--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you get the characters right you've…" description: "\"If you get the characters right you've done sometimes nearly half the work. I sometimes find I get the characters right then the characters will often ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/terry-pratchett-19_book_if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-d_2040000.jpg" --- # If you get the characters right you've done sometimes… ![“If you get the characters right you've done sometimes nearly half the work. I sometimes find I get the characters right then the characters will often help me write the book - not what they look like that's not very important - what people look like is not about their character. You have to…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/terry-pratchett-19_book_if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-d_2040000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/terry-pratchett-19_book_if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-d_2040000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/terry-pratchett-19_book_if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-d_2040000.jpg) > “If you get the characters right you've done sometimes nearly half the work. I sometimes find I get the characters right then the characters will often help me write the book - not what they look like that's not very important - what people look like is not about their character. You have to describe the shape they leave in the world, how they react to things, what effect they have on people and you do that by telling their story.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage stresses that getting a character’s essence—how they affect the world and others—is more vital than superficial details; true character emerges through actions and impact. **In simple terms:** Focus on a character’s influence, not just appearance. Key Takeaway Show characters through their effects on the world. Themes character development storytelling writing psychology impact Mood inspirational practical Type creative educational professional When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - role‑playing games - teaching literature - character workshops Key Concepts Narrative voice empathy worldbuilding Questions to Reflect On - What actions best reveal a character’s core? - How can you balance description with narrative? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on internal monologue can stall plot progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-shape-1082678/) [Characters Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-help-2560565/) [Characters Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-right-1949456/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Help me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-me/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Telling Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-story/) [Work Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-characters-1230770/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I've always wanted to do characters that would help me find my connection with others and connect all of us together. You always want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-ve-always-wanted-to-do-characters-that-would-help-me-find-my/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [The shape of your character is the shape of your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/the-shape-of-your-character-is-the-shape-of-your-future/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [“Curves, Clothes, Character (The Sonnet) Your abs won't last, your racks won't last, Eventually everything ends up in wrinkle. Polish the outside all you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/curves-clothes-character-the-sonnet-your-abs-won-t-last-your-racks/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [My feeling with my characters is that they all have a right to feel exactly the way that they do, so I never censor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-thompson/my-feeling-with-my-characters-is-that-they-all-have-a-right-to-feel/) [Scott Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-thompson/) > [The important thing is not just getting good players in, but getting good characters and the right types of player in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/the-important-thing-is-not-just-getting-good-players-in-but-getting/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [What I've found is if you get the right characters in the right story and put them in the right setting - and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bartlett/what-i-ve-found-is-if-you-get-the-right-characters-in-the-right-story/) [Mike Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bartlett/) > [One of the most powerful lessons I learned is when you make an argument in a film, you have to make sure both characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/one-of-the-most-powerful-lessons-i-learned-is-when-you-make-an/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [Actors want to work. Give them characters they want to play, or a story they want to tell, and hopefully the budget will follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorene-scafaria/actors-want-to-work-give-them-characters-they-want-to-play-or-a-story/) [Lorene Scafaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorene-scafaria/) > [If you look at my body of work, my characters drastically vary, and so I typically don't play the same role. It makes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-trucks/if-you-look-at-my-body-of-work-my-characters-drastically-vary-and-so/) [Toni Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-trucks/) > [You can't rewrite the history books; you can't eliminate the impact of my work and my characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liefeld/you-can-t-rewrite-the-history-books-you-can-t-eliminate-the-impact-of/) [Rob Liefeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liefeld/) > [I really want to work on characters that have a lot of complexity and you don't always get that in comic book movies because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/i-really-want-to-work-on-characters-that-have-a-lot-of-complexity-and/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [The most fun characters to work with are characters that are complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/the-most-fun-characters-to-work-with-are-characters-that-are/) [Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/) > [If you do a scene and you really like a character in it or a premise in it to write it down and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/if-you-do-a-scene-and-you-really-like-a-character-in-it-or-a-premise/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Wearing wigs don't work for all characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shamna-kasim/wearing-wigs-don-t-work-for-all-characters/) [Shamna Kasim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shamna-kasim/) > [I always do a lot of work around characters to make them real people because, oftentimes, they really are a sliver of a person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-always-do-a-lot-of-work-around-characters-to-make-them-real-people/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## 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! 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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you get the characters right you've done sometimes nearly half the work. I sometimes find I get the characters right then the characters will often help me write the book - not what they look like that's not very important - what people look like is not about their character. You have to describe the shape they leave in the world, how they react to things, what effect they have on people and you do that by telling their story.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-done-sometimes-nearly-half-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-done-sometimes-nearly-half-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/terry-pratchett-19_book_if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-d_2040000.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/terry-pratchett-19_book_if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-d_2040000.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/terry-pratchett-19_book_if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-d_2040000.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you get the characters right you've done sometimes nearly half the work. I sometimes find I get the…” — Terry Pratchett", "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": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you get the characters right...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-done-sometimes-nearly-half-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-you-get-the-characters-right-you-ve-done-sometimes-nearly-half-the/#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 } } ] } ```