--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The truth is, writing is this: hard and…" description: "\"The truth is, writing is this: hard and boring and occasionally great but usually not.\" — Amy Poehler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/amy-poehler-1084_boring_the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-bo_856170.jpg" --- # The truth is, writing is this: hard and boring and… ![“The truth is, writing is this: hard and boring and occasionally great but usually not.” quote by Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/amy-poehler-1084_boring_the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-bo_856170.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/amy-poehler-1084_boring_the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-bo_856170.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/amy-poehler-1084_boring_the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-bo_856170.jpg) > “The truth is, writing is this: hard and boring and occasionally great but usually not.” [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing often feels tedious and difficult, with occasional moments of brilliance, but generally it is a hard, unglamorous process. **In simple terms:** Writing is mostly hard and boring, with rare greatness. Key Takeaway Embrace the grind and keep writing despite boredom. Themes creativity discipline process perseverance humor Mood determined humorous realistic Type personal motivational When to use this quote - daily writing - draft revisions - idea generation - creative blocks Key Concepts craft motivation self‑critique Questions to Reflect On - What makes a writing session feel rewarding? - How can you sustain motivation during boring phases? A Different Perspective Greatness is rare and cannot be forced; burnout can result from relentless effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) [Boring Occasionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring-occasionally-804294/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-boring-804295/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-is/) [Truth Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-writing-502290/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-hard/) ## Related quotes > [Poets find truth by writing about what they love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cooper/poets-find-truth-by-writing-about-what-they-love/) [Susan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cooper/) > [“I will talk about truth again, without which (without the word truth , without the mystery truth ) there would be no writing. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/i-will-talk-about-truth-again-without-which-without-the-word-truth/) [Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/) > [Honesty and truth in writing is so important, and I think that YA writing above all is honest, and I think that appeals to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabaa-tahir/honesty-and-truth-in-writing-is-so-important-and-i-think-that-ya/) [Sabaa Tahir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabaa-tahir/) > [Now the truth is, writing is a great way to deal with a lot of difficult emotional issues. It can be very therapeutic, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/now-the-truth-is-writing-is-a-great-way-to-deal-with-a-lot-of/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Ive always seen writing as a way of telling the truth. For me, writing is about truth. I have always tried to be faithful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/ive-always-seen-writing-as-a-way-of-telling-the-truth-for-me-writing/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [“Stories are truth. Through writing, you can say so much more than in speaking. Writing is not fantasizing, writing is telling the world who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theprinceoftworealities/stories-are-truth-through-writing-you-can-say-so-much-more-than-in/) [Theprinceoftworealities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theprinceoftworealities/) > [“Putting thoughts into words is vastly different from putting truth into words. For words are not truth. As ardently as writers sort and select…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-fisher/putting-thoughts-into-words-is-vastly-different-from-putting-truth/) [Lionel Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-fisher/) > [I've always seen writing as a way of telling the truth. For me, writing is about truth. I have always tried to be faithful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/i-ve-always-seen-writing-as-a-way-of-telling-the-truth-for-me-writing/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [When youre a stay-at-home mother you have to pretend its really boring, but its not. Its enriching and fulfilling, and an amazing experience. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/when-youre-a-stay-at-home-mother-you-have-to-pretend-its-really/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Song writing is very serious; it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/song-writing-is-very-serious-it-is-hard/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [The writing is hard, and the drawing is fun. It's very satisfying to see a drawing start to come together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/the-writing-is-hard-and-the-drawing-is-fun-it-s-very-satisfying-to/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [Everything about writing is hard for me except for that - the names pop into my head. That's one of the reasons why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/everything-about-writing-is-hard-for-me-except-for-that-the-names-pop/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“Writing is hard. Not as hard as not writing. Not writing is torturous, bloody, chaotic and a gruesome winless battle. A writer who writes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-weise/writing-is-hard-not-as-hard-as-not-writing-not-writing-is-torturous/) [Jamie Weise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-weise/) > [Most of my writer friends are women, and they're all extremely talented, so of course I think the state of contemporary fiction for women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/most-of-my-writer-friends-are-women-and-they-re-all-extremely/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [The most radical, audacious thing to think is that there might be some point to working hard and thinking hard and reading hard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-radical-audacious-thing-to-think-is-that-there-might-be-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Amy Poehler > [When youre a stay-at-home mother you have to pretend its really boring, but its not. Its enriching and fulfilling, and an amazing experience. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/when-youre-a-stay-at-home-mother-you-have-to-pretend-its-really/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I hope and assume that every good comedy writer, no matter the age, has a moment where they discover how great Cheers is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-hope-and-assume-that-every-good-comedy-writer-no-matter-the-age-has/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I also think if you're an actor and you can improvise, when you go on an audition and you can improvise you're just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-also-think-if-you-re-an-actor-and-you-can-improvise-when-you-go-on/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [It seems a strange thing, but once I was able to get past that kind of self-image problem, I was able to open up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/it-seems-a-strange-thing-but-once-i-was-able-to-get-past-that-kind-of/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Sleep can completely change your entire outlook on life. One good night's sleep can help you realize that you shouldn't break up with someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/sleep-can-completely-change-your-entire-outlook-on-life-one-good/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Career is the stringing together of opportunities and jobs. Mix in public opinion and past regrets. Add a dash of future panic and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/career-is-the-stringing-together-of-opportunities-and-jobs-mix-in/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/as-you-navigate-through-the-rest-of-your-life-be-open-to/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I like hard work and I don’t like pretending things are perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-like-hard-work-and-i-don-t-like-pretending-things-are-perfect/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [The pressure of 'what are you going to do?' makes everyone feel like they haven't done anything yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/the-pressure-of-what-are-you-going-to-do-makes-everyone-feel-like/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I ate two waffles, a banana and cereal with blueberries. And that whas between my two breakfasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-ate-two-waffles-a-banana-and-cereal-with-blueberries-and-that-whas/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [ “\[On getting older\]: You can witness young people embarrassing themselves and get a thrill--that it's not you. You can watch them throw around their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/on-getting-older-you-can-witness-young-people-embarrassing-themselves/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Too often we women try to tackle chaos that is not ours to fix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/too-often-we-women-try-to-tackle-chaos-that-is-not-ours-to-fix/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Try to keep your mind open to possibilities and your mouth closed on matters that you don't know about. Limit your 'always' and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/try-to-keep-your-mind-open-to-possibilities-and-your-mouth-closed-on/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [All we do is watch The Wire and go out to dinner with our friends. I wish I could tell you that we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/all-we-do-is-watch-the-wire-and-go-out-to-dinner-with-our-friends-i/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I have these meetings with really powerful men and they ask me all the time, 'Where are your kids? Are your kids here?' It's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-have-these-meetings-with-really-powerful-men-and-they-ask-me-all/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) [Explore all 296 Amy Poehler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) ## More Boring quotes > [Normal is so Boring!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/normal-is-so-boring/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Life is what you make it¦If one refuses to use ones imagination..it will be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-what-you-make-it-if-one-refuses-to-use-ones-imagination-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm bored of being bored because being bored is very boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/i-m-bored-of-being-bored-because-being-bored-is-very-boring/) [Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/) > [The films I find boring are the ones that have no space for the audience's misconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-decker/the-films-i-find-boring-are-the-ones-that-have-no-space-for-the/) [Josephine Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-decker/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I've always felt that dark lyrics with dark music is pretty useless. Maybe that's a strong statement - not useless, but for me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-always-felt-that-dark-lyrics-with-dark-music-is-pretty-useless/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Something is wrong if workers do not look around each day, find things that are tedious or boring, and then rewrite the procedures. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/something-is-wrong-if-workers-do-not-look-around-each-day-find-things/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [Plumbing is usually boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/plumbing-is-usually-boring/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-something-is-boring-after-two-minutes-try-it-for-four-if-still/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Acting is an escape from the boring person that I am in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/acting-is-an-escape-from-the-boring-person-that-i-am-in-real-life/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) [Browse all 3,123 Boring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The truth is, writing is this: hard and boring and occasionally great but usually not.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amy Poehler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-boring-and-occasionally-great/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boring" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-boring-and-occasionally-great/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/amy-poehler-1084_boring_the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-bo_856170.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/amy-poehler-1084_boring_the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-bo_856170.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/amy-poehler-1084_boring_the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-bo_856170.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The truth is, writing is this: hard and boring and occasionally great but usually not.” — Amy Poehler", "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": "Amy Poehler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The truth is, writing is this:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-boring-and-occasionally-great/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/the-truth-is-writing-is-this-hard-and-boring-and-occasionally-great/#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 } } ] } ```