--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A pen, you see, you hold it between your…" description: "\"“A pen, you see, you hold it between your thumb and your index finger. No, wait, you hold it however you want. After that, it's not hard, you don't eve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2a/anna-gavalda-13826_almost-perfect_a-pen-you-see-you-hold-it-between-your-t_2801690.jpg" --- # A pen, you see, you hold it between your thumb and your… ![“A pen, you see, you hold it between your thumb and your index finger. No, wait, you hold it however you want. After that, it's not hard, you don't even think about it. Your hands don't exist anymore. The important thing happens elsewhere. No, this won't do, it's still too pretty. You're not being…” quote by Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2a/anna-gavalda-13826_almost-perfect_a-pen-you-see-you-hold-it-between-your-t_2801690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2a/anna-gavalda-13826_almost-perfect_a-pen-you-see-you-hold-it-between-your-t_2801690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2a/anna-gavalda-13826_almost-perfect_a-pen-you-see-you-hold-it-between-your-t_2801690.jpg) > ““A pen, you see, you hold it between your thumb and your index finger. No, wait, you hold it however you want. After that, it's not hard, you don't even think about it. Your hands don't exist anymore. The important thing happens elsewhere. No, this won't do, it's still too pretty. You're not being asked to come up with something pretty, you know. No one gives a damn about pretty. There are children's drawings and glossy magazines for that. So put on your mittens, little genius, little empty shell, yes, go on, put them on, I tell you, and maybe at last you'll see, you'll draw an almost perfect failed circle.”” [Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing or drawing becomes effortless when the hand loses conscious control, focusing on the subconscious. **In simple terms:** Skill emerges when you stop overthinking. Key Takeaway Trust your instinctive creativity. Themes mindfulness creative flow skill acquisition Mood reflective inspirational Type creative educational When to use this quote - art classes - writing workshops - personal practice routines Key Concepts muscle memory subconscious expression visual art Questions to Reflect On - When does intuition hinder improvement? - How can you balance spontaneity with refinement? A Different Perspective Risk of producing low-quality work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ## Related quotes > [“Clothes I wear for mushroom hunting are rarely sent to the cleaner. They constitute a collection of odors I produce and gather while rambling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/clothes-i-wear-for-mushroom-hunting-are-rarely-sent-to-the-cleaner/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [The fate of the pen, go on, when I am tired to be someone other pen will hold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-fate-of-the-pen-go-on-when-i-am-tired-to-be-someone-other-pen/) Mak\_786 > [The pen is mightier than the sword were lead to think. But how much power doth thy pen hold when she hasnt any Ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-were-lead-to-think-but-how-much/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [I don't know that I could draw one that's perfect. But I'd rather by approximately right than precisely wrong, and it would be precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-don-t-know-that-i-could-draw-one-that-s-perfect-but-i-d-rather-by/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I tried by best to draw this and its not perfect...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/i-tried-by-best-to-draw-this-and-its-not-perfect/) She's\_gone > [There are two ways to go about it. 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Even when we're not talking, even when we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gavalda/i-think-we-go-well-together-i-like-being-with-you-because-i-m-never/) [Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) > [She was sound asleep when he came to curl up next to her. She grunted. "Don't worry. I'm too drunk, I won't do anything,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gavalda/she-was-sound-asleep-when-he-came-to-curl-up-next-to-her-she-grunted/) [Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) > [He sounded good, didn't he?" added Franck. "He only stuttered eight times." "That's what I mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gavalda/he-sounded-good-didn-t-he-added-franck-he-only-stuttered-eight-times/) [Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) > [...But friends, those I wanted to please? There are so few, so few... and you're one of them. 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Bonheur.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gavalda/clic-clac-plus-personne-ne-bouge-moment-suspendu-bonheur/) [Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) > [“But you're not as stupid as they say!... Or are you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gavalda/but-you-re-not-as-stupid-as-they-say-or-are-you/) [Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) > [“Au bout de combien de temps oublie-t-on l'odeur de celui qui vous a aimée? Et quand cesse-t-on d'aimer à son tour? Qu'on me tende…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gavalda/au-bout-de-combien-de-temps-oublie-t-on-l-odeur-de-celui-qui-vous-a/) [Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) > [Perhaps it's because it's incredible to meet someone and say: with this person, I'm happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gavalda/perhaps-it-s-because-it-s-incredible-to-meet-someone-and-say-with/) [Anna Gavalda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) [Explore all 17 Anna Gavalda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gavalda/) ## More Almost perfect quotes > [Some writers say they cannot write in front of a window; many say they cannot function without almost perfect quiet. 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Then, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-volney/seasonal-friends-they-re-there-for-you-and-only-come-around-during/) [Krystal Volney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-volney/) > [“For all my rational Western intellect and education, I was for the moment overwhelmed by a primitive sense of living in a world ordered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/for-all-my-rational-western-intellect-and-education-i-was-for-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I don't want to give people the impression that I'm an almost perfect human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-murphy/i-don-t-want-to-give-people-the-impression-that-i-m-an-almost-perfect/) [Dale Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-murphy/) > [“Once they had calculated the load, they worked out exactly how fast each ship should accelerate as they made the park shift to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-they-had-calculated-the-load-they-worked-out-exactly-how-fast/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Anxious to defend his adopted city—especially his side of town, the less fashionable west end—Eli considered giving Veronica a condensed lecture on the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-everhart/anxious-to-defend-his-adopted-city-especially-his-side-of-town-the/) Max Everhart > [“While I waited for Adley to answer, I took in our surroundings. 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