--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They always say, doing what I do for a…" description: "\"They always say, doing what I do for a living, write what you know and then people will respond to it. I luckily had a very charming, lovable mom who I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/dan-fogelman-34701_bits_they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-li_905066.jpg" --- # They always say, doing what I do for a living, write what… ![“They always say, doing what I do for a living, write what you know and then people will respond to it. I luckily had a very charming, lovable mom who I think everybody could see bits and pieces of their mom in. All I had to do was write a character that was like my mom, and it made my life easier.” quote by Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/dan-fogelman-34701_bits_they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-li_905066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/dan-fogelman-34701_bits_they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-li_905066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/dan-fogelman-34701_bits_they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-li_905066.jpg) > “They always say, doing what I do for a living, write what you know and then people will respond to it. I luckily had a very charming, lovable mom who I think everybody could see bits and pieces of their mom in. All I had to do was write a character that was like my mom, and it made my life easier.” [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing from personal experience creates authentic characters that resonate with audiences. **In simple terms:** Write what you know for relatable stories. Key Takeaway Use personal memories to shape characters. Themes authenticity family creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type advice personal When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - teaching workshops Key Concepts character development emotional truth Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal insight with universal appeal? - What aspects of your life can be transformed into compelling narratives? A Different Perspective Personal bias may limit broader perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I luckily had a very charming, lovable mom who I think everybody could see bits and pieces of their mom in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-luckily-had-a-very-charming-lovable-mom-who-i-think-everybody-could/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [I think a lot of the way that I try to write my stories come from watching my mom write plays and trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmine-sullivan/i-think-a-lot-of-the-way-that-i-try-to-write-my-stories-come-from/) [Jazmine Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmine-sullivan/) > [I used to tell my mother, 'Mom, when they write really flattering things about your son, don't believe it all. And when they write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-laettner/i-used-to-tell-my-mother-mom-when-they-write-really-flattering-things/) [Christian Laettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-laettner/) > [I was trying to get the slightly more cinematic version of my relationship with my mom, which I think was a really common relationship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-was-trying-to-get-the-slightly-more-cinematic-version-of-my/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [You realize that you habitually thought of Mom when something in your life was not going well, because when you thought of her it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-realize-that-you-habitually-thought-of-mom-when-something-in-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I lived with my mom my whole life; her work ethic was ridiculous, and it hasn't changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-lived-with-my-mom-my-whole-life-her-work-ethic-was-ridiculous-and/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [My mom's whole life had been my gymnastics. We struggled to connect when I stopped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachele-brooke-smith/my-mom-s-whole-life-had-been-my-gymnastics-we-struggled-to-connect/) [Rachele Brooke Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachele-brooke-smith/) > [I miss you mama :/ but I'm coming home this weekend! My mom is my life and I love her so much. Shes been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahvie-vanity/i-miss-you-mama-but-i-m-coming-home-this-weekend-my-mom-is-my-life/) [Dahvie Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahvie-vanity/) > [I know not every mom is a secret KGB spy, but every mom has this whole other life. Every dad and every person has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-russell/i-know-not-every-mom-is-a-secret-kgb-spy-but-every-mom-has-this-whole/) [Keri Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-russell/) > [I've known a few Dance mom's in my life! This show freaks me out!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-dewan-tatum/i-ve-known-a-few-dance-mom-s-in-my-life-this-show-freaks-me-out/) [Jenna Dewan Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-dewan-tatum/) > [“As a new mom, your life changes overnight. Your priorities change, you forget to brush your teeth, you aren’t sure how you’re ever going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/as-a-new-mom-your-life-changes-overnight-your-priorities-change-you/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [I've always lived with my mom. My whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-tatum/i-ve-always-lived-with-my-mom-my-whole-life/) [Jayson Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-tatum/) > [Being a mom is what life is about. I hope people realize what the priorities in life should be and know not everything has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kourtney-kardashian/being-a-mom-is-what-life-is-about-i-hope-people-realize-what-the/) [Kourtney Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kourtney-kardashian/) > [Mom with you being a part of my life I need not even ask for anything else from God. You are everything I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mom-with-you-being-a-part-of-my-life-i-need-not-even-ask-for-anything/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I looked at my mom and her life, and I thought, 'I don't want that.' I don't think my mom wanted it, either. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lynch/i-looked-at-my-mom-and-her-life-and-i-thought-i-don-t-want-that-i-don/) [Jane Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lynch/) ## More by Dan Fogelman > [I told my mom I was going to do a movie about a son who hears a story about his mom and takes her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-told-my-mom-i-was-going-to-do-a-movie-about-a-son-who-hears-a-story/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [I would not drink bottles of water at my mom's house because I never knew how long she'd been refilling them from the sink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-would-not-drink-bottles-of-water-at-my-mom-s-house-because-i-never/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [I luckily had a very charming, lovable mom who I think everybody could see bits and pieces of their mom in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-luckily-had-a-very-charming-lovable-mom-who-i-think-everybody-could/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [A lot of times, when mother-son or mother-daughter relationships have been put on screen, they tend to trickle towards ugly, and I don't find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/a-lot-of-times-when-mother-son-or-mother-daughter-relationships-have/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [My first jobs were at Pixar and John Lasseter just doing animation would always allow actors to do that, and then animate to that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/my-first-jobs-were-at-pixar-and-john-lasseter-just-doing-animation/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [Nobody is out to sabotage an entire script and do an improvisational experiment of a movie, but when they're feeling something in the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/nobody-is-out-to-sabotage-an-entire-script-and-do-an-improvisational/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [ I couldn't understand her \[my mother's\] wiring, all the time. I couldn't understand how she denied herself pleasure and enjoyment in life. As my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-couldn-t-understand-her-my-mother-s-wiring-all-the-time-i-couldn-t/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [I adored my mom. I thought she was the best. I loved her very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-adored-my-mom-i-thought-she-was-the-best-i-loved-her-very-much/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [I'd always thought that, in all the great sci-fi constructs, there's always the guy who seems like he's the commander, but then you reveal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-d-always-thought-that-in-all-the-great-sci-fi-constructs-there-s/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [Some of my favorite movies have explored the father-son dynamic, in a very loving way. It can be complicated, but at the end, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/some-of-my-favorite-movies-have-explored-the-father-son-dynamic-in-a/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [If something good was happening in my life, I'd call my mom to let her know. If something bad was happening, she'd be somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/if-something-good-was-happening-in-my-life-i-d-call-my-mom-to-let-her/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [I was trying to get the slightly more cinematic version of my relationship with my mom, which I think was a really common relationship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/i-was-trying-to-get-the-slightly-more-cinematic-version-of-my/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) > [“And suddenly I was an accountant who was popping out of bed in the morning, excited to get to work. That doesn't happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/and-suddenly-i-was-an-accountant-who-was-popping-out-of-bed-in-the/) [Dan Fogelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) [Explore all 14 Dan Fogelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/) ## More Bits quotes > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [He referred to me as an 'insufferable puffed-up prat'. This is a bit rich coming from a man who actually married his own mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/he-referred-to-me-as-an-insufferable-puffed-up-prat-this-is-a-bit/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [It won't do you a bit of good to know everything if you don't do anything with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fitzhugh/it-won-t-do-you-a-bit-of-good-to-know-everything-if-you-don-t-do/) [Louise Fitzhugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fitzhugh/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [We, as pop stars, are people not androids. We’ve got views. I’ve got opinions and I don’t see why I shouldn’t use a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-meddows-taylor/we-as-pop-stars-are-people-not-androids-we-ve-got-views-i-ve-got/) [Roger Meddows Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-meddows-taylor/) > [In terms of style, too, I think I've been working with a somewhat limited -- although intentionally limited -- set of tools. So I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/in-terms-of-style-too-i-think-i-ve-been-working-with-a-somewhat/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When my name started popping up I was quite irritated and a little bit in shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snow/when-my-name-started-popping-up-i-was-quite-irritated-and-a-little/) [Michael Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snow/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) Browse all 5,709 Bits quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They always say, doing what I do for a living, write what you know and then people will respond to it. I luckily had a very charming, lovable mom who I think everybody could see bits and pieces of their mom in. All I had to do was write a character that was like my mom, and it made my life easier.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Fogelman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-living-write-what-you-know-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bits" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-living-write-what-you-know-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/dan-fogelman-34701_bits_they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-li_905066.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/dan-fogelman-34701_bits_they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-li_905066.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/dan-fogelman-34701_bits_they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-li_905066.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They always say, doing what I do for a living, write what you know and then people will respond to it. I…” — Dan Fogelman", "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": "Dan Fogelman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They always say, doing what I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-living-write-what-you-know-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelman/they-always-say-doing-what-i-do-for-a-living-write-what-you-know-and/#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 } } ] } ```