--- title: "12 Writing Live Quotes by 12 authors" description: "Browse 12 Writing Live quotes by 12 authors. Discover the best Writing Live sayings and thoughts." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/carlos-fuentes-1696_ends_you-start-by-writing-to-live-you-end-by_133919.jpg" --- > [You start by writing to live. You end by writing so as not to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-fuentes/you-start-by-writing-to-live-you-end-by-writing-so-as-not-to-die/) [Carlos Fuentes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-fuentes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/carlos-fuentes-1696_ends_you-start-by-writing-to-live-you-end-by_133919.jpg) > [I discovered, to my surprise, that writing for live television made me a faster writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/i-discovered-to-my-surprise-that-writing-for-live-television-made-me/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/lawrence-o-donnell-1701_live_i-discovered-to-my-surprise-that-writing_1776588.jpg) > [By writing I can live in ways that I could not survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/by-writing-i-can-live-in-ways-that-i-could-not-survive/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/louise-erdrich-1271_i-can_by-writing-i-can-live-in-ways-that-i-cou_2332136.png) > [“one of the keys to writing is to live a life worth writing about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-keys-to-writing-is-to-live-a-life-worth-writing-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4f/anonymous-1_life_one-of-the-keys-to-writing-is-to-live-a_3152186.jpg) > [With my writing, because I live it, I have to be consumed by it, and that means you have to forget your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paullina-simons/with-my-writing-because-i-live-it-i-have-to-be-consumed-by-it-and/) [Paullina Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paullina-simons/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/paullina-simons-1314_consumed_with-my-writing-because-i-live-it-i-have_2788286.jpg) > [The actual writing is what you live for. The rest is something you have to get through in order to arrive at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-actual-writing-is-what-you-live-for-the-rest-is-something-you/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/raymond-chandler-629_actual_the-actual-writing-is-what-you-live-for_327808.jpg) > [As an actor, you're tied to the writing. You live and die by what's written for you. And you can elevate that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/as-an-actor-you-re-tied-to-the-writing-you-live-and-die-by-what-s/) [James Wolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolk/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/james-wolk-11374_actor_as-an-actor-you-re-tied-to-the-writing-y_692078.jpg) > [I believed that if I was to call myself a writer, I should live on writing. If I could not live on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mavis-gallant/i-believed-that-if-i-was-to-call-myself-a-writer-i-should-live-on/) [Mavis Gallant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mavis-gallant/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/mavis-gallant-21083_if-i-could_i-believed-that-if-i-was-to-call-myself_831094.jpg) > [Sometimes, you write things that sound really great when you're at home but don't work when you shine the light of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barratt/sometimes-you-write-things-that-sound-really-great-when-you-re-at/) [Julian Barratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barratt/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/julian-barratt-9101_great_sometimes-you-write-things-that-sound-re_2905032.jpg) > [I was writing for live television. And I said to myself, someday, soon as I can, I have got to do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/i-was-writing-for-live-television-and-i-said-to-myself-someday-soon/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/norman-lear-7597_comedy_i-was-writing-for-live-television-and-i_2866511.png) > [If you are interested in writing, get out and live your life! Do a lot. See a lot. Keep your eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendelin-van-draanen/if-you-are-interested-in-writing-get-out-and-live-your-life-do-a-lot/) [Wendelin Van Draanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendelin-van-draanen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/wendelin-van-draanen-3327_afraid_if-you-are-interested-in-writing-get-out_2486469.jpg) > [...imagine what you are writing about. See it and live it. Do not think it up laboriously, as if you were working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-hughes/imagine-what-you-are-writing-about-see-it-and-live-it-do-not-think-it/) [Ted Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-hughes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/ted-hughes-8662_arithmetic_imagine-what-you-are-writing-about-see-i_503582.png) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-live/#itemlist", "name": "Writing Live Quotes", "numberOfItems": 12, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You start by writing to live. You end by writing so as not to die.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carlos Fuentes" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-fuentes/you-start-by-writing-to-live-you-end-by-writing-so-as-not-to-die/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/carlos-fuentes-1696_ends_you-start-by-writing-to-live-you-end-by_133919.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/carlos-fuentes-1696_ends_you-start-by-writing-to-live-you-end-by_133919.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/carlos-fuentes-1696_ends_you-start-by-writing-to-live-you-end-by_133919.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You start by writing to live. 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The rest is something you have to get through in order to arrive at the point.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Raymond Chandler" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-actual-writing-is-what-you-live-for-the-rest-is-something-you/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/raymond-chandler-629_actual_the-actual-writing-is-what-you-live-for_327808.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/raymond-chandler-629_actual_the-actual-writing-is-what-you-live-for_327808.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/raymond-chandler-629_actual_the-actual-writing-is-what-you-live-for_327808.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The actual writing is what you live for. 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And you can elevate that to a certain extent, but really, that's your blueprint.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Wolk" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/as-an-actor-you-re-tied-to-the-writing-you-live-and-die-by-what-s/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/james-wolk-11374_actor_as-an-actor-you-re-tied-to-the-writing-y_692078.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/james-wolk-11374_actor_as-an-actor-you-re-tied-to-the-writing-y_692078.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/james-wolk-11374_actor_as-an-actor-you-re-tied-to-the-writing-y_692078.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As an actor, you're tied to the writing. You live and die by what's written for you. 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If I could not live on it, even simply, I should destroy every scrap, every trace, every notebook and live some other way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mavis Gallant" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mavis-gallant/i-believed-that-if-i-was-to-call-myself-a-writer-i-should-live-on/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/mavis-gallant-21083_if-i-could_i-believed-that-if-i-was-to-call-myself_831094.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/mavis-gallant-21083_if-i-could_i-believed-that-if-i-was-to-call-myself_831094.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/mavis-gallant-21083_if-i-could_i-believed-that-if-i-was-to-call-myself_831094.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believed that if I was to call myself a writer, I should live on writing. If I could not live on it, even…” — Mavis Gallant", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes, you write things that sound really great when you're at home but don't work when you shine the light of an audience on them. Great writing and live writing are two separate things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barratt" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barratt/sometimes-you-write-things-that-sound-really-great-when-you-re-at/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/julian-barratt-9101_great_sometimes-you-write-things-that-sound-re_2905032.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/julian-barratt-9101_great_sometimes-you-write-things-that-sound-re_2905032.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/julian-barratt-9101_great_sometimes-you-write-things-that-sound-re_2905032.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes, you write things that sound really great when you're at home but don't work when you shine the…” — Julian Barratt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was writing for live television. And I said to myself, someday, soon as I can, I have got to do a situation comedy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Lear" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/i-was-writing-for-live-television-and-i-said-to-myself-someday-soon/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/norman-lear-7597_comedy_i-was-writing-for-live-television-and-i_2866511.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/norman-lear-7597_comedy_i-was-writing-for-live-television-and-i_2866511.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/norman-lear-7597_comedy_i-was-writing-for-live-television-and-i_2866511.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was writing for live television. And I said to myself, someday, soon as I can, I have got to do a…” — Norman Lear", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 11, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are interested in writing, get out and live your life! Do a lot. See a lot. Keep your eyes and ears open. Pay attention to the different ways people speak. Read lots of different kinds of books. And then try writing in different voices and styles - don't be afraid to experiment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wendelin Van Draanen" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendelin-van-draanen/if-you-are-interested-in-writing-get-out-and-live-your-life-do-a-lot/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/wendelin-van-draanen-3327_afraid_if-you-are-interested-in-writing-get-out_2486469.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/wendelin-van-draanen-3327_afraid_if-you-are-interested-in-writing-get-out_2486469.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/wendelin-van-draanen-3327_afraid_if-you-are-interested-in-writing-get-out_2486469.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you are interested in writing, get out and live your life! Do a lot. See a lot. Keep your eyes and ears…” — Wendelin Van Draanen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...imagine what you are writing about. See it and live it. Do not think it up laboriously, as if you were working out mental arithmetic. Just look at it, touch it, smell it, listen to it, turn yourself into it. When you do this, the words look after themselves, like magic.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ted Hughes" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-hughes/imagine-what-you-are-writing-about-see-it-and-live-it-do-not-think-it/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/ted-hughes-8662_arithmetic_imagine-what-you-are-writing-about-see-i_503582.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/ted-hughes-8662_arithmetic_imagine-what-you-are-writing-about-see-i_503582.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/ted-hughes-8662_arithmetic_imagine-what-you-are-writing-about-see-i_503582.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...imagine what you are writing about. See it and live it. Do not think it up laboriously, as if you were…” — Ted Hughes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-live/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-live/", "name": "Writing Live Quotes", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-live/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/carlos-fuentes-1696_ends_you-start-by-writing-to-live-you-end-by_133919.jpg" }, "description": "Browse 12 Writing Live quotes by 12 authors. 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