--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always used emotion as a writing…" description: "\"I have always used emotion as a writing tool. That goes back to me being on the stage\" — Anne McCaffrey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/anne-mccaffrey-7944_emotion_i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing_1670920.jpg" --- # I have always used emotion as a writing tool. That goes… ![“I have always used emotion as a writing tool. That goes back to me being on the stage” quote by Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/anne-mccaffrey-7944_emotion_i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing_1670920.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/anne-mccaffrey-7944_emotion_i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing_1670920.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/anne-mccaffrey-7944_emotion_i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing_1670920.jpg) > “I have always used emotion as a writing tool. That goes back to me being on the stage” [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotion is a deliberate tool for writers, enhancing authenticity and audience connection, especially when performed live. **In simple terms:** Use feelings to strengthen writing. Key Takeaway Channel emotions into your work. Themes creativity emotion performance authenticity Mood inspirational practical Type creative educational When to use this quote - public speaking - novel writing - scriptwriting - teaching Key Concepts emotive storytelling stage presence writing technique Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance emotion and logic? - When does emotion hinder storytelling? A Different Perspective Overreliance on emotion may cloud clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotion Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion-writing-859152/) [Goes Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-stage-485336/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-emotion-859154/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I learned early on that when you compete, sometimes emotions are good, but I never used emotion when I wrestled and I don't use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-blaydes/i-learned-early-on-that-when-you-compete-sometimes-emotions-are-good/) [Curtis Blaydes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-blaydes/) > [I always, at least back then, struggled with emotion in writing. I felt like I could do odd, unusual things, but there wouldn't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/i-always-at-least-back-then-struggled-with-emotion-in-writing-i-felt/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) > [I am a very emotional person. I basically think and feel in emotion, so writing is much easier for me than communicating by voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-oxford/i-am-a-very-emotional-person-i-basically-think-and-feel-in-emotion-so/) [Kelly Oxford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-oxford/) > [“Emotion~Writing a scene that you have to walk away from because you can't see the words through your own tears.~M. L. Stephens”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stephens/emotion-writing-a-scene-that-you-have-to-walk-away-from-because-you/) [M.L. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stephens/) > [For a man it's like if something goes on on-stage you'll have a drink at the bar and talk about it. With a female…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-johnson/for-a-man-it-s-like-if-something-goes-on-on-stage-you-ll-have-a-drink/) [Chris Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-johnson/) > [Well, just coming off the stage and there's like 180,000 people out there and your adrenaline is going so high, and you're doing so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-jackson/well-just-coming-off-the-stage-and-there-s-like-180-000-people-out/) [Jermaine Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-jackson/) > [I would like to direct. What goes on behind stage is very interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-sutton/i-would-like-to-direct-what-goes-on-behind-stage-is-very-interesting/) [Sarah Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-sutton/) > [People are more interested in someone who goes on stage and tells the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/people-are-more-interested-in-someone-who-goes-on-stage-and-tells-the/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [Everybody goes through a stage where you have it. And, all of a sudden, you don't have it anymore. You get older and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-vinton/everybody-goes-through-a-stage-where-you-have-it-and-all-of-a-sudden/) [Bobby Vinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-vinton/) > [I'm a weirdo that goes on stage to make strangers laugh, but if I wasn't working, I would just want to be with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-m-a-weirdo-that-goes-on-stage-to-make-strangers-laugh-but-if-i-wasn/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Anyone who goes on the stage is a show-off, aren't they? Acting's weird.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-imrie/anyone-who-goes-on-the-stage-is-a-show-off-aren-t-they-acting-s-weird/) [Celia Imrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-imrie/) > [Each email contains an unsubscribe link. We will NEVER sell, rent, loan, or abuse your email address in ANY way. Writing has been so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/each-email-contains-an-unsubscribe-link-we-will-never-sell-rent-loan/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [I have my good days and my bad days, but I don't have as much energy as I used to back when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-my-good-days-and-my-bad-days-but-i-don-t-have-as-much-energy/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [If you put anger in the writing, then it's like an actor crying on stage. The audience will not cry with the actor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rosenblatt/if-you-put-anger-in-the-writing-then-it-s-like-an-actor-crying-on/) [Roger Rosenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rosenblatt/) > [emotions really exist at the bottom of the personality or at the top. in the middle they are acted. this is why all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/emotions-really-exist-at-the-bottom-of-the-personality-or-at-the-top/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) ## More by Anne McCaffrey > [I have my good days and my bad days, but I don't have as much energy as I used to back when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-my-good-days-and-my-bad-days-but-i-don-t-have-as-much-energy/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [I'm very fond of the Talent series, and also the Crystal Singer trio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-m-very-fond-of-the-talent-series-and-also-the-crystal-singer-trio/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [Each email contains an unsubscribe link. We will NEVER sell, rent, loan, or abuse your email address in ANY way. Writing has been so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/each-email-contains-an-unsubscribe-link-we-will-never-sell-rent-loan/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [“Necessity breeds solution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/necessity-breeds-solution/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [Make no judgments where you have no compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/make-no-judgments-where-you-have-no-compassion/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [How much can a dragon carry? As much as it thinks it can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/how-much-can-a-dragon-carry-as-much-as-it-thinks-it-can/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [“The blackest night must end in dawn, the light dispel the dreamer's fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/the-blackest-night-must-end-in-dawn-the-light-dispel-the-dreamer-s/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [The horse, the noblest, bravest, proudest, most courageous and certainly the most perverse and infuriating animal that humans ever domesticated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/the-horse-the-noblest-bravest-proudest-most-courageous-and-certainly/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [I don't often reread my own books, unless I am going into another in the series and need to refresh my mood when originating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-don-t-often-reread-my-own-books-unless-i-am-going-into-another-in/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [But Ship Who Sang remains my favorite story. I really rocked folks with that and still cannot read it aloud myself without weeping at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/but-ship-who-sang-remains-my-favorite-story-i-really-rocked-folks/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [How could she have believed such an artificial life as the theatre was suitable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/how-could-she-have-believed-such-an-artificial-life-as-the-theatre/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [I didn't raise Todd to be a writer, but he happened to be one anyway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-didn-t-raise-todd-to-be-a-writer-but-he-happened-to-be-one-anyway/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [A good story is a good story no matter who wrote it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/a-good-story-is-a-good-story-no-matter-who-wrote-it/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [“Look around you, Lessa of Pern, look around the Weyr with unveiled eyes. Old and hallowed is the Weyr? Yes, but shabby and worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/look-around-you-lessa-of-pern-look-around-the-weyr-with-unveiled-eyes/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [“Has been done. Can be done. Must be done...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/has-been-done-can-be-done-must-be-done/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) [Explore all 86 Anne McCaffrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) ## More Emotion quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Of course I like you. It's because I like you I don't wanna be with you. It's a complicated emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin/of-course-i-like-you-it-s-because-i-like-you-i-don-t-wanna-be-with/) [Marlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlin/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [“Emotion as well as reason belongs to the very stuff of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-smalley/emotion-as-well-as-reason-belongs-to-the-very-stuff-of-history/) [Beryl Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-smalley/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [There cannot be any communication except through form. If there is no form, you cannot create emotion in the spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-resnais/there-cannot-be-any-communication-except-through-form-if-there-is-no/) [Alain Resnais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-resnais/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ Music \[is\] the third rail of life. You grabbed it to shock yourself out of the dull drag of hours. To feel something. To… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/music-is-the-third-rail-of-life-you-grabbed-it-to-shock-yourself-out/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [“What if each time you experienced an emotion, you acknowledged it, accepted it, and became curious about its message for you (instead of trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/what-if-each-time-you-experienced-an-emotion-you-acknowledged-it/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) [Browse all 7,204 Emotion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always used emotion as a writing tool. That goes back to me being on the stage", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne McCaffrey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing-tool-that-goes-back-to-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Emotion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing-tool-that-goes-back-to-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/anne-mccaffrey-7944_emotion_i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing_1670920.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/anne-mccaffrey-7944_emotion_i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing_1670920.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/anne-mccaffrey-7944_emotion_i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing_1670920.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have always used emotion as a writing tool. That goes back to me being on the stage” — Anne McCaffrey", "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": "Anne McCaffrey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have always used emotion as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing-tool-that-goes-back-to-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-always-used-emotion-as-a-writing-tool-that-goes-back-to-me/#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 } } ] } ```