--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I heard John Wells say something really…" description: "\"I heard John Wells say something really smart, many years ago. He said, \"Assume your audience is really intelligent. Assume that they are really smart,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/veena-sud-27264_assuming_i-heard-john-wells-say-something-really_2071525.jpg" --- # I heard John Wells say something really smart, many years… ![“I heard John Wells say something really smart, many years ago. He said, "Assume your audience is really intelligent. Assume that they are really smart, and tell your story that way." So, for me, it's about never assuming that they will go away because they're not entertained.” quote by Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/veena-sud-27264_assuming_i-heard-john-wells-say-something-really_2071525.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/veena-sud-27264_assuming_i-heard-john-wells-say-something-really_2071525.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/veena-sud-27264_assuming_i-heard-john-wells-say-something-really_2071525.jpg) > “I heard John Wells say something really smart, many years ago. He said, "Assume your audience is really intelligent. Assume that they are really smart, and tell your story that way." So, for me, it's about never assuming that they will go away because they're not entertained.” [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourage audiences by treating them as intelligent, crafting narratives that respect their intellect. **In simple terms:** Treat listeners as smart and tell the story accordingly. Key Takeaway Respect audience intelligence. Themes communication storytelling respect audience engagement Mood thoughtful professional Type advice instructional When to use this quote - presentations - marketing pitches - educational talks - media interviews Key Concepts intelligence narrative strategy listener assumptions Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance respect for intelligence with clarity? - What techniques keep smart audiences engaged? A Different Perspective Assuming intelligence may overlook need for clear, engaging content. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Going away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-away/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [We read novels. We read hundreds of pages of words, when the story is good because we're willing to stay there. I hope the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/we-read-novels-we-read-hundreds-of-pages-of-words-when-the-story-is/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [ I really like the director \[for Weeds\]. I don't know if you've spoken to him yet but he's really, really intelligent. He was just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-louise-parker/i-really-like-the-director-for-weeds-i-don-t-know-if-you-ve-spoken-to/) [Mary-Louise Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-louise-parker/) > [I'm lucky to have my dad in my life. He's very brilliant, I think he's really a smart man, and he's a kind guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-horn/i-m-lucky-to-have-my-dad-in-my-life-he-s-very-brilliant-i-think-he-s/) [Cody Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-horn/) > [“It is essential that we understand the audience on its own terms. We should not assume that every audience thinks as we do, decides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helio-fred-garcia/it-is-essential-that-we-understand-the-audience-on-its-own-terms-we/) [Helio Fred Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helio-fred-garcia/) > [“I always get a little bit irritated when people talk about 'bringing poetry to the people' especially those poet - performers who seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-donaghy/i-always-get-a-little-bit-irritated-when-people-talk-about-bringing/) [Michael Donaghy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-donaghy/) > [People assume that your audience is full of people who love you. But, typically, it's one person in four who's chosen to come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/people-assume-that-your-audience-is-full-of-people-who-love-you-but/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [What I prefer is an audience who listen. And are intelligent. Which I try and assume every audience is. And that if something goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/what-i-prefer-is-an-audience-who-listen-and-are-intelligent-which-i/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [When you can assume that your audience holds the same beliefs you do, you can relax and use more normal means of talking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/when-you-can-assume-that-your-audience-holds-the-same-beliefs-you-do/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [I'd never assume an audience was anything but totally receptive and perfect. Seriously, it seems to me that's the only circumstance you can work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/i-d-never-assume-an-audience-was-anything-but-totally-receptive-and/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [You can consider me stubborn, but I think I'm really intelligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajon-rondo/you-can-consider-me-stubborn-but-i-think-i-m-really-intelligent/) [Rajon Rondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajon-rondo/) > [The really intelligent person keeps his childhood alive to his last breath.He never loses it-the wonder the child feels looking at the birds,looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-really-intelligent-person-keeps-his-childhood-alive-to-his-last/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Stephen Moyer is probably the most gracious, gifted actor that Ive met. Hes really intelligent. He has a real sensitivity to his character, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-cruz/stephen-moyer-is-probably-the-most-gracious-gifted-actor-that-ive-met/) [Valerie Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-cruz/) > [Waka is really intelligent. A lot of people don't know that because he just gets people hyped up, but he's a dynamic individual, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/waka-is-really-intelligent-a-lot-of-people-don-t-know-that-because-he/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [A really intelligent man feels what other men only know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/a-really-intelligent-man-feels-what-other-men-only-know/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Contrary to popular belief, a lot of us who have speech impediments are really, really intelligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-blaydes/contrary-to-popular-belief-a-lot-of-us-who-have-speech-impediments/) [Curtis Blaydes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-blaydes/) ## More by Veena Sud > [If I had multiple lives, I'd like to do many things, including being a homicide investigator. I'm not brave enough to chase people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/if-i-had-multiple-lives-i-d-like-to-do-many-things-including-being-a/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [The most surprising thing to me is what an incredibly intense effort it's been to create a world from the ground up. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/the-most-surprising-thing-to-me-is-what-an-incredibly-intense-effort/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [It's a challenge, for sure. My family is not seeing me at all, for probably the next six months, and they haven't seen me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/it-s-a-challenge-for-sure-my-family-is-not-seeing-me-at-all-for/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [I've always been kind of drawn to the extremities of human nature. I wrote my first screenplay when I was 16. The initial idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/i-ve-always-been-kind-of-drawn-to-the-extremities-of-human-nature-i/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [We read novels. We read hundreds of pages of words, when the story is good because we're willing to stay there. I hope the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/we-read-novels-we-read-hundreds-of-pages-of-words-when-the-story-is/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [Because we spent so much time in the writer's room, not even talking about where it goes, but just who the people are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/because-we-spent-so-much-time-in-the-writer-s-room-not-even-talking/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [ The thing I love about this story \[The Killing\] and this type of storytelling is that I don't have to know the end before… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/the-thing-i-love-about-this-story-the-killing-and-this-type-of/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [It's the open ocean right now because it's so unique. It's a really unique way of doing American television. There are a million possibilities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/it-s-the-open-ocean-right-now-because-it-s-so-unique-it-s-a-really/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [ It was a very, very intense and long casting process \[for The Killing\] because we really had to find the right people who could… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/it-was-a-very-very-intense-and-long-casting-process-for-the-killing/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [And as cynical and jaded as many have become, you see the heroic nature of cops, who put aside a lot of their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/and-as-cynical-and-jaded-as-many-have-become-you-see-the-heroic/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [By not foretelling the ending to yourself, as a writer, you're able to open up the canvas and say, "I'm going to go here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/by-not-foretelling-the-ending-to-yourself-as-a-writer-you-re-able-to/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [I used to live in New York and now I live in L.A., and somehow I've become a different person because of the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/i-used-to-live-in-new-york-and-now-i-live-in-l-a-and-somehow-i-ve/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [But, for the role of Sarah Linden, we saw everybody. Everybody wanted this role. Every female actor in town really wanted to play a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/but-for-the-role-of-sarah-linden-we-saw-everybody-everybody-wanted/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [I'm really trying to just keep this internal, and be faithful to the story and the characters, and keep 99.9% of my brain there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/i-m-really-trying-to-just-keep-this-internal-and-be-faithful-to-the/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [Seattle is beautiful. You look at the sky and it's one of the most beautiful skies in the world, and then there's the Puget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/seattle-is-beautiful-you-look-at-the-sky-and-it-s-one-of-the-most/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) [Explore all 20 Veena Sud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) ## More Assuming quotes > [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/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I heard John Wells say something really smart, many years ago. He said, \"Assume your audience is really intelligent. 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