--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've come to view screenwriting…" description: "\"I've come to view screenwriting assignments as playwriting grants, because they provide a considerable financial cushion. However, they can also be ext..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/donald-margulies-50742_assignments_i-ve-come-to-view-screenwriting-assignme_2310980.jpg" --- # I've come to view screenwriting assignments as playwriting… ![“I've come to view screenwriting assignments as playwriting grants, because they provide a considerable financial cushion. However, they can also be extremely time-consuming. Film projects tend to drag on and on, which takes me away from the theatre, and then they don't get made. At the same time…” quote by Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/donald-margulies-50742_assignments_i-ve-come-to-view-screenwriting-assignme_2310980.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/donald-margulies-50742_assignments_i-ve-come-to-view-screenwriting-assignme_2310980.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/donald-margulies-50742_assignments_i-ve-come-to-view-screenwriting-assignme_2310980.jpg) > “I've come to view screenwriting assignments as playwriting grants, because they provide a considerable financial cushion. However, they can also be extremely time-consuming. Film projects tend to drag on and on, which takes me away from the theatre, and then they don't get made. At the same time, the screenplays that have come my way have been quite challenging, for the most part, and even enjoyable.” [Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Screenwriting offers financial security but can be time‑intensive, pulling focus from theater and making film completion uncertain. **In simple terms:** Screenwriting pays but takes time away from theater and film completion is uncertain. Key Takeaway We creative pursuits with practical constraints. Themes art finance time management career creative tension Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - screenwriting - theatre work - film development Key Concepts opportunity cost resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - What compromises are acceptable for financial stability? - How can you protect creative time? A Different Perspective Balancing financial gain with artistic fulfillment is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Playwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playwriting/) [Screenplays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplays/) [Screenwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenwriting/) [Take me away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-me-away/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > ['Juno' really changed things for me and I get a lot of screenplays come in now, but I like to self-generate and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/juno-really-changed-things-for-me-and-i-get-a-lot-of-screenplays-come/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Playwriting is all about empathy, getting inside the head of someone who is not you, to think like they think without judging them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-margulies/playwriting-is-all-about-empathy-getting-inside-the-head-of-someone/) [Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) > [ This album \[Give the People What They Want\] has almost been in the making for almost three years now. When we first began on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/this-album-give-the-people-what-they-want-has-almost-been-in-the/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I really just love to read, period, whether it be books or magazines or the back of the cereal box. It's the one thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-really-just-love-to-read-period-whether-it-be-books-or-magazines-or/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This little ship you sent is more wonderful than the big one that takes me away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frohman/this-little-ship-you-sent-is-more-wonderful-than-the-big-one-that/) Charles Frohman > [I've always been in the middle of making my own movies, so taking acting jobs that take me away from that has been impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/i-ve-always-been-in-the-middle-of-making-my-own-movies-so-taking/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [In Ronan's hand, the mask was as thin as a sheet of paper, still warm from Adam's gasped breaths. Orphan Girl buried her face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/in-ronan-s-hand-the-mask-was-as-thin-as-a-sheet-of-paper-still-warm/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [And I never started to plow in my life That some one did not stop in the road And take me away to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-lee-masters/and-i-never-started-to-plow-in-my-life-that-some-one-did-not-stop-in/) [Edgar Lee Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-lee-masters/) > [Much as I love stories, I think I'll only be satisfied with myself as a writer if I'm able to produce a novel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/much-as-i-love-stories-i-think-i-ll-only-be-satisfied-with-myself-as/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [The library takes me away from my everyday life and allows me to see other places and learn to understand other people unlike myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/the-library-takes-me-away-from-my-everyday-life-and-allows-me-to-see/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [When I go into the stores, I pet the saddles. Until security comes and takes me away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/when-i-go-into-the-stores-i-pet-the-saddles-until-security-comes-and/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [If I should fall asleep and death takes me away, Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/if-i-should-fall-asleep-and-death-takes-me-away-don-t-be-surprised/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [If I did a TV show, it would have to be in North London because I'm a bit of a homebody, and my work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/if-i-did-a-tv-show-it-would-have-to-be-in-north-london-because-i-m-a/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [Work takes me away from my wife, Sue, and my life in Santa Barbara.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/work-takes-me-away-from-my-wife-sue-and-my-life-in-santa-barbara/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [When an angel comes down and takes me away, memories of me and my songs will always stay until the end of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/when-an-angel-comes-down-and-takes-me-away-memories-of-me-and-my/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) ## More by Donald Margulies > [Playwriting is all about empathy, getting inside the head of someone who is not you, to think like they think without judging them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-margulies/playwriting-is-all-about-empathy-getting-inside-the-head-of-someone/) [Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) > [Choosing a director is like choosing a therapist - you want somebody who is going to be a step or two ahead of you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-margulies/choosing-a-director-is-like-choosing-a-therapist-you-want-somebody/) [Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) > [I love the students - they are remarkable, inspiring people. I would miss teaching if I stopped doing it. The kind of work I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-margulies/i-love-the-students-they-are-remarkable-inspiring-people-i-would-miss/) [Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) > [Telling takes away the need to write. It relieves the pressure. And once that tension dissipates, so does the need to relieve it. First…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-margulies/telling-takes-away-the-need-to-write-it-relieves-the-pressure-and/) [Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) > [People often tell me, "You write such great women." I don't think about it, I just write characters as rigorously and as truthfully as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-margulies/people-often-tell-me-you-write-such-great-women-i-don-t-think-about/) [Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) > [I like to flip through play scripts, not just my own; there is something exciting about seeing printed language on a page that triggers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-margulies/i-like-to-flip-through-play-scripts-not-just-my-own-there-is/) [Donald Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) [Explore all 7 Donald Margulies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-margulies/) ## More Assignments quotes > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. 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Change is not only a part of life, change is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/are-you-on-the-eve-of-change-embrace-it-accept-it-don-t-resist-it/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Because God wants to take you in ever-increasing measures to know Him. And the only way you can know Him is by experiencing Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blackaby/because-god-wants-to-take-you-in-ever-increasing-measures-to-know-him/) [Henry Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blackaby/) > [From the beginning, we failed to overcome Europe's division. The Berlin Wall fell, but invisible walls were moved to the East of Europe. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/from-the-beginning-we-failed-to-overcome-europe-s-division-the-berlin/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We were called, male and female, to do great works with separate approaches and separate assignments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/we-were-called-male-and-female-to-do-great-works-with-separate/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [Just how we fit into the plans of the Great Architect and how much he has assigned us to do we do not know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-andrews-millikan/just-how-we-fit-into-the-plans-of-the-great-architect-and-how-much-he/) [Robert Andrews Millikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-andrews-millikan/) > [I've always been creative verbally, had a flair, my teachers said - wrote great expository essays in elementary school, scribbled little poems, embraced all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/i-ve-always-been-creative-verbally-had-a-flair-my-teachers-said-wrote/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Even with an assignment, I take over, I find a freedom and make the idea my own, and that's where you get the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-d-ambrosio/even-with-an-assignment-i-take-over-i-find-a-freedom-and-make-the/) [Charles D'Ambrosio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-d-ambrosio/) > [For some time I have been disturbed by the way the CIA has been diverted from its original assignment. It has become an operational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/for-some-time-i-have-been-disturbed-by-the-way-the-cia-has-been/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [I remember when I was in art classes, I hated following the assignments. And I would get in trouble for doing something totally different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/i-remember-when-i-was-in-art-classes-i-hated-following-the/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [My paintings are about light, about the way things look in their environment and especially about how things look painted. Form, colour and space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-goings/my-paintings-are-about-light-about-the-way-things-look-in-their/) Ralph Goings > [They told me I didn't understand the assignment, I told them they didn't understand life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/they-told-me-i-didn-t-understand-the-assignment-i-told-them-they-didn/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I don't read for amusement, I read for enlightenment. I do a lot of reviewing, so I have a steady assignment of reading. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-read-for-amusement-i-read-for-enlightenment-i-do-a-lot-of/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) Browse all 278 Assignments quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've come to view screenwriting assignments as playwriting grants, because they provide a considerable financial cushion. However, they can also be extremely time-consuming. Film projects tend to drag on and on, which takes me away from the theatre, and then they don't get made. 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