Robert McKee Quotes

Quotes about:

Art Character Creativity Emotions Giving Imagination Inspiration

Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.

Robert McKee

Leadership, Morning, Powerful

Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

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Life is chaotic and meaningless, and you have to find your meaning. You must find the answer, you can't just live. That's the point of story: helping you find your meaning in life.

Robert McKee

Stories, Answers, Helping

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To connect to people at the deepest level, you need stories.

Robert McKee

People, Needs, Stories

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Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact.

Robert McKee

Meaningful, Powerful, Creative

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The principle of Creative Limitations calls for freedom within a circle of obstacles and restricted boundaries. Talent is like a muscle: without something to push against, it atrophies. So we deliberately put obstacles in our path - barriers that will inspire us. We disciple ourselves as to what to do, while we're boundless as to how to do it.

Robert McKee

Inspiration, Creativity, Circles

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Leaders use story to author the future.

Robert McKee

Leader, Stories, Use

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Secure writers don't sell first drafts. They patiently rewrite until the script is as director-ready, as actor-ready as possible. Unfinished work invites tampering, while polished, mature work seals its integrity.

Robert McKee

Integrity, Unfinished Work, Theatre

Robert McKee (2010). “Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting”, p.7, Harper Collins

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A fine work of art - music, dance, painting, story - has the power to silence the chatter in the mind and lift us to another place.

Robert McKee

Art, Silence, Mind

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When talented people write badly, it's generally for one of two reasons: Either they're blinded by an idea they feel compelled to prove of they're driven by an emotion they must express. When talented people write well, it is generally for this reason: They're moved by a desire to touch the audience.

Robert McKee

Writing, Ideas, Two

Robert McKee (2010). “Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting”, p.7, Harper Collins

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God help you if you use voice-over in your work, my friends. God help you. That's flaccid, sloppy writing. Any idiot can write a voice-over narration to explain the thoughts of a character.

Robert McKee

Writing, Character, Voice

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All writing is discipline, but screenwriting is a drill sergeant.

Robert McKee

Writing, Discipline, Drill Sergeant

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Write every day, line by line, page by page, hour by hour. Do this despite fear. For above all else, beyond imagination and skill, what the world asks of you is courage, courage to risk rejection, ridicule and failure. As you follow the quest for stories told with meaning and beauty, study thoughtfully but write boldly. Then, like the hero of the fable, your dance will dazzle the world.

Robert McKee

Hero, Writing, Skills

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Story isn't a flight from reality but a vehicle that carries us on our search for reality.

Robert McKee

Reality, Stories, Flight

Robert McKee (2010). “Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting”, p.12, Harper Collins

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We often put off doing something for as long as possible, then as we finally make the decision and step into the action, we're surprised by its relative ease. We're left to wonder why we dreaded it until we realize that most of life's actions are within our reach, but decisions take willpower.

Robert McKee

Long, Decision, Ease

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Stories are how we remember; we tend to forget lists and bullet points.

Robert McKee

Stories, Bullets, Lists

"Storytelling That Moves People". Interview with Bronwyn Fryer, hbr.org. June 2003.

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The universal erosion of values has lead to the universal erosion of story.

Robert McKee

Erosion, Stories, Universal

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Anxious, inexperienced writers obey rules. Rebellious, unschooled writers break rules. Artists master the form.

Robert McKee

Artist, Rebellious, Break

Robert McKee (2010). “Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting”, p.3, Harper Collins

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Stories are the currency of human relationships.

Robert McKee

Stories, Currency, Humans

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Do research. Feed your talent. Research not only wins the war on cliche, it's the key to victory over fear and it's cousin, depression.

Robert McKee

Cousin, Fear, War

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In a world of lies and liars, an honest work of art is always an act of social responsibility.

Robert McKee

Art, Liars, Lying

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A culture cannot evolve without honest, powerful storytelling. When a society repeatedly experiences glossy, hollowed-out, pseudo-stories, it degenerates. We need true satires and tragedies, dramas and comedies that shine a clean light into the dingy corners of the human psyche and society.

Robert McKee

Powerful, Drama, Light

Robert McKee (2010). “Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting”, p.13, Harper Collins

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When we want mood experiences, we go to concerts or museums. When we want meaningful emotional experience, we go to the storyteller.

Robert McKee

Meaningful, Emotional, Museums

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Stories build cultures by answering the big questions.

Robert McKee

Culture, Stories, Bigs

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Writing is a marathon, not a sprint.

Robert McKee

Writing, Marathon, Sprint

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When you do enough research, the story almost writes itself. Lines of development spring loose and you'll have choices galore.

Robert McKee

Spring, Writing, Choices

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Robert McKee

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Born: 1941
Occupation: Author
Cite this Page: Citation

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