--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think there is a lot of overexplaining…" description: "\"I think there is a lot of overexplaining both in writing and acting. People don't need to be hit on the head.\" — Clive Owen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/clive-owen-3148_acting_i-think-there-is-a-lot-of-overexplaining_631298.png" --- # I think there is a lot of overexplaining both in writing… ![“I think there is a lot of overexplaining both in writing and acting. People don't need to be hit on the head.” quote by Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/clive-owen-3148_acting_i-think-there-is-a-lot-of-overexplaining_631298.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/clive-owen-3148_acting_i-think-there-is-a-lot-of-overexplaining_631298.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/clive-owen-3148_acting_i-think-there-is-a-lot-of-overexplaining_631298.png) > “I think there is a lot of overexplaining both in writing and acting. People don't need to be hit on the head.” [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overexplaining dilutes impact; subtlety is more effective in both prose and performance. **In simple terms:** Too much detail weakens the message. Key Takeaway Embrace brevity and trust the audience. Themes communication writing acting subtlety Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice observational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - stage performance - public speaking - teaching - marketing Key Concepts narrative economy show don’t tell audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can you convey depth without overexplaining? - When does brevity risk misunderstanding? A Different Perspective Simplicity may omit necessary context for some audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [People say that things happen for a reason. So when I hit you up side the head, remember I had a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-say-that-things-happen-for-a-reason-so-when-i-hit-you-up-side/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you get hit in the head, you don't recover from that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riddick-bowe/when-you-get-hit-in-the-head-you-don-t-recover-from-that/) [Riddick Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riddick-bowe/) > [I've been spending quite a bit of time writing, acting, and making films. Because I'm doing all this extra writing, acting, and creating short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morrison/i-ve-been-spending-quite-a-bit-of-time-writing-acting-and-making/) [John Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-morrison/) > [There's a real danger in writing or acting as therapy because if you've ever been on-screen with someone or on stage or worked with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-coughlan/there-s-a-real-danger-in-writing-or-acting-as-therapy-because-if-you/) [Nicola Coughlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-coughlan/) > [I love a mask. It's why I've got a thing about good writing. When you're acting, you're going into someone else's work. You're behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-kendal/i-love-a-mask-it-s-why-i-ve-got-a-thing-about-good-writing-when-you/) [Felicity Kendal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-kendal/) > [For me, the real goal is to integrate. The thing that I'm most happy with is the fact that I've been able to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/for-me-the-real-goal-is-to-integrate-the-thing-that-i-m-most-happy/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [Writing, of course, is writing, acting comes from the theater, and cinematography comes from photography. Editing is unique to film. You can see something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/writing-of-course-is-writing-acting-comes-from-the-theater-and/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [I don't have the desire to be the best standup in the UK but I do have the desire to be the best at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-brown/i-don-t-have-the-desire-to-be-the-best-standup-in-the-uk-but-i-do/) [Doc Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-brown/) > [I want to use things I learn about writing in my acting, and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-chang/i-want-to-use-things-i-learn-about-writing-in-my-acting-and-vice-versa/) [Katie Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-chang/) > [I didn't always want to act. My passion was writing, and it still is one of my primary passions to this day, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-didn-t-always-want-to-act-my-passion-was-writing-and-it-still-is/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [After graduating from University, I began directing in theatre too, and I've been directing, writing and acting ever since, which has allowed me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pollyanna-mcintosh/after-graduating-from-university-i-began-directing-in-theatre-too-and/) [Pollyanna McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pollyanna-mcintosh/) > [I take talking as seriously as I do writing, acting and stand-up. Not everybody is good at talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robby-hoffman/i-take-talking-as-seriously-as-i-do-writing-acting-and-stand-up-not/) [Robby Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robby-hoffman/) > [Actually, I was writing as I was acting - it was kind of simultaneous. I wrote on 'E20', which started this whole 'EastEnders' journey.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emer-kenny/actually-i-was-writing-as-i-was-acting-it-was-kind-of-simultaneous-i/) [Emer Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emer-kenny/) > [When you have somebody writing or acting for you, you have to be free to have them hate you so you can get your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-heckerling/when-you-have-somebody-writing-or-acting-for-you-you-have-to-be-free/) [Amy Heckerling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-heckerling/) > [I'm really interested in the minutiae of different tones and what that explains - how people's backgrounds are reflected in minute details of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-miller/i-m-really-interested-in-the-minutiae-of-different-tones-and-what/) [Rebecca Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-miller/) ## More by Clive Owen > [It's just lovely to be involved in a movie that does go back to the basics - characters and great writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/it-s-just-lovely-to-be-involved-in-a-movie-that-does-go-back-to-the/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I've been very fortunate with the scripts I've had and the people I worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-ve-been-very-fortunate-with-the-scripts-i-ve-had-and-the-people-i/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I find sometimes that if you do too many takes, it starts to become meaningless to me. It is hard to sustain it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-find-sometimes-that-if-you-do-too-many-takes-it-starts-to-become/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I'm just constantly trying to renew and give myself new challenges and push myself to uncomfortable places, trying to get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-m-just-constantly-trying-to-renew-and-give-myself-new-challenges/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [America's been very, very good to me. I've been very lucky and worked a lot there, and appreciate and love the work that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/america-s-been-very-very-good-to-me-i-ve-been-very-lucky-and-worked-a/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [The medical operations are so challenging because they're so technical, as well. I assumed before we started that we would do the classic thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/the-medical-operations-are-so-challenging-because-they-re-so/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [Belfast during the Troubles looked like a different world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/belfast-during-the-troubles-looked-like-a-different-world/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [Rudeness can make me angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/rudeness-can-make-me-angry/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I am a big soccer fan, and a very big Liverpool fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-am-a-big-soccer-fan-and-a-very-big-liverpool-fan/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [The further you run from your sins, the more exhausted you are when they catch up to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/the-further-you-run-from-your-sins-the-more-exhausted-you-are-when/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [Ultimately, to have a career in movies, to a certain extent, certainly in England, you can't sustain a career in just English movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/ultimately-to-have-a-career-in-movies-to-a-certain-extent-certainly/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [As I get older, I've been having a better and better time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/as-i-get-older-i-ve-been-having-a-better-and-better-time/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I think that Phil Kaufman is one of the best directors that I have come across.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-think-that-phil-kaufman-is-one-of-the-best-directors-that-i-have/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [Audiences can be very judgmental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/audiences-can-be-very-judgmental/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [When I was younger, people used to say you only really prove yourself as an actor on stage. And I disagree with that. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/when-i-was-younger-people-used-to-say-you-only-really-prove-yourself/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) [Explore all 138 Clive Owen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [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 > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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