---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I write these words in steel, for…"
description: "\"“I write these words in steel, for anything not set in metal cannot be trusted.”\" — Brandon Sanderson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/brandon-sanderson-112_metal_i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anythin_484955.jpg"
---

#  I write these words in steel, for anything not set in…

![“I write these words in steel, for anything not set in metal cannot be trusted.” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/brandon-sanderson-112_metal_i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anythin_484955.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/brandon-sanderson-112_metal_i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anythin_484955.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/brandon-sanderson-112_metal_i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anythin_484955.jpg)

> ““I write these words in steel, for anything not set in metal cannot be trusted.””

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Writing in steel signifies permanence; anything not firmly fixed is unreliable.

**In simple terms:** Write firmly; avoid flimsy ideas.

Key Takeaway

Commit to solid foundations.

Themes

permanence trust craftsmanship

Mood

inspirational

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- authoring
- design
- engineering
- policy

Key Concepts

material metaphor integrity

Practical Applications

- Rigidity can stifle flexibility.

A Different Perspective

When is flexibility more valuable than permanence?;How to balance change?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Metal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metal/) [Metal Trusted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metal-trusted-4162642/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steel/) [Steel Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steel-set-4162643/) [Words Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-steel-3195535/)

## Related quotes

> [I Write those words in steel for anything else not set in metal cannot be trusted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-write-those-words-in-steel-for-anything-else-not-set-in-metal/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“There can be a greater power in words than in all the steel within the Circle of the World.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/there-can-be-a-greater-power-in-words-than-in-all-the-steel-within/)

[Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/)

> [Test of Metal: Will of Iron, Nerves of Steel, Heart of Gold, Balls of Brass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/test-of-metal-will-of-iron-nerves-of-steel-heart-of-gold-balls-of/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [If you beat metal long enough, it turns to steel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-douglas/if-you-beat-metal-long-enough-it-turns-to-steel/)

[Penelope Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-douglas/)

> [“Gray. The overcast skies had the colour of deadened stones, and seemed closer than usually, as though they were phlegmatically observing my every movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simona-panova/gray-the-overcast-skies-had-the-colour-of-deadened-stones-and-seemed/)

[Simona Panova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simona-panova/)

> [I think that the fact of the matter is that metal isn't really part of the big picture of the gay, lesbian, transgender music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/i-think-that-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-metal-isn-t-really-part/)

[Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/)

> [There is here a great melting pot in which we must compound a precious metal. That metal is the metal of nationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/there-is-here-a-great-melting-pot-in-which-we-must-compound-a/)

[Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/)

> [Before we joined BABYMETAL, we weren't that familiar with metal, but we learned a lot from Metallica. Watching their shows and even meeting them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzuka-nakamoto/before-we-joined-babymetal-we-weren-t-that-familiar-with-metal-but-we/)

[Suzuka Nakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzuka-nakamoto/)

> [The weird thing about metal fans is we're all so maladjusted in a lot of ways. We're individualistic and opinionated and severe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/the-weird-thing-about-metal-fans-is-we-re-all-so-maladjusted-in-a-lot/)

[Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/)

> [“Metal makes everything magical. Just ask a unicorn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybrina-durant/metal-makes-everything-magical-just-ask-a-unicorn/)

[Sybrina Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybrina-durant/)

> [I think metal fans are more loyal than other fans, and they are often more inclined to collect the albums of their favorite bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varg-vikernes/i-think-metal-fans-are-more-loyal-than-other-fans-and-they-are-often/)

[Varg Vikernes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varg-vikernes/)

> [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/)

[Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/)

> [I don't want my kids to live like I do, sweating in a little metal box. I want them to have sunshine. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-higgins/i-don-t-want-my-kids-to-live-like-i-do-sweating-in-a-little-metal-box/)

[Alex Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-higgins/)

> [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/)

[Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/)

> [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

## More by Brandon Sanderson

> [“I’ll admit, Jasnah, that I empathize with your skepticism, but I don’t agree with it. I just think you've been looking for God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-ll-admit-jasnah-that-i-empathize-with-your-skepticism-but-i-don-t/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [They say a man doesn't know himself until he faces death for the first time. . . I don't know about that. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/they-say-a-man-doesn-t-know-himself-until-he-faces-death-for-the/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“Why, Elend! That’s almost romantic—in a twisted ‘I’m going to make my wife want to kill me’ sort of way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/why-elend-that-s-almost-romantic-in-a-twisted-i-m-going-to-make-my/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“And...how much are we getting paid for achieving the impossible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/and-how-much-are-we-getting-paid-for-achieving-the-impossible/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“Elantris was the one place where she could remember feeling unconditional acceptance. She had not been a princess, she had been something far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elantris-was-the-one-place-where-she-could-remember-feeling/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“Elend smiled. "Oh, come on. You have to admit that you're unusual, Vin. You're like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elend-smiled-oh-come-on-you-have-to-admit-that-you-re-unusual-vin-you/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“That is always how it is, though, isn't it?” Shuden asked. “Those who can least afford extravagance seem to be the ones most determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-is-always-how-it-is-though-isn-t-it-shuden-asked-those-who-can/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“He says he’s letting the Stormfather judge you,” Moash added. “Jezerezeh, king of Heralds. He says that if you deserve to live, you will….”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-says-he-s-letting-the-stormfather-judge-you-moash-added-jezerezeh/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“The stories say the Nightwatcher might be capable of that. . . . Powerful spren. Vast spren.’ ‘Is he calling me vast?’ Syl said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-stories-say-the-nightwatcher-might-be-capable-of-that-powerful/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“If you're always on time, it implies that you never have anything better you should be doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-you-re-always-on-time-it-implies-that-you-never-have-anything/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [You are inexperienced. So was I, once. So is every man. The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-are-inexperienced-so-was-i-once-so-is-every-man-the-measure-of-a/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

[Explore all 1,238 Brandon Sanderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

## More Metal quotes

> [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/)

[Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/)

> [I don't want my kids to live like I do, sweating in a little metal box. I want them to have sunshine. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-higgins/i-don-t-want-my-kids-to-live-like-i-do-sweating-in-a-little-metal-box/)

[Alex Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-higgins/)

> [I think metal fans are more loyal than other fans, and they are often more inclined to collect the albums of their favorite bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varg-vikernes/i-think-metal-fans-are-more-loyal-than-other-fans-and-they-are-often/)

[Varg Vikernes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varg-vikernes/)

> [“Metal makes everything magical. Just ask a unicorn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybrina-durant/metal-makes-everything-magical-just-ask-a-unicorn/)

[Sybrina Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybrina-durant/)

> [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/)

[Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/)

> [The weird thing about metal fans is we're all so maladjusted in a lot of ways. We're individualistic and opinionated and severe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/the-weird-thing-about-metal-fans-is-we-re-all-so-maladjusted-in-a-lot/)

[Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/)

> [My mother 'gave teas' the way other mothers breathed. Her own mother 'gave teas.' All of their friends 'gave teas,' each involving butter cookies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/my-mother-gave-teas-the-way-other-mothers-breathed-her-own-mother/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

> [Before we joined BABYMETAL, we weren't that familiar with metal, but we learned a lot from Metallica. Watching their shows and even meeting them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzuka-nakamoto/before-we-joined-babymetal-we-weren-t-that-familiar-with-metal-but-we/)

[Suzuka Nakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzuka-nakamoto/)

> [There is here a great melting pot in which we must compound a precious metal. That metal is the metal of nationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/there-is-here-a-great-melting-pot-in-which-we-must-compound-a/)

[Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/)

> [I think that the fact of the matter is that metal isn't really part of the big picture of the gay, lesbian, transgender music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/i-think-that-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-metal-isn-t-really-part/)

[Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/)

> [She's the quiet type who's into heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/she-s-the-quiet-type-who-s-into-heavy-metal/)

[Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/)

> [Security is a component of everyday life that one spending time in Washington, D.C., gets accustomed to. Metal detectors, police vehicle barriers and heavily-armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-crapo/security-is-a-component-of-everyday-life-that-one-spending-time-in/)

[Mike Crapo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-crapo/)

> [People can talk about punk all they want, but after new wave put that down, metal is the voice of the disenfranchised and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/people-can-talk-about-punk-all-they-want-but-after-new-wave-put-that/)

[Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/)

> [What puts people off metal is they think it's all nutters and blood. We don't want to be seen that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sykes/what-puts-people-off-metal-is-they-think-it-s-all-nutters-and-blood/)

[Oliver Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sykes/)

[Browse all 482 Metal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metal/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I write these words in steel, for anything not set in metal cannot be trusted.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brandon Sanderson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anything-not-set-in-metal-cannot-be/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Metal"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anything-not-set-in-metal-cannot-be/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/brandon-sanderson-112_metal_i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anythin_484955.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/brandon-sanderson-112_metal_i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anythin_484955.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/brandon-sanderson-112_metal_i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anythin_484955.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I write these words in steel, for anything not set in metal cannot be trusted.” — Brandon Sanderson",
                "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": "Brandon Sanderson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I write these words in steel,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anything-not-set-in-metal-cannot-be/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-write-these-words-in-steel-for-anything-not-set-in-metal-cannot-be/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
