--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: whenever I read a passage that moves me…" description: "\"whenever I read a passage that moves me, I transcribe it in my diary, hoping my fingers might learn what excellence feels like.\" — David Sedaris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d12/david-sedaris-333_diaries_whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me_917327.png" --- # whenever I read a passage that moves me, I transcribe it… ![“whenever I read a passage that moves me, I transcribe it in my diary, hoping my fingers might learn what excellence feels like.” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d12/david-sedaris-333_diaries_whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me_917327.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d12/david-sedaris-333_diaries_whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me_917327.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d12/david-sedaris-333_diaries_whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me_917327.png) > “whenever I read a passage that moves me, I transcribe it in my diary, hoping my fingers might learn what excellence feels like.” [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing down moving passages aims to internalize excellence through practice. **In simple terms:** Copying great writing to learn excellence. Key Takeaway Practice by emulating what inspires you. Themes learning writing excellence Mood inspired curious Type educational motivational When to use this quote - creative writing - personal journaling - study habits - literary analysis Key Concepts imitation skill acquisition Questions to Reflect On - What passages move you most? - How can you transform imitation into personal expression? A Different Perspective Mimicry may limit original voice if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“The wholesome pursuit of excellence feels quite different from perfectionism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/the-wholesome-pursuit-of-excellence-feels-quite-different-from/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [He puts his right hand lightly on the cup, I put my left, leaving the right free to transcribe, and away we go. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-merrill/he-puts-his-right-hand-lightly-on-the-cup-i-put-my-left-leaving-the/) [James Merrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-merrill/) > [“IPA is used to transcribe the sound of a word, regardless of its spelling. This is important to keep in mind when examining English,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-peterson/ipa-is-used-to-transcribe-the-sound-of-a-word-regardless-of-its/) David J. Peterson > [Writers don't write, they read and transcribe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs-2/writers-don-t-write-they-read-and-transcribe/) [William S Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs-2/) > [“The longer i live, the more urgent it seems to me to endure and transcribe the whole dictation of existence up to its end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/the-longer-i-live-the-more-urgent-it-seems-to-me-to-endure-and/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“I transcribe my text with no concern for timeliness. In the years when I discovered the Abbé Vallet volume, there was a widespread conviction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-transcribe-my-text-with-no-concern-for-timeliness-in-the-years-when/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [I've been keeping diaries for 27 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-ve-been-keeping-diaries-for-27-years/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I don't worry about being exposed. When I'm writing about myself I think about myself as a character. There is a ton of stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-don-t-worry-about-being-exposed-when-i-m-writing-about-myself-i/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Of course, the diary helps me as well. 'That wasn't your position on July 7, 1991,' I'll remind Hugh an hour after we've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/of-course-the-diary-helps-me-as-well-that-wasn-t-your-position-on/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [After Princess Diaries, I was labeled a good girl, and for the first eight years of my career I had to fight to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/after-princess-diaries-i-was-labeled-a-good-girl-and-for-the-first/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [ I went to NYU graduate film school and met Pam \[Romanowsky\], and after doing a few things with her I thought she had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-went-to-nyu-graduate-film-school-and-met-pam-romanowsky-and-after/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [I don't want to be singing my diary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-don-t-want-to-be-singing-my-diary/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > ['Dirt Road Diaries,' in my mind, is a perfect country guy song. It speaks to the hard-working guy, and I'm excited for the fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/dirt-road-diaries-in-my-mind-is-a-perfect-country-guy-song-it-speaks/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [My life always came first. When I got nominated for Diary of a Mad Housewife, I didn't think, 'Aah, now I'll get more money.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-snodgress/my-life-always-came-first-when-i-got-nominated-for-diary-of-a-mad/) [Carrie Snodgress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-snodgress/) ## More by David Sedaris > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. The microwave, the water kettle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/a-japanese-woman-we-d-met-in-paris-came-to-the-apartment-yesterday/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. "I'm guessing you must be Catholic, am I right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-have-how-many-children-in-your-family-the-teacher-would-ask-i-m/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“Like most seasoned phonies, I roundly suspect that everyone is as disingenuous as I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/like-most-seasoned-phonies-i-roundly-suspect-that-everyone-is-as/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [As a child I assumed that when I reached adulthood, I would have grown-up thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/as-a-child-i-assumed-that-when-i-reached-adulthood-i-would-have-grown/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You just take and take don´t you? Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/write-relentlessly-until-you-find-your-voice-then-use-it/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) [Explore all 667 David Sedaris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## More Diaries quotes > [My life always came first. When I got nominated for Diary of a Mad Housewife, I didn't think, 'Aah, now I'll get more money.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-snodgress/my-life-always-came-first-when-i-got-nominated-for-diary-of-a-mad/) [Carrie Snodgress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-snodgress/) > ['Dirt Road Diaries,' in my mind, is a perfect country guy song. It speaks to the hard-working guy, and I'm excited for the fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/dirt-road-diaries-in-my-mind-is-a-perfect-country-guy-song-it-speaks/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I don't want to be singing my diary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-don-t-want-to-be-singing-my-diary/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [ I went to NYU graduate film school and met Pam \[Romanowsky\], and after doing a few things with her I thought she had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-went-to-nyu-graduate-film-school-and-met-pam-romanowsky-and-after/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [After Princess Diaries, I was labeled a good girl, and for the first eight years of my career I had to fight to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/after-princess-diaries-i-was-labeled-a-good-girl-and-for-the-first/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [I've found myself moved by letters and diaries in archives as well as trashy, summer blockbusters. It's possible to make a connection with any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/i-ve-found-myself-moved-by-letters-and-diaries-in-archives-as-well-as/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [A man's diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/a-man-s-diary-is-a-record-in-youth-of-his-sentiments-in-middle-age-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There are two types of encryption: one that will prevent your sister from reading your diary and one that will prevent your government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/there-are-two-types-of-encryption-one-that-will-prevent-your-sister/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [I keep a diary - one for each film and foreign land I travel to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-keep-a-diary-one-for-each-film-and-foreign-land-i-travel-to/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Don't read my diary when I'm gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/don-t-read-my-diary-when-i-m-gone/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Memory is the diary that chronicles things that never happened or couldn't possibly have happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/memory-is-the-diary-that-chronicles-things-that-never-happened-or/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I need a moment of time for myself every day, like a child playing with his things. When I travel, I routinely find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-need-a-moment-of-time-for-myself-every-day-like-a-child-playing/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I don't keep diaries anymore; They're quite incriminating. I just keep all the dirt road diaries in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-don-t-keep-diaries-anymore-they-re-quite-incriminating-i-just-keep/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [Though with Bridget Jones's Baby: the Diaries, I'd like to make it clear that I did not ever get pregnant by two men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/though-with-bridget-jones-s-baby-the-diaries-i-d-like-to-make-it/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) [Browse all 502 Diaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "whenever I read a passage that moves me, I transcribe it in my diary, hoping my fingers might learn what excellence feels like.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Sedaris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me-i-transcribe-it-in-my-diary/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Diaries" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me-i-transcribe-it-in-my-diary/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d12/david-sedaris-333_diaries_whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me_917327.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d12/david-sedaris-333_diaries_whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me_917327.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d12/david-sedaris-333_diaries_whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me_917327.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“whenever I read a passage that moves me, I transcribe it in my diary, hoping my fingers might learn what…” — David Sedaris", "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": "David Sedaris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "whenever I read a passage that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me-i-transcribe-it-in-my-diary/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/whenever-i-read-a-passage-that-moves-me-i-transcribe-it-in-my-diary/#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 } } ] } ```