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I think the best stories always end up being about the people rather than the event, which is to say character-driven.
Stephen King
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Great stories focus on character rather than merely the plot or events.

In this quote, Stephen King emphasizes the importance of characters in storytelling. He suggests that the depth and relatability of characters are what truly resonate with audiences, making them feel more invested in the narrative, as opposed to just the action or events that occur within the story.

Themes

StoriesCharactersNarrativeEventsDepth

In practice

Example use cases

In a writing workshop, to highlight the significance of character development in storytelling.

More from Stephen King

Try any goddam thing you like, no matter how boringly normal or outrageous. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, toss it. Toss it even if you love it.
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That's the day's business. Thinking. Thinking and isolation, because it doesn't matter if you pass the time of day with someone or not; in the end, you're alone. He seemed to have put in as many miles in his brain as he had with his feet. The thoughts kept coming and there was no way to deny them.
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Late last night and the night before, tommyknockers, tommyknockers knocking on my door. I wanna go out, don't know if I can 'cuz I'm so afraid of the tommyknocker man.
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