Noelle Stevenson Quotes

Powerful Noelle Stevenson for Daily Growth

About Noelle Stevenson

Noelle Stevenson is an acclaimed American cartoonist, illustrator, and writer, known for her captivating storytelling and vibrant art style. Born on August 7, 1986, in Baltimore, Maryland, Stevenson developed a love for art and storytelling at an early age. She was particularly influenced by comic books, animated films, and video games, which played a significant role in shaping her creative vision. Stevenson attended the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) where she honed her artistic skills. During this time, she co-founded the webcomic "Girlfriends," a groundbreaking work that explored friendship, identity, and self-discovery among young women. The comic gained a devoted following and cemented Stevenson's reputation as a promising talent in the industry. In 2014, Stevenson achieved widespread recognition with her graphic novel "Nimona," a delightful blend of fantasy, humor, and drama that won multiple awards, including the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens. The novel showcased Stevenson's unique storytelling abilities and her talent for creating complex, memorable characters. In 2015, Stevenson took over the beloved comic series "Lumberjanes" from fellow cartoonist Grace Ellis. Under Stevenson's guidance, the series continued to thrive, earning numerous accolades and expanding its fanbase. Stevenson also co-created the critically acclaimed comic series "The Magic Fish," which delves into themes of identity, memory, and the power of storytelling. Today, Noelle Stevenson continues to push boundaries in the world of comics and graphic novels, captivating readers with her heartfelt narratives and visually stunning art. Her work serves as a testament to the transformative power of storytelling and the enduring appeal of well-crafted characters and immersive worlds.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Be your own kind of beautiful."

This quote by Noelle Stevenson encourages individuality and self-acceptance. It suggests that everyone has unique qualities and appearances that make them special, and they should embrace their authentic selves rather than trying to conform to societal norms or beauty standards. By being true to oneself, one can radiate an inner beauty that is genuine and powerful, making them uniquely beautiful in their own way.


"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other."

This quote by Noelle Stevenson emphasizes the importance of human connection in our lives. It suggests that the most valuable aspect of life is the relationships we form with one another, rather than material possessions or personal achievements. The implication is that through these connections, we find meaning, support, and companionship during our journey through life. This quote serves as a reminder to prioritize our relationships with others and strengthen them to face life's challenges together.


"I think we can all be heroes if we try, in our lives, in our way."

This quote suggests that everyone has the potential to act heroically in their own unique ways, within the context of their lives. It encourages individuals to strive for positive change, kindness, and courage in their daily endeavors, ultimately empowering them to make a difference in the world around them.


"The world isn't split into good and bad people. It's split into people who help you, indifferent people, and those who mess with you."

This quote suggests that it is more productive to categorize individuals based on their actions towards others rather than labeling them as inherently good or bad. It emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding that most people are complex and may behave differently in different situations. Furthermore, it highlights the presence of both helpful and harmful individuals, with a reminder that indifference should not be mistaken for apathy or indifference from others.


"You're not a villain for doing what you have to survive. You're not a hero for sacrificing yourself for others. You're just living your life." -Nikolai Lantsov (character by Noelle Stevenson in Leigh Bardugo's King of Scars)

This quote emphasizes the complexity of moral judgement and the simplification of human actions into labels like "villain" or "hero." It suggests that people are not inherently good or evil, but rather they make choices to survive and thrive in their circumstances. Survival may lead some to actions traditionally labeled as villainous, while self-sacrifice does not necessarily make one a hero. Instead, the focus should be on understanding individuals' motivations and recognizing that everyone is simply living their lives under various pressures and circumstances.


It's easy to feel like you don't have any control over yourself or your life or your body as a teen - everything is changing so fast, and a lot of it feels so outside of your power. I think that's why a lot of teens form really strong attachments to fictional characters or celebrities, draw their own characters or write themselves into fan fiction.

- Noelle Stevenson

Strong, I Think, Feels, Fictional

I went to Maryland Institute College of Art, and I studied illustration there.

- Noelle Stevenson

Art, College, Maryland, Illustration

Fantasy is usually considered an escape, but it's also a way to deal with weighty real-world issues from a safe distance and in a context where you usually have some kind of power that you don't have in real life.

- Noelle Stevenson

Fantasy, Some, Deal, Real-World

I don't think naturally I tend toward anything that's really distinctly branded as adult. I feel like I sort of write for myself as I would've been at 12 or 13 years old.

- Noelle Stevenson

Feel, I Feel Like, Been, Branded

I've always kind of gravitated toward characters who are a bit distant from the narrator or the point-of-view characters, so that's kind of important to me, to set up a different character who would be the point-of-view character for the story.

- Noelle Stevenson

Kind, Always, Set, Narrator

It was not until Web comics that I saw stories about women and stories by women and things that were aimed specifically at female readership. It was just kind of this free-for-all that was achieving something amazing with creativity. That was where I got my start.

- Noelle Stevenson

About, Comics, Just Kind, Specifically

The first movie I saw was 'Prince of Egypt' - that was the first movie I saw in theaters.

- Noelle Stevenson

Egypt, Movie, Saw, Theaters

It was definitely a very appealing prospect to be in a company, especially as an art student: we had it hammered into us that the odds of us finding a job, especially fresh out of school, was very slim, and we could expect to work as a bartender for the next three years after we graduate.

- Noelle Stevenson

Next, Very, Hammered, Odds

I think almost anyone is capable of doing things that are evil or hurtful or harmful.

- Noelle Stevenson

Doing, Think, I Think, Harmful

I really liked Quentin Blake, who did all of Roald Dahl's stuff. I don't think I really got Quentin Blake as a kid, but as I grew older, I really appreciated the kind of knowledge and the skill that went into those seemingly effortless drawings, and I really wanted to capture some of that in my own work.

- Noelle Stevenson

Kid, Own, Some, Blake

'Nimona' is about identity and if who you are is defined by what you look like. It's not a book about body image at all, but I would be lying if I said that wasn't in there even at the conception of it.

- Noelle Stevenson

Book, Like, Image, Conception

I think my lack of 'Pokemon' knowledge and complete confusion at the descriptions makes people think I'm adorable, like a lost baby duckling or your grandmother trying to use an iPad.

- Noelle Stevenson

Think, Like, I Think, Confusion

We can make this industry and this environment and comic book shops and comic book conventions and comic books themselves, we can make them a thing that is accessible to everybody so that nobody feels unwelcome, and nobody feels like this isn't their place.

- Noelle Stevenson

Comic Books, Accessible, Conventions

I've always liked shape-shifter characters. I gravitated towards characters like Mystique from 'X-Men,' Zam Wesell from 'Star Wars,' and Tonks from 'Harry Potter.'

- Noelle Stevenson

Star, Always, Like, X-Men

The first time I shopped at a comic shop, it was because I had been published in a comic book. As I became more involved in comics, I started going more and more, usually to support my friends or lady-friendly comics.

- Noelle Stevenson

Been, Became, Shop, Comic Book

Social media is basically the entire reason I have a career right now. Like everything, my readership for 'Nimona' came because I was active on Tumblr.

- Noelle Stevenson

Career, Reason, Social, Tumblr

I've always had a lot of story ideas rattling around in my head, but 'Nimona' felt very tangible very early. I knew the ending. So I just started making more and more pages, and then I made it a webcomic, like, 'OK, I'm really gonna do this.'

- Noelle Stevenson

Very, Around, Had, Rattling

I kind of understood inherently - and I wasn't really conflicted about this - that comics were not for me or by people who looked like me. That was just something that I accepted about the world.

- Noelle Stevenson

Kind, Like, Looked, Just Something

I've been a huge animation fan since I was a kid, so the idea of seeing my characters in full motion on the big screen is completely mind-blowing.

- Noelle Stevenson

Motion, Big, Been, Animation

Support the female voice in all its forms. Support other female creators and work to make an environment that is inclusive and allows female-led projects to thrive organically.

- Noelle Stevenson

Voice, Inclusive, Other, Forms

Just make the comics you want to see, and people will notice.

- Noelle Stevenson

Will, See, Comics, Notice

Hopefully, comics will be enough to support me after I graduate.

- Noelle Stevenson

Me, Will, Comics, Graduate

'Winnie the Pooh's Grand Adventure' - the movie where Rabbit adopts a baby bird and raises her, and then the bird grows up and flies away and leaves him - I cried.

- Noelle Stevenson

Away, Flies, Grows, Raises

The good thing about doing a comic that's entirely my own voice as a debut is that people approached me with similar jobs, with stuff that they knew that I could do justice to because they had read what I'd already done. It meant that I was getting jobs that I was actually interested in, and I didn't have to prove myself on someone else's property.

- Noelle Stevenson

Voice, Doing, Prove, Entirely

It seems like everyone in my peer group has more 'Pokemon' knowledge than I do.

- Noelle Stevenson

More, Everyone, Like, Peer

I swear slightly more when there aren't children around, but not that much.

- Noelle Stevenson

Children, More, Slightly, Swear

I was a junior at school, and I had just taken my first comics class, and we were doing an exercise for this other class where we had to create our own characters,and 'Nimona' just kind of came out of that. I decided that I liked her so much that I wanted to do a comic with her.

- Noelle Stevenson

Doing, Other, Comics, Junior

Not long after I started posting the first 'Nimona' pages online, a literary agent reached out to me, and I ended up signing with him before I returned to school for my senior year.

- Noelle Stevenson

Year, Before, Agent, Reached

I personally always have a hard time relating to queer characters in media because I didn't really see myself in them. They were kind of pigeonholed early on as the gay character, and they would naturally end up with the other gay character who would emerge at some point as their love interest.

- Noelle Stevenson

Love, Some, Queer, Emerge

I feel that kids are smart, and I feel that kids will understand things even if they don't understand them from personal experience.

- Noelle Stevenson

Understand, Will, Feel, Personal Experience

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