"My job is to help the functioning of the story, not to draw attention to myself, but to make my characters function within the story, to work for the benefit of the story, to make the whole thing work"

This quote by Jeffrey Jones speaks to the value of a writer's role in crafting a story. He stresses that the writer's job is to assist the story function, not to accentuate themselves. Rather, the author needs to focus on making their characters work within the story, and to make the story work as a whole. This suggests that the writer ought to know how their characters communicate with each other and the plot, and how their choices and actions affect the story. The author ought to likewise understand how their writing style and structure affects the story, and how it can be utilized to create a cohesive story. By understanding the importance of their function in the story, the author can make sure that their characters and story interact to produce a compelling and pleasurable narrative.