---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing I know how to do most is write…"
description: "\"The thing I know how to do most is write a play. I came up loving plays and learning about plays and writing plays. I actually feel like an outsider wh..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/aaron-sorkin-2826_feels_the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write_2989585.png"
---

#  The thing I know how to do most is write a play. I came up…

![“The thing I know how to do most is write a play. I came up loving plays and learning about plays and writing plays. I actually feel like an outsider when I'm writing movies and television.” quote by Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/aaron-sorkin-2826_feels_the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write_2989585.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/aaron-sorkin-2826_feels_the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write_2989585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/aaron-sorkin-2826_feels_the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write_2989585.png)

> “The thing I know how to do most is write a play. I came up loving plays and learning about plays and writing plays. I actually feel like an outsider when I'm writing movies and television.”

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The writer feels most comfortable with theater, viewing film and TV as foreign territories where they feel like an outsider.

**In simple terms:** He prefers writing plays and feels out of place in movies and TV.

Key Takeaway

Embrace your strengths while exploring new mediums.

Themes

creativity identity artistic comfort mediums

Mood

reflective creative analytical

Type

professional inspirational

When to use this quote

- writing scripts
- stage productions
- media transitions
- collaborative projects

Key Concepts

theatre vs screen creative authenticity career evolution

Questions to Reflect On

- How can a playwright leverage theatrical skills in screenwriting?
- What steps can ease the feeling of being an outsider?

A Different Perspective

Transitioning mediums may require adapting style, not just comfort level.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Learning Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-plays-4690557/) [Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Plays Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-writing-2829798/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Write Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-play/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-movies-583541/) [Writing Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-plays/)

## Related quotes

> [I don't know if I ever would have developed into a good actor, but that got completely scotched when I lost my vocal cord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-don-t-know-if-i-ever-would-have-developed-into-a-good-actor-but/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [When I used to teach writing, what I would tell my playwriting students is that while you're writing your plays, you're also writing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/when-i-used-to-teach-writing-what-i-would-tell-my-playwriting/)

[Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/)

> [In my mind, the plays I was writing were extreme examples of art for art's sake. I didn't necessarily think that other people would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/in-my-mind-the-plays-i-was-writing-were-extreme-examples-of-art-for/)

[Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/)

> [I write plays because writing dialogue is the only respectable way of contradicting yourself. I put a position, rebut it, refute the rebuttal, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-write-plays-because-writing-dialogue-is-the-only-respectable-way-of/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [I'd been acting since I was a teenager. I'd come to the point where I was writing my own movies of the week for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-mimieux/i-d-been-acting-since-i-was-a-teenager-i-d-come-to-the-point-where-i/)

[Yvette Mimieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-mimieux/)

> [I like being able to bounce between writing movies for people like Kevin Sorbo to making very personal films like orange county hardcore sinister…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-jacobs/i-like-being-able-to-bounce-between-writing-movies-for-people-like/)

[Evan Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-jacobs/)

> [The way you write dialogue is the same whether you're writing for movies or TV or games. We use movie scriptwriting software to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lake/the-way-you-write-dialogue-is-the-same-whether-you-re-writing-for/)

[Sam Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lake/)

> [I like writing for movies. It's nice to be alone working on fiction in your room, and then it's nice to be in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/i-like-writing-for-movies-it-s-nice-to-be-alone-working-on-fiction-in/)

[Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/)

> [We're writing movies that people buy without thinking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/we-re-writing-movies-that-people-buy-without-thinking-about-it/)

[Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/)

> [Dolph writing movies. Dolph into fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-dolph/dolph-writing-movies-dolph-into-fashion/)

[Young Dolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-dolph/)

> [It was really fun to start writing movies because you could actually take characters whose voice you enjoy writing in and have actual things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/it-was-really-fun-to-start-writing-movies-because-you-could-actually/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [If people have bought something of mine, they know by now that I will decline writing it for the movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/if-people-have-bought-something-of-mine-they-know-by-now-that-i-will/)

[Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/)

> [I love directing. I love creating things that I don't necessarily even have to be in. I like creating worlds. So I'm getting into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cipes/i-love-directing-i-love-creating-things-that-i-don-t-necessarily-even/)

[Greg Cipes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cipes/)

> [I'm bullish on writing. Movies, radio, television, and now digital media - everything was supposed to push us away from text, to video or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-carmody/i-m-bullish-on-writing-movies-radio-television-and-now-digital-media/)

[Tim Carmody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-carmody/)

> [I've always loved to write. I've been writing a lot longer than I've been acting, and I hope to continue to do that and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-always-loved-to-write-i-ve-been-writing-a-lot-longer-than-i-ve/)

[Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/)

## More by Aaron Sorkin

> [Conflict, when used as a device, makes for good television and bad journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/conflict-when-used-as-a-device-makes-for-good-television-and-bad/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [Film doesn't have to worry. Movies are awesome. There's no war going on, theaters aren't going to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/film-doesn-t-have-to-worry-movies-are-awesome-there-s-no-war-going-on/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [People don't live their lives in a series of scenes that form a dramatic narrative, they don't speak in dialogue, they're not lit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/people-don-t-live-their-lives-in-a-series-of-scenes-that-form-a/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [One of the biggest challenges in the past for me in working on the networks was that audiences have grown accustomed to television being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/one-of-the-biggest-challenges-in-the-past-for-me-in-working-on-the/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [You're going to fall down, but the world doesn't care how many times you fall down, as long as it's one fewer than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/you-re-going-to-fall-down-but-the-world-doesn-t-care-how-many-times/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [We live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/we-live-in-a-world-that-has-walls-and-those-walls-have-to-be-guarded/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [As an audience member, I like the sound of something that's been written - I like it to sound written. And then, of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/as-an-audience-member-i-like-the-sound-of-something-that-s-been/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [She's a person; the doctor pronounces her dead, not the news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/she-s-a-person-the-doctor-pronounces-her-dead-not-the-news/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [It's nice that HBO is in business with the audience and not with the advertisers. There's a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/it-s-nice-that-hbo-is-in-business-with-the-audience-and-not-with-the/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [“TOBY: The world can move or not by changing some words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/toby-the-world-can-move-or-not-by-changing-some-words/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [I had never thought of doing television. But my agent wanted me to meet John Wells, who had had a lot of success producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-had-never-thought-of-doing-television-but-my-agent-wanted-me-to/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [Government should be a place where people can come together, and no one gets left behind. No one…gets left behind. An instrument of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/government-should-be-a-place-where-people-can-come-together-and-no/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [Television from its inception had the number one goal to alienate as few people as possible. That's why if you look at 1950s, 1960s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/television-from-its-inception-had-the-number-one-goal-to-alienate-as/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [Josh: So, Toby, it’s election night. What do you say about a country that goes out of its way to protect even those citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/josh-so-toby-it-s-election-night-what-do-you-say-about-a-country-that/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

> [The hardest thing for me is getting started. If I'm writing a script, really 90 per cent of it would be just walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-hardest-thing-for-me-is-getting-started-if-i-m-writing-a-script/)

[Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

[Explore all 148 Aaron Sorkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/)

## More Feels quotes

> [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/)

[Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/)

> [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/)

[Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/)

> [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/)

[Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [Most days, I go home and I feel rejuvenated. I feel ebullient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/most-days-i-go-home-and-i-feel-rejuvenated-i-feel-ebullient/)

[Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. She uses clothes to express who she is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/personal-style-comes-from-within-it-s-when-the-woman-her/)

[Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/)

> [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/)

[Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/)

> [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/)

[Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/)

[Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/)

[Browse all 38,933 Feels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The thing I know how to do most is write a play. I came up loving plays and learning about plays and writing plays. I actually feel like an outsider when I'm writing movies and television.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Aaron Sorkin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write-a-play-i-came-up-loving/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feels"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write-a-play-i-came-up-loving/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/aaron-sorkin-2826_feels_the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write_2989585.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/aaron-sorkin-2826_feels_the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write_2989585.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/aaron-sorkin-2826_feels_the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write_2989585.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The thing I know how to do most is write a play. I came up loving plays and learning about plays and writing…” — Aaron Sorkin",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Aaron Sorkin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The thing I know how to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write-a-play-i-came-up-loving/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-thing-i-know-how-to-do-most-is-write-a-play-i-came-up-loving/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
