--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best advice is not to write what you…" description: "\"“The best advice is not to write what you know, it’s to write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best—write the story you want to read. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cc/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_the-best-advice-is-not-to-write-what-you_3166890.png" --- # The best advice is not to write what you know, it’s to… ![“The best advice is not to write what you know, it’s to write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best—write the story you want to read. The same principle applies to your life and your career: Whenever you’re at a loss for what move to make next, just ask yourself, “What would make a…” quote by Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cc/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_the-best-advice-is-not-to-write-what-you_3166890.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cc/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_the-best-advice-is-not-to-write-what-you_3166890.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cc/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_the-best-advice-is-not-to-write-what-you_3166890.png) > ““The best advice is not to write what you know, it’s to write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best—write the story you want to read. The same principle applies to your life and your career: Whenever you’re at a loss for what move to make next, just ask yourself, “What would make a better story?”” [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Write what you love, treating life as a story you’d enjoy reading; let passion guide decisions. **In simple terms:** Follow your interests in work and life. Key Takeaway Let passion shape your choices. Themes creativity self‑direction storytelling Mood motivational reflective Type advice creative When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - personal reflection Key Concepts authenticity intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What story would you write for yourself? - How does passion align with practicality? A Different Perspective Passion may clash with market demands. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-advice/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The best advice is not to write what you know, it’s to write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best—write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-best-advice-is-not-to-write-what-you-know-it-s-to-write-what-you-3/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“The best advice is not to write what you know, it's to write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-best-advice-is-not-to-write-what-you-know-it-s-to-write-what-you/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [The best advice is not to write what you know, it's to write what you like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-best-advice-is-not-to-write-what-you-know-it-s-to-write-what-you-2/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [I disagree with the advice of 'write about what you know.' Write about what you need to know, in an effort to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-windham/i-disagree-with-the-advice-of-write-about-what-you-know-write-about/) Donald Windham > [The best advice on writing was given to me by my first editor, Michael Korda, of Simon and Schuster, while writing my first book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominick-dunne/the-best-advice-on-writing-was-given-to-me-by-my-first-editor-michael/) [Dominick Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominick-dunne/) > [“My best advice is to first write for yourself and stay in your story and just pour all of your good stuff and bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/my-best-advice-is-to-first-write-for-yourself-and-stay-in-your-story/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [In the future, when something comes up, you tell exactly how it happened but write down for yourself the way you think it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/in-the-future-when-something-comes-up-you-tell-exactly-how-it/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [I do my best to write my way through it. It helps the laughing, reflective part come quicker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madi-diaz/i-do-my-best-to-write-my-way-through-it-it-helps-the-laughing/) [Madi Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madi-diaz/) > [To memorize something,it's best to write it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koushun-takami/to-memorize-something-it-s-best-to-write-it-down/) [Koushun Takami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koushun-takami/) > [I just do the best I can and write something interesting, to tell stories in an interesting way and move forward from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-just-do-the-best-i-can-and-write-something-interesting-to-tell/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [Nothing goes by luck in composition. It allows of no tricks. The best you can write will be the best you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/nothing-goes-by-luck-in-composition-it-allows-of-no-tricks-the-best/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When you are writing, you must treat it as the most important thing in the world, even when you know it is not. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/when-you-are-writing-you-must-treat-it-as-the-most-important-thing-in/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Doctor Who' is the best show to write for, because of the actors and the scale of imagination that it demands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/doctor-who-is-the-best-show-to-write-for-because-of-the-actors-and/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [Discover the time of day when you write best, and write then. For me it's about 7 am to noon. For other people it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/discover-the-time-of-day-when-you-write-best-and-write-then-for-me-it/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [I think the book you always like best is the one you're about to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-think-the-book-you-always-like-best-is-the-one-you-re-about-to-write/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More by Austin Kleon > [“The thing is, you can cut off a couple passions and only focus on one, but after a while, you’ll start to feel phantom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-thing-is-you-can-cut-off-a-couple-passions-and-only-focus-on-one/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Don't think of your website as a self-promotion machine, think of it as a self-invention machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-think-of-your-website-as-a-self-promotion-machine-think-of-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“We want you to take from us. We want you, at first, to steal from us, because you can’t steal. You will take what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/we-want-you-to-take-from-us-we-want-you-at-first-to-steal-from-us/) [austin kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Validation is for parking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/validation-is-for-parking/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“If you want fans, you have to be a fan first. If you want to be accepted by a community, you have to first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/if-you-want-fans-you-have-to-be-a-fan-first-if-you-want-to-be/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Social media sites are the perfect place to share daily updates. Don’t worry about being on every platform; pick and choose based on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/social-media-sites-are-the-perfect-place-to-share-daily-updates-don-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Writing a page a day doesn't seem like much, but do it for 365 days and you have enough to fill a novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/writing-a-page-a-day-doesn-t-seem-like-much-but-do-it-for-365-days/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Be boring. (It’s the only way to get work done.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/be-boring-it-s-the-only-way-to-get-work-done/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [It sounds a little extreme, but in this day and age, if your work isn't online, it doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/it-sounds-a-little-extreme-but-in-this-day-and-age-if-your-work-isn-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-wait-until-you-know-who-you-are-to-get-started-if-i-d-waited-to/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Your brain gets too comfortable in your everyday surroundings. You need to make it uncomfortable. You need to spend some time in another land,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/your-brain-gets-too-comfortable-in-your-everyday-surroundings-you/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Nothing is more paralyzing than the idea of limitless possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/nothing-is-more-paralyzing-than-the-idea-of-limitless-possibilities/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Whenever Picasso learned how to do something, he abandoned it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/whenever-picasso-learned-how-to-do-something-he-abandoned-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“The writer Jonathan Lethem has said that when people call something “original,” nine out of ten times they just don’t know the references or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-writer-jonathan-lethem-has-said-that-when-people-call-something/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Stock and flow” is an economic concept that writer Robin Sloan has adapted into a metaphor for media: “Flow is the feed. It’s the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/stock-and-flow-is-an-economic-concept-that-writer-robin-sloan-has/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) [Explore all 204 Austin Kleon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## More Ask yourself quotes > [“If you want to stop smoking, ask yourself, do you do it because you love nicotine, or because it provides a burst of stimulation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/if-you-want-to-stop-smoking-ask-yourself-do-you-do-it-because-you/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-ve-written-about-persistence-and-perseverance-and-yet-for-those-of/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [When you experience difficulty at work or in your life, instead of looking back on it as something that was really challenging, look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-ghosn/when-you-experience-difficulty-at-work-or-in-your-life-instead-of/) [Caroline Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-ghosn/) > [“ask yourself how many people you have met who grumbled at a thing as incurable, and how many who attacked it as curable? 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