Character Quote by Wendy Wasserstein
“I very much write from characters. Those people start speaking, and then I have them in the house with me and I live with them. Then at some point, it's time to get them out of the house. You can only live with someone like Dr. Georgeous Teitelbaum from THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG for so long, and then it's time for her to go. But it is very like having the company of these people and trying to craft them in some way into a story.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New York Times, Wendy Wasserstein, 1995
Writing characters involves immersing in their lives, then releasing them when their story is told.
In simple terms: Authors live with characters, then let them go.
Key Takeaway
Write, then release.
Themes
creativity
writing
character development
Mood
introspective
melancholic
Type
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- scriptwriting
- workshop exercises
- editing process
Key Concepts
narrative theory
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you know when a character’s story is complete?
- What emotions arise when you let a character go?
A Different Perspective
Detaching from beloved characters can be emotionally hard.
