--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I suppose if I didn't write for a living…" description: "\"I suppose if I didn't write for a living and it couldn't be published, I would have wanted to write anyway. I think there's something about the act of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/decca-aitkenhead-44725_ifs_i-suppose-if-i-didn-t-write-for-a-living_3108515.jpg" --- # I suppose if I didn't write for a living and it couldn't… ![“I suppose if I didn't write for a living and it couldn't be published, I would have wanted to write anyway. I think there's something about the act of writing that organizes thoughts and memories.” quote by Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/decca-aitkenhead-44725_ifs_i-suppose-if-i-didn-t-write-for-a-living_3108515.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/decca-aitkenhead-44725_ifs_i-suppose-if-i-didn-t-write-for-a-living_3108515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/decca-aitkenhead-44725_ifs_i-suppose-if-i-didn-t-write-for-a-living_3108515.jpg) > “I suppose if I didn't write for a living and it couldn't be published, I would have wanted to write anyway. I think there's something about the act of writing that organizes thoughts and memories.” [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing serves as a mental organizer, turning scattered thoughts and memories into coherent narratives. **In simple terms:** Writing organizes thoughts and memories. Key Takeaway Write regularly to clarify your mind. Themes creativity self‑reflection mental organization Mood introspective thoughtful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - journaling - academic research - personal memoirs Key Concepts cognitive structuring memory consolidation Questions to Reflect On - How does writing change your perception of events? - What benefits arise from writing without publishing goals? A Different Perspective Writing alone doesn't guarantee clarity; external feedback may be needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couldn Published](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-published-238459/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Organize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organize/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-write/) [Write Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-living-877152/) [Write Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-think/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I wanted to write and think. Activism is a displacing kind of passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-wanted-to-write-and-think-activism-is-a-displacing-kind-of-passion/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [I couldn't get published for three years. Then the times changed: glasnost, perestroika. So, for three years, I wasn't allowed to publish 'The Unwomanly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/i-couldn-t-get-published-for-three-years-then-the-times-changed/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [The reason why I began making quilts is because I wrote my autobiography in 1980 and couldn't get it published because I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-ringgold/the-reason-why-i-began-making-quilts-is-because-i-wrote-my/) [Faith Ringgold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-ringgold/) > [In the Pentagon Papers case, the government asserted in the Supreme Court that the publication of the material was a threat to national security.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/in-the-pentagon-papers-case-the-government-asserted-in-the-supreme/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [If I couldn't get published tomorrow I'd still be writing. It's something to do with feeling so overwhelmed by this experience of life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-joyce/if-i-couldn-t-get-published-tomorrow-i-d-still-be-writing-it-s/) [Graham Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-joyce/) > [Blogs are for anoraks who couldn’t get published any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-street-porter/blogs-are-for-anoraks-who-couldn-t-get-published-any-other-way/) [Janet Street-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-street-porter/) > [I do choose to write for a living - in addition to writing plays. I no longer write sitcoms, and I no longer feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loomer/i-do-choose-to-write-for-a-living-in-addition-to-writing-plays-i-no/) [Lisa Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loomer/) > [I don't write for a living. I live to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-write-for-a-living-i-live-to-write/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [While we were promoting 'Wide Open Spaces,' we set aside time to write. We went on several writing retreats where nobody could get hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/while-we-were-promoting-wide-open-spaces-we-set-aside-time-to-write/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [I had my jazz club and I had enough money. So I didn't have to write for my living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-had-my-jazz-club-and-i-had-enough-money-so-i-didn-t-have-to-write/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I write about living, not dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-diamond/i-write-about-living-not-dying/) [John Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-diamond/) > [If you're going to write for a living, you should find something fun to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/if-you-re-going-to-write-for-a-living-you-should-find-something-fun/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“I didn't always write for a living, and even back when it was my most fondly held dream to one day be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/i-didn-t-always-write-for-a-living-and-even-back-when-it-was-my-most/) [David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [Who casts to write a living line, must sweat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/who-casts-to-write-a-living-line-must-sweat/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [I just wanna write about what I am living as a citizen. That's all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jain/i-just-wanna-write-about-what-i-am-living-as-a-citizen-that-s-all/) [Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jain/) ## More by Decca Aitkenhead > [Trying to defend religion by invoking science is like claiming that three plus four equals ice cream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decca-aitkenhead/trying-to-defend-religion-by-invoking-science-is-like-claiming-that/) [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) > [I've discovered that, in order for life to go on, you have to believe in necessary fantasies such as what you think is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decca-aitkenhead/i-ve-discovered-that-in-order-for-life-to-go-on-you-have-to-believe/) [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) > [For most of my life I have known how to control my feelings. If you can control your feelings, you can pretty much control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decca-aitkenhead/for-most-of-my-life-i-have-known-how-to-control-my-feelings-if-you/) [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) > [“Yes, it really knocked my confidence. I was really young when I went in, and I really wanted to please. I don’t think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decca-aitkenhead/yes-it-really-knocked-my-confidence-i-was-really-young-when-i-went-in/) [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) > [One of the rather unedifying truths about grief is it does block out more or less everything. It has a solipsistic quality to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decca-aitkenhead/one-of-the-rather-unedifying-truths-about-grief-is-it-does-block-out/) [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) > [I flattered myself that I was rather empathetic, that I had rather good imaginative empathy. I've realized now that that was a complete self-delusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decca-aitkenhead/i-flattered-myself-that-i-was-rather-empathetic-that-i-had-rather/) [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) > [My hunch, for what it's worth, is that most of us probably find it much, much harder than we realize to really imagine what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decca-aitkenhead/my-hunch-for-what-it-s-worth-is-that-most-of-us-probably-find-it-much/) [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) > [I can't stand family secrets. I think they're such a toxic thing and they always leak out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decca-aitkenhead/i-can-t-stand-family-secrets-i-think-they-re-such-a-toxic-thing-and/) [Decca Aitkenhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) [Explore all 9 Decca Aitkenhead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decca-aitkenhead/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I suppose if I didn't write for a living and it couldn't be published, I would have wanted to write anyway. 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