Quotes About Story

Normally when I'm sent a script I'll read it through to see how it hangs as a story and then I'll go back and read it through again and look at the character.

To me, there was something moving about the idea of telling the story of a lady who is, in a way, a forgotten character - someone who would normally be a secondary role in a movie.

My life is not only mine. I am telling the story of all North Korean people; it is my responsibility to tell it.

Many Chinese criticize me not only on Baidu but on Facebook. Some say, do you think Chinese authorities were stupid enough not to realize you were a North Korean defector? If they read my book, they'd understand. I did my best to escape. I think it's all a miracle. It's not because Chinese policemen were stupid enough to believe my fake story.

I was once, I think, bitten on the nose by a lion cub.

Certainly, I read a lot and follow the news. But as a writer, I am not interested in a political story. I am searching for the humanity of the characters. I never set out to write a book about an 'issue.'

I'm not interested in a film about golf but I am interested in golf as a metaphor.

I'm not interested in someone's credits. Let me see who you are, and tell me a story of your life.

In every story I've written with Batman, there's an element of justice - you never want to have the story end on a defeatist or a cynical note.

I do think 'The Notebook' is a darn good movie.

Most hiring managers interview a lot of people. So many that they generally have to go back to their notes to remember candidates - the exception being candidates with a strong hook. Sometimes these hooks are how people dress or their personality, but the best hook is a strong story that's work-related.

With action films, it's great if it's not just driven by action, but by a good story and interesting characters, as well. Though, there's nothin' like kicking butt!

I noticed that in 'The Revenant,' as much as it is a good story of revenge and endurance, there are times that you get to escape with a story like that.

A notion for a story is for me a confluence of real events, historical perhaps, or from my own memory to create an exciting fusion.

This is a wrong notion that I work in big budget films. Infact, usually low budget films are offered to me, they come and say it's a good story but they don't have the money.

I come from theatre, and I feel like I have to go back to it every few years because it's like nourishment for the soul. And, as an actor, it's the place you have most control: no one cuts or edits you, and you get to tell the story each night.

I always say that in any roomful of people, I could hive a novel out of any one person's family or life story.

I hope that 'House of Suns' functions as an independent novel.

In the early Seventies, I started writing a little autobiographical novel about my childhood - I made it into a mystery story.

The Little Friend is a long book. It's also completely different from my first novel: different landscape, different characters, different use of language and diction, different approach to story.

A novel with a bad middle is a bad book. A bad ending is something I've just gotten in the habit of forgiving.

That seems to be the definition of 'novel' for me: a story that hasn't yet discovered a way to be brief.

I'm a competent novelist. I'm getting better. But I'm a really good short story writer.

I know that it's axiomatic in the film industry that you're not supposed to let the novelist develop their own story. Well, first of all, that's kind of up to the novelist - because they don't have to sell it. But also, I don't believe it. It's about trust.