn-t-make-them-worthless/) tenaya jayne > [“Chapter one is where you reach out your hand to the reader and say, "Come, let's have an adventure together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenaya-jayne/chapter-one-is-where-you-reach-out-your-hand-to-the-reader-and-say/) Tenaya Jayne Explore all 4 Tenaya Jayne quotes ## More Fiction quotes > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) Edward Einhorn > [Fiction is a way of exploring possibilities present but undreamt of in the living of a single life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/fiction-is-a-way-of-exploring-possibilities-present-but-undreamt-of/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [I love writing fiction and can do it anywhere - I once even missed a flight because I was so engrossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-love-writing-fiction-and-can-do-it-anywhere-i-once-even-missed-a/) [Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/) > [“The fiction will seek the real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coheed-and-cambria/the-fiction-will-seek-the-real/) Coheed and Cambria > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“His hands on my waist he gently pulled me n embrace. I could feel his breath on my face our lips were about to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-eglinger/his-hands-on-my-waist-he-gently-pulled-me-n-embrace-i-could-feel-his/) [Nicole Eglinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-eglinger/) > [In early drafts, one of the trickiest things for me to do was to realize that the techniques and devices that make readable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-rooney/in-early-drafts-one-of-the-trickiest-things-for-me-to-do-was-to/) [Kathleen Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-rooney/) > [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [Metafiction says something. It has to do with taking a large fiction itself and writing within it; that kind of self-reflecting writing that emerges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coover/metafiction-says-something-it-has-to-do-with-taking-a-large-fiction/) [Robert Coover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coover/) [Browse all 7,410 Fiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People who don't read fiction really scare me.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tenaya Jayne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenaya-jayne/people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-scare-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fiction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenaya-jayne/people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-scare-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/tenaya-jayne-69717_quote_people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-sca_2150267.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/tenaya-jayne-69717_quote_people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-sca_2150267.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/tenaya-jayne-69717_quote_people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-sca_2150267.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People who don't read fiction really scare me.” — Tenaya Jayne", "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": "Tenaya Jayne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenaya-jayne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“People who don't read fiction really...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenaya-jayne/people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-scare-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenaya-jayne/people-who-don-t-read-fiction-really-scare-me/#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 } } ] } ```