--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my mind, only one inviolable precept…" description: "\"In my mind, only one inviolable precept exists in terms of being a successful writer: you have to write. The unspoken sub-laws of that one precept are:..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c62/chuck-wendig-5165_carousels_in-my-mind-only-one-inviolable-precept-e_1495341.jpg" --- # In my mind, only one inviolable precept exists in terms of… ![“In my mind, only one inviolable precept exists in terms of being a successful writer: you have to write. The unspoken sub-laws of that one precept are: to write, you must start writing and then finish writing. And then, most likely, start writing all over again because this writing "thing" is one…” quote by Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c62/chuck-wendig-5165_carousels_in-my-mind-only-one-inviolable-precept-e_1495341.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c62/chuck-wendig-5165_carousels_in-my-mind-only-one-inviolable-precept-e_1495341.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c62/chuck-wendig-5165_carousels_in-my-mind-only-one-inviolable-precept-e_1495341.jpg) > “In my mind, only one inviolable precept exists in terms of being a successful writer: you have to write. The unspoken sub-laws of that one precept are: to write, you must start writing and then finish writing. And then, most likely, start writing all over again because this writing "thing" is one long and endless ride on a really weird (but pretty awesome) carousel. Cue the calliope music.” [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful writing requires continuous practice: begin, finish, and repeat the process, embracing its cyclical nature. **In simple terms:** Write, finish, repeat. Key Takeaway Keep writing regularly. Themes writing discipline creativity Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - author workshops - daily journaling - novel drafting - blog posting - scriptwriting Key Concepts process habit formation flow Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance consistency with creative renewal? - What habits sustain long‑term writing? A Different Perspective May lead to burnout without rest or reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carousels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carousels/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/advice-i-don-t-have-advice-stop-aspiring-and-start-writing-if-you-re/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“The way you start writing is by writing. Over and over again I have proven this to myself but I always forget it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/the-way-you-start-writing-is-by-writing-over-and-over-again-i-have/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [I see the shape of the poem before I start writing, and the writing is just the process of arriving at the shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-ann-duffy/i-see-the-shape-of-the-poem-before-i-start-writing-and-the-writing-is/) [Carol Ann Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-ann-duffy/) > [My soul is an empty carousel at sunset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/my-soul-is-an-empty-carousel-at-sunset/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [My favorite part of a roller-coaster ride is when you're going up and you're slightly scared and really excited. You don't know what's coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-gershon/my-favorite-part-of-a-roller-coaster-ride-is-when-you-re-going-up-and/) [Gina Gershon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-gershon/) > [All I'm saying is that I understand if the novelty's worn off and you want to get off the carousel ride now before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/all-i-m-saying-is-that-i-understand-if-the-novelty-s-worn-off-and-you/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [Looking for love is tricky business, like whipping a carousel horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cukor/looking-for-love-is-tricky-business-like-whipping-a-carousel-horse/) [George Cukor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cukor/) > [Four sits down on the edge of the carousel, leaning against a plastic horse's foot. His eyes lift to the sky, where there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/four-sits-down-on-the-edge-of-the-carousel-leaning-against-a-plastic/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I have a free couple of hours," I told him, walking toward my car, which was parked on the next block. "There's a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-have-a-free-couple-of-hours-i-told-him-walking-toward-my-car-which/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Life is a carousel. It goes up and down. All U gotta do is just stay on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharrell-williams/life-is-a-carousel-it-goes-up-and-down-all-u-gotta-do-is-just-stay-on/) [Pharrell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharrell-williams/) > [My head's a carousel of pictures and The spinning never stops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/my-head-s-a-carousel-of-pictures-and-the-spinning-never-stops/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [After all, spinning is its own reward. There wouldn't be carousels if it weren't so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gopnik/after-all-spinning-is-its-own-reward-there-wouldn-t-be-carousels-if/) [Adam Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gopnik/) > [The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/the-thing-with-kids-is-if-they-want-to-grab-for-the-gold-ring-you/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [Should I just sit down, right here at carousel seven, and shake until somebody's arms are around me and they're saying, 'It's okay, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/should-i-just-sit-down-right-here-at-carousel-seven-and-shake-until/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) ## More by Chuck Wendig > [You've got all these characters and yet, you're hovering over one character like a fly over a stinky diaper. Realize that you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/you-ve-got-all-these-characters-and-yet-you-re-hovering-over-one/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [When in doubt, the rule of threes is a rule that plays well with all of storytelling. When describing a thing? No more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/when-in-doubt-the-rule-of-threes-is-a-rule-that-plays-well-with-all/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“All hail the light, the dark, and the grey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/all-hail-the-light-the-dark-and-the-grey/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Naughty business, this Empire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/naughty-business-this-empire/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Things happen in this life. Sometimes they're good things, and sometimes they're bad things. You have to come to terms with the bad things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/things-happen-in-this-life-sometimes-they-re-good-things-and/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Did you just say shrug instead of actually shrugging?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/did-you-just-say-shrug-instead-of-actually-shrugging/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“On the worst day of writing, the work is instructive. On the best day, the act is transcendent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/on-the-worst-day-of-writing-the-work-is-instructive-on-the-best-day/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“A HUG IS LIKE VIOLENCE MADE OF LOVE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/a-hug-is-like-violence-made-of-love/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Stories have the power to make people feel. To give a shit. To change their opinions. To change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/stories-have-the-power-to-make-people-feel-to-give-a-shit-to-change/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“You thought what? That because you’re a nice guy, my panties will just drop because you deserve to have my thighs around your ears?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/you-thought-what-that-because-you-re-a-nice-guy-my-panties-will-just/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Today is a day of celebration. We have triumphed over villainy and oppression and have given our Alliance—and the galaxy beyond it—a chance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/today-is-a-day-of-celebration-we-have-triumphed-over-villainy-and/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Write as much as you can. As fast as you can. Finish your shit. Hit your deadlines. Try very hard not to suck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/write-as-much-as-you-can-as-fast-as-you-can-finish-your-shit-hit-your/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“everyone likes to be sold easy promises, don’t they?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/everyone-likes-to-be-sold-easy-promises-don-t-they/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“I would straight up fuck a snowman right now, she says. Just to cool down. - Miriam Black”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/i-would-straight-up-fuck-a-snowman-right-now-she-says-just-to-cool/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Writers are made--forged, really, in a kiln of their own madness and insecurities--over the course of many, many moons. The writer you are when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/writers-are-made-forged-really-in-a-kiln-of-their-own-madness-and/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) [Explore all 102 Chuck Wendig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) ## More Carousels quotes > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [Should I just sit down, right here at carousel seven, and shake until somebody's arms are around me and they're saying, 'It's okay, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/should-i-just-sit-down-right-here-at-carousel-seven-and-shake-until/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/the-thing-with-kids-is-if-they-want-to-grab-for-the-gold-ring-you/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [After all, spinning is its own reward. There wouldn't be carousels if it weren't so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gopnik/after-all-spinning-is-its-own-reward-there-wouldn-t-be-carousels-if/) [Adam Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gopnik/) > [My head's a carousel of pictures and The spinning never stops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/my-head-s-a-carousel-of-pictures-and-the-spinning-never-stops/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Life is a carousel. It goes up and down. All U gotta do is just stay on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharrell-williams/life-is-a-carousel-it-goes-up-and-down-all-u-gotta-do-is-just-stay-on/) [Pharrell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharrell-williams/) > [I have a free couple of hours," I told him, walking toward my car, which was parked on the next block. "There's a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-have-a-free-couple-of-hours-i-told-him-walking-toward-my-car-which/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Four sits down on the edge of the carousel, leaning against a plastic horse's foot. His eyes lift to the sky, where there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/four-sits-down-on-the-edge-of-the-carousel-leaning-against-a-plastic/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Looking for love is tricky business, like whipping a carousel horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cukor/looking-for-love-is-tricky-business-like-whipping-a-carousel-horse/) [George Cukor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cukor/) > [All I'm saying is that I understand if the novelty's worn off and you want to get off the carousel ride now before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/all-i-m-saying-is-that-i-understand-if-the-novelty-s-worn-off-and-you/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [My favorite part of a roller-coaster ride is when you're going up and you're slightly scared and really excited. You don't know what's coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-gershon/my-favorite-part-of-a-roller-coaster-ride-is-when-you-re-going-up-and/) [Gina Gershon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-gershon/) > [My soul is an empty carousel at sunset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/my-soul-is-an-empty-carousel-at-sunset/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [Little world, full of little people shouting for recognition, screaming for love, Rolling world, teeming with millions, carousel of the hungry, Is there food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kavanaugh/little-world-full-of-little-people-shouting-for-recognition-screaming/) [James Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kavanaugh/) > [The first Broadway show I ever heard was the recording of Carousel, and it was a very vivid experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-peters/the-first-broadway-show-i-ever-heard-was-the-recording-of-carousel/) [Bernadette Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-peters/) > [I'd like to have the kind of house someday where a carousel horse wouldn't be out of place in the living room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/i-d-like-to-have-the-kind-of-house-someday-where-a-carousel-horse/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) [Browse all 25 Carousels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carousels/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In my mind, only one inviolable precept exists in terms of being a successful writer: you have to write. 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