--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a writer, not an editor, and though…" description: "\"I'm a writer, not an editor, and though the editing rarely cut into my writing time, it did take away from that walking-around-thinking-about-it-when-y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00a/ben-fountain-3198_cooking_i-m-a-writer-not-an-editor-and-though-th_2355272.png" --- # I'm a writer, not an editor, and though the editing rarely… ![“I'm a writer, not an editor, and though the editing rarely cut into my writing time, it did take away from that walking-around-thinking-about-it-when-you're-not-thinking-about-it time that I think is important for writers. When you're half-thinking about what you're working on while driving…” quote by Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00a/ben-fountain-3198_cooking_i-m-a-writer-not-an-editor-and-though-th_2355272.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00a/ben-fountain-3198_cooking_i-m-a-writer-not-an-editor-and-though-th_2355272.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00a/ben-fountain-3198_cooking_i-m-a-writer-not-an-editor-and-though-th_2355272.png) > “I'm a writer, not an editor, and though the editing rarely cut into my writing time, it did take away from that walking-around-thinking-about-it-when-you're-not-thinking-about-it time that I think is important for writers. When you're half-thinking about what you're working on while driving, cooking . . . just letting things sift and settle, come to you.” [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing benefits from subconscious processing; stepping away lets ideas mature naturally. **In simple terms:** Take breaks to let thoughts settle. Key Takeaway Allow mental wandering to improve writing. Themes creativity productivity mindfulness Mood thoughtful practical Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - commuting - cooking - walking - exercise Key Concepts incubation theory flow state cognitive rest Questions to Reflect On - When do you notice ideas surfacing after a break? - How can you structure breaks without losing focus? A Different Perspective Too much idle time may lead to distraction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Editing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editing/) [Editing Rarely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editing-rarely-5748819/) [Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Settling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settling/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Editor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-editor-803684/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-time/) ## Related quotes > [Editing should be, especially in the case of old writers, a counseling rather than a collaborating task. The tendency of the writer-editor to collaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/editing-should-be-especially-in-the-case-of-old-writers-a-counseling/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [I've never had to work out of the arts. I've always either been a writer or an editor, or something where I've made my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-wein/i-ve-never-had-to-work-out-of-the-arts-i-ve-always-either-been-a/) [Len Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-wein/) > [I think it's important to have an experienced writer or editor critique your work to get it ready to pitch an agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robinson/i-think-it-s-important-to-have-an-experienced-writer-or-editor/) [Tom Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robinson/) > [I'm a writer first and an editor second... or maybe third or even fourth. Successful editing requires a very specific set of skills, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-abbey/i-m-a-writer-first-and-an-editor-second-or-maybe-third-or-even-fourth/) [Lynn Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-abbey/) > [“One rule of the road not directly stated elsewhere in this book: 'The editor is always right.' The corollary is that no writer will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/one-rule-of-the-road-not-directly-stated-elsewhere-in-this-book-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I'm a fierce editor! I don't edit out things that I began by saying, usually. The editing is on the micro level - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-m-a-fierce-editor-i-don-t-edit-out-things-that-i-began-by-saying/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [The greatest films ever made in our history were cut on film, and I'm tenaciously hanging on to the process. I just love going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-greatest-films-ever-made-in-our-history-were-cut-on-film-and-i-m/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I was always creatively stubborn, adverse to editing by others, and wanted to use the kind of Ukrainian we spoke among ourselves rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuriy-tarnawsky/i-was-always-creatively-stubborn-adverse-to-editing-by-others-and/) [Yuriy Tarnawsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuriy-tarnawsky/) > [ \[My mom\] is quite the strict editor. I feel like maybe she has more of the old-school editing style, which really works in picture… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-bush/my-mom-is-quite-the-strict-editor-i-feel-like-maybe-she-has-more-of/) [Jenna Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-bush/) > [The border between editing and ghostwriting is, at its extremes, a bit porous. An editor really improves and sometimes restructures a manuscript and suggests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-thurman/the-border-between-editing-and-ghostwriting-is-at-its-extremes-a-bit/) [Judith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-thurman/) > [There's this kind of incredibly mistaken idea that because it's so much cheaper to roll the camera than it used to be and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/there-s-this-kind-of-incredibly-mistaken-idea-that-because-it-s-so/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [The way I work is that I never let people do an assembly. I don't like it because it shapes the film in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/the-way-i-work-is-that-i-never-let-people-do-an-assembly-i-don-t-like/) [Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/) > [There were a lot of unique challenges in producing the film, such as the logistical issues inherent in producing a long-term verite film in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/there-were-a-lot-of-unique-challenges-in-producing-the-film-such-as/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [I take editing seriously. It's a joy to edit. I always hand a manuscript to several editors and can't wait to get back their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-take-editing-seriously-it-s-a-joy-to-edit-i-always-hand-a/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) ## More by Ben Fountain > [“The singing triggers a soft detonation at his core, molten parts of him are flying everywhere and his ears ring to the tune of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/the-singing-triggers-a-soft-detonation-at-his-core-molten-parts-of/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [“Even harder was describing his sense that Shroom’s death might have ruined him for anything else, because when he died? when I felt his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/even-harder-was-describing-his-sense-that-shroom-s-death-might-have/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [“Without ever exactly putting his mind to it, he's come to believe that loss is standard trajectory. Something new appears in the world—a baby,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/without-ever-exactly-putting-his-mind-to-it-he-s-come-to-believe-that/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [“But I am scared. Everybody's scared." "You know what I mean, like scared scared. 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I mean, I’d rather have nothing than let this guy use me like his bitch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/i-think-sometimes-nothing-is-better-than-something-i-mean-i-d-rather/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [“No it was my choice. It's what I wanted to do. And I knew they'd probably send me to Iraq. It's not like anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/no-it-was-my-choice-it-s-what-i-wanted-to-do-and-i-knew-they-d/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [It's amazing what happens when you stick yourself in a place and let things take their more or less natural course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/it-s-amazing-what-happens-when-you-stick-yourself-in-a-place-and-let/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [“As if sorrow is the true reality? Without ever putting his mind to it, he's come to believe that loss is the standard trajectory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/as-if-sorrow-is-the-true-reality-without-ever-putting-his-mind-to-it/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [If you want to see a bunch of happy Americans, go out to opening day at any baseball stadium in the land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/if-you-want-to-see-a-bunch-of-happy-americans-go-out-to-opening-day/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [There was no such thing as perfection in this world, only moments of such extreme transparency that you forgot yourself, a holy mercy if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/there-was-no-such-thing-as-perfection-in-this-world-only-moments-of/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [“He decides he wants both more and less. He’d like to hang out with Beyonce in a nice way, get to know her by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/he-decides-he-wants-both-more-and-less-he-d-like-to-hang-out-with/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) [Explore all 127 Ben Fountain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) ## More Cooking quotes > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [I enjoy cooking, but stick to modern dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/i-enjoy-cooking-but-stick-to-modern-dishes/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death suddenly in Europe, but I think he would gradually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-accustomed-to-american-food-and-american-domestic-cookery-would/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [My Mom always cooked healthy. Greek food lends itself to cooking healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-cora/my-mom-always-cooked-healthy-greek-food-lends-itself-to-cooking/) [Cat Cora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-cora/) > [Cooking brings me so much joy. I love everything, down to the execution of the plate to picking out fresh ingredients at the market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-budig/cooking-brings-me-so-much-joy-i-love-everything-down-to-the-execution/) [Kathryn Budig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-budig/) > [Recipes don't work unless you use your heart!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-jones/recipes-don-t-work-unless-you-use-your-heart/) [Dylan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-jones/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I have a great time cooking and eating Thai green chicken curry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-have-a-great-time-cooking-and-eating-thai-green-chicken-curry/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There are times when born hollandaise heads, as well as nouveaux turbot freaks and recherche escargotphiles alike crave the saignet abundance of a New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-greene/there-are-times-when-born-hollandaise-heads-as-well-as-nouveaux/) [Gael Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-greene/) > [Speaking of trust, ever since I wrote this book, 'Liespotting,' no one wants to meet me in person anymore - no, no, no, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/speaking-of-trust-ever-since-i-wrote-this-book-liespotting-no-one/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Balance is key in cooking - you want a little acid, a little sweet, a little savory - the flavors should be harmonious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/balance-is-key-in-cooking-you-want-a-little-acid-a-little-sweet-a/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [A combination of the qualities of the scholar, the master cook, the painter, the gastronomer, the sportsman and the pantologist, assisted by the skill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ellwanger/a-combination-of-the-qualities-of-the-scholar-the-master-cook-the/) [George Ellwanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ellwanger/) [Browse all 2,937 Cooking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a writer, not an editor, and though the editing rarely cut into my writing time, it did take away from that walking-around-thinking-about-it-when-you're-not-thinking-about-it time that I think is important for writers. 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