Ideas, of course, have a place in fiction, and any writer of fiction needs a mind. But ideas are not the best for fiction. They do not dramatize well. They are, rather, a by-product, something the reader himself is led to formulate after watching the story unfold. The ideas, the generalizations, ought to be implicit in the selection and arrangement of the people and places and actions. They ought to haunt a piece of fiction as a ghost flits past an attic window after dark.
Ideas play a role in fiction, but they are not the core element that drives the narrative forward. Writers should possess a creative mind, yet it's crucial to understand that ideas alone do not effectively dramatize a story. Instead, they emerge organically as the plot develops, allowing readers to derive their own conclusions and insights as they engage with the unfolding events.
In Stegner's view, the essence of fiction lies in the careful selection and arrangement of characters, settings, and actions. Rather than forcing ideas onto the reader, these concepts should subtly linger in the background, much like a haunting presence, enhancing the emotional depth and resonance of the narrative without overshadowing the story itself.