--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is poetry in fiction. If you cannot…" description: "\"There is poetry in fiction. If you cannot see it and feel it when you write, you need to step back and examine what you are doing wrong. If you have no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/terry-brooks-3252_book_there-is-poetry-in-fiction-if-you-cannot_1705971.png" --- # There is poetry in fiction. If you cannot see it and feel… ![“There is poetry in fiction. If you cannot see it and feel it when you write, you need to step back and examine what you are doing wrong. If you have not figured out how to write a simple declarative sentence and make it sing with that poetry, you are not yet ready to write an entire book.” quote by Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/terry-brooks-3252_book_there-is-poetry-in-fiction-if-you-cannot_1705971.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/terry-brooks-3252_book_there-is-poetry-in-fiction-if-you-cannot_1705971.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/terry-brooks-3252_book_there-is-poetry-in-fiction-if-you-cannot_1705971.png) > “There is poetry in fiction. If you cannot see it and feel it when you write, you need to step back and examine what you are doing wrong. If you have not figured out how to write a simple declarative sentence and make it sing with that poetry, you are not yet ready to write an entire book.” [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing poetry in fiction requires mastering simple, singable sentences; otherwise you’re not ready for a full book. **In simple terms:** Poetry needs simple, singable sentences. Key Takeaway Practice clear, lyrical prose. Themes writing craft poetry Mood instructive encouraging Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - creative writing workshops - editing - teaching - self‑study Key Concepts literature style skill development Questions to Reflect On - How can you make sentences sing? - What makes a sentence feel poetic? A Different Perspective Complex prose can mask weak storytelling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I guess it was easier for me to find my voice in poetry than it was in fiction. I'm working on fiction again, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-hamby/i-guess-it-was-easier-for-me-to-find-my-voice-in-poetry-than-it-was/) [Barbara Hamby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-hamby/) > [I spend most of my time reading non-fiction of all sorts. Then poetry. Then fiction to blurb. Then fiction I want to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-shepard/i-spend-most-of-my-time-reading-non-fiction-of-all-sorts-then-poetry/) [Jim Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-shepard/) > [Then I discovered I loved writing poetry more than fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/then-i-discovered-i-loved-writing-poetry-more-than-fiction/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [The whole point of writing poetry or fiction is that you get to agonize over whatever it is you want to say, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-laird/the-whole-point-of-writing-poetry-or-fiction-is-that-you-get-to/) [Nick Laird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-laird/) > [One of the primary differences for me between fiction and poetry is that fiction uses every sort of tool that poetry does but hides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/one-of-the-primary-differences-for-me-between-fiction-and-poetry-is/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [I think it's true that that's something that poetry can go to school on fiction. I think poetry can go to fiction to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-think-it-s-true-that-that-s-something-that-poetry-can-go-to-school/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I am all the time thinking about poetry and fiction and you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/i-am-all-the-time-thinking-about-poetry-and-fiction-and-you/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [It was actually a women's writing group I belonged to in graduate school that gave me the courage to move from poetry to fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/it-was-actually-a-women-s-writing-group-i-belonged-to-in-graduate/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [I think that it's more likely that in my 60s and 70s I will be writing poetry rather than fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morgan/i-think-that-it-s-more-likely-that-in-my-60s-and-70s-i-will-be/) [Robert Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morgan/) > [Even the people who have had success and made money writing these books of fiction seem to feel the need to pretend it's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/even-the-people-who-have-had-success-and-made-money-writing-these/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [I'm reluctant to get involved in science fiction, because I feel like I've done it and done it well, so unless something comes along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bamber/i-m-reluctant-to-get-involved-in-science-fiction-because-i-feel-like/) [Jamie Bamber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bamber/) > [As a teenager, I didn't read a ton of teen fiction, and now I feel like I wish that I had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-andrews/as-a-teenager-i-didn-t-read-a-ton-of-teen-fiction-and-now-i-feel-like/) [Jesse Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-andrews/) > [I want my fiction to feel real most of the time, so it makes sense to pay attention to life and to how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-earls/i-want-my-fiction-to-feel-real-most-of-the-time-so-it-makes-sense-to/) [Nick Earls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-earls/) > [But I think writing should be a bit of a struggle. We're not writing things that are going to change the world in big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evie-wyld/but-i-think-writing-should-be-a-bit-of-a-struggle-we-re-not-writing/) [Evie Wyld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evie-wyld/) > [It's true that I don't rearrange that much in the fiction, but I feel if you change even one name or the order of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/it-s-true-that-i-don-t-rearrange-that-much-in-the-fiction-but-i-feel/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) ## More by Terry Brooks > [“a kaleidoscopic, fragmented rush of images that exploded out of memory. They careened into her like an avalanche and swept her away,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/a-kaleidoscopic-fragmented-rush-of-images-that-exploded-out-of-memory/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [Might have, could have, may have, should have—the haves and have nots reduced to pointless possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/might-have-could-have-may-have-should-have-the-haves-and-have-nots/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [“You spend so much time wondering who you are, don't you think? You flounder about, searching for your identity, when most of the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/you-spend-so-much-time-wondering-who-you-are-don-t-you-think-you/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [“Writers need their writing; they need their imaginary worlds in order to find piece in, or make sense of, the real world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/writers-need-their-writing-they-need-their-imaginary-worlds-in-order/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [THE NAME OF THE WIND marks the debut of a writer we would all do well to watch. Patrick Rothfuss has real talent, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/the-name-of-the-wind-marks-the-debut-of-a-writer-we-would-all-do-well/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [If anything in your life is more important than writing - anything at all - you should walk away now while you still can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/if-anything-in-your-life-is-more-important-than-writing-anything-at/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [We are constantly being put to the test by trying circumstances and difficult people and problems not necessarily of our own making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/we-are-constantly-being-put-to-the-test-by-trying-circumstances-and/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [The Golden Compass is one of the best fantasy / adventure stories that I have read. This is a book no one should miss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/the-golden-compass-is-one-of-the-best-fantasy-adventure-stories-that/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [I am incomplete without my work. I am so closely bound to it, so much identified by it, that without it I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/i-am-incomplete-without-my-work-i-am-so-closely-bound-to-it-so-much/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [We must nurture and love, if life is to have any real meaning. But First we must find a way to survive against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/we-must-nurture-and-love-if-life-is-to-have-any-real-meaning-but/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [When she cried, he would say, "there is nothing wrong with crying. Your feelings tell you who are. They tell what is important. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/when-she-cried-he-would-say-there-is-nothing-wrong-with-crying-your/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [Fiction writing is a twenty-four-hou r-a-day occupation. You never leave your work behind. It is always with you, and to some extent, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/fiction-writing-is-a-twenty-four-hou-r-a-day-occupation-you-never/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [It's better to die in pursuit of your dreams than to live a life without hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/it-s-better-to-die-in-pursuit-of-your-dreams-than-to-live-a-life/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [If you do not hear music in your words, you have put too much thought into your writing and not enough heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/if-you-do-not-hear-music-in-your-words-you-have-put-too-much-thought/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [If I have the means, I have the responsibility to employ them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/if-i-have-the-means-i-have-the-responsibility-to-employ-them/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) [Explore all 133 Terry Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) ## More Book 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/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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