--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a writer for hire. I wrote to pay…" description: "\"I was a writer for hire. I wrote to pay the bills.\" — Damien Chazelle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05c/damien-chazelle-8242_bills_i-was-a-writer-for-hire-i-wrote-to-pay-t_1050928.jpg" --- # I was a writer for hire. I wrote to pay the bills. ![“I was a writer for hire. I wrote to pay the bills.” quote by Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05c/damien-chazelle-8242_bills_i-was-a-writer-for-hire-i-wrote-to-pay-t_1050928.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05c/damien-chazelle-8242_bills_i-was-a-writer-for-hire-i-wrote-to-pay-t_1050928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05c/damien-chazelle-8242_bills_i-was-a-writer-for-hire-i-wrote-to-pay-t_1050928.jpg) > “I was a writer for hire. I wrote to pay the bills.” [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing for hire means producing work primarily for financial necessity rather than artistic passion. **In simple terms:** Writing for pay, not art. Key Takeaway Balance creative goals with financial needs. Themes writing career artistic compromise Mood pragmatic reflective Type professional personal When to use this quote - freelance writing - content creation - scriptwriting - journalism Key Concepts freelance creative industry economic pressure Questions to Reflect On - What compromises have you made for income? - How can you sustain creativity while earning? A Different Perspective Financial motives can limit artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) [Hire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hire/) [Hire Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hire-wrote-2513288/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Pay Bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-bills/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Hire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-hire-1496619/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote/) [Wrote Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-pay-2513287/) ## Related quotes > [I wrote Pay Any Price as my answer to the government's campaign against me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-risen/i-wrote-pay-any-price-as-my-answer-to-the-government-s-campaign/) [James Risen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-risen/) > [I spent 20 years of my career primarily being a writer for hire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-darabont/i-spent-20-years-of-my-career-primarily-being-a-writer-for-hire/) [Frank Darabont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-darabont/) > [In TV, you're a 'writer for hire.' That means you're trying to guess what your boss wants and delivering that story. There's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-saracho/in-tv-you-re-a-writer-for-hire-that-means-you-re-trying-to-guess-what/) [Tanya Saracho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-saracho/) > [I could stand in the street and sing and get enough to pay the bills. I don't need millions of dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/i-could-stand-in-the-street-and-sing-and-get-enough-to-pay-the-bills/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [All I ever wanted to do was act. And pay my bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-falco/all-i-ever-wanted-to-do-was-act-and-pay-my-bills/) [Edie Falco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-falco/) > [I'll probably have to open a recording studio at some point because I won't be able to pay the bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-demarco/i-ll-probably-have-to-open-a-recording-studio-at-some-point-because-i/) [Mac DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-demarco/) > [When you're lucky enough to pay your bills through acting, staying healthy and fit is part of the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-kebbell/when-you-re-lucky-enough-to-pay-your-bills-through-acting-staying/) [Toby Kebbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-kebbell/) > [2018 was the worst year in my life by far. I needed to pay bills. I don't have money. All the problems start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/2018-was-the-worst-year-in-my-life-by-far-i-needed-to-pay-bills-i-don/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [The greatest artists were in a situation where they had to pay their bills. That's a very convenient way to get very creative very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greatest-artists-were-in-a-situation-where-they-had-to-pay-their/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [“Those who pay their bills on time are soon forgotten. It is only by not paying one's bills that one can hope to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyles-brandreth/those-who-pay-their-bills-on-time-are-soon-forgotten-it-is-only-by/) [Gyles Brandreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyles-brandreth/) > [Elected officials want to paint everyone with a broad brush. What they don't get is that everyone pays bills. Liberal activists pay bills. Conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-veasey/elected-officials-want-to-paint-everyone-with-a-broad-brush-what-they/) [Marc Veasey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-veasey/) > [If you can't pay your bills, it has a really tough effect on your mental state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/if-you-can-t-pay-your-bills-it-has-a-really-tough-effect-on-your/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [I am willing to work with anybody who wants to have a serious conversation about our fiscal future. We're not going to do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-am-willing-to-work-with-anybody-who-wants-to-have-a-serious/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [They say that love is more important than money, but have you ever tried to pay your bills with a hug?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-that-love-is-more-important-than-money-but-have-you-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's nice to know there's a way to pay the bills other than third-and-8 and getting your bell rung.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/it-s-nice-to-know-there-s-a-way-to-pay-the-bills-other-than-third-and/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) ## More by Damien Chazelle > [My motivation for being a good drummer was born out of fear, which, in a way, seems so antithetical to what art should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/my-motivation-for-being-a-good-drummer-was-born-out-of-fear-which-in/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [It's interesting when you wind up distilling all your ambitions and your goals and dreams into one single person. It's giving that person a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-interesting-when-you-wind-up-distilling-all-your-ambitions-and/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [In a weird way, I'm always going to ground myself. I'm an insecure kind of pessimist, but I'm always kind of waiting for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/in-a-weird-way-i-m-always-going-to-ground-myself-i-m-an-insecure-kind/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [Real practice means working on stuff you're not good at. Real practice is about butting your head against the wall repeatedly until you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/real-practice-means-working-on-stuff-you-re-not-good-at-real-practice/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [It's a little difficult when something goes from being an utter obsession - a thing where your skill defines you as a person -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-a-little-difficult-when-something-goes-from-being-an-utter/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I love the ending of 'The Wrestler.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/i-love-the-ending-of-the-wrestler/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [It was only through getting interested in more out-there and avant-garde forms that the musical suddenly seemed like such a wonderful genre to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-was-only-through-getting-interested-in-more-out-there-and-avant/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I feel like a lot of directing is casting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/i-feel-like-a-lot-of-directing-is-casting/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [If you're an artist, you want to draw from real life; you want to draw from experiences, emotion, and it's something that a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/if-you-re-an-artist-you-want-to-draw-from-real-life-you-want-to-draw/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I was interested in music and making movies about musicians, but my own experiences, and doing what it felt like for me to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/i-was-interested-in-music-and-making-movies-about-musicians-but-my/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [There are a lot of musicians in my life. But movies came first for me. That was my original passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/there-are-a-lot-of-musicians-in-my-life-but-movies-came-first-for-me/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [By the end of high school, I had this fork-in-the-road moment where part of me considered going to vocational music school to really pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/by-the-end-of-high-school-i-had-this-fork-in-the-road-moment-where/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [At the upper echelon of musicians in general, I guess performers in general, you have to have this kind of live-or-die, cutthroat mentality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/at-the-upper-echelon-of-musicians-in-general-i-guess-performers-in/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [If you want to make a movie, there may be many forces trying to pull you down, but really, a lot of it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/if-you-want-to-make-a-movie-there-may-be-many-forces-trying-to-pull/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I would break a lot of cymbals. You whack the cymbals hard enough, and they will crack in half. Drums are not actually as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/i-would-break-a-lot-of-cymbals-you-whack-the-cymbals-hard-enough-and/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) [Explore all 82 Damien Chazelle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) ## More Bills quotes > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [If Bill Gates left Microsoft we wouldn't allow Donald Trump to run it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/if-bill-gates-left-microsoft-we-wouldn-t-allow-donald-trump-to-run-it/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/your-goal-should-be-to-pay-off-your-credit-card-bills-in-full-at-the/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [He's fat and a clown, Bill, a fat clown for all to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-dunphy/he-s-fat-and-a-clown-bill-a-fat-clown-for-all-to-see/) [Eamon Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-dunphy/) > [There's nothing nice about Steve Jobs and there's nothing evil about Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-peddle/there-s-nothing-nice-about-steve-jobs-and-there-s-nothing-evil-about/) [Chuck Peddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-peddle/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Whether it's people walking off 'The View' when Bill O'Reilly makes a statement about radical Islam or Juan Williams being fired for expressing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantor/whether-it-s-people-walking-off-the-view-when-bill-o-reilly-makes-a/) [Eric Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantor/) > [The one thing the police cannot protect us from is a politician like Bill de Blasio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/the-one-thing-the-police-cannot-protect-us-from-is-a-politician-like/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Browse all 2,663 Bills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a writer for hire. 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