--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't know what we're writing until it…" description: "\"We don't know what we're writing until it just comes out. We don't sit around crunching numbers\" — Dustin Diamond" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/dustin-diamond-18421_numbers_we-don-t-know-what-we-re-writing-until-i_1683349.jpg" --- # We don't know what we're writing until it just comes out… ![“We don't know what we're writing until it just comes out. We don't sit around crunching numbers” quote by Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/dustin-diamond-18421_numbers_we-don-t-know-what-we-re-writing-until-i_1683349.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/dustin-diamond-18421_numbers_we-don-t-know-what-we-re-writing-until-i_1683349.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/dustin-diamond-18421_numbers_we-don-t-know-what-we-re-writing-until-i_1683349.jpg) > “We don't know what we're writing until it just comes out. We don't sit around crunching numbers” [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work often emerges spontaneously; over‑analysis can hinder the natural flow of ideas. **In simple terms:** Writing comes naturally, not through excessive number. Key Takeaway Trust the creative process and avoid over‑planning. Themes creativity spontaneity process authenticity Mood playful reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - writing sessions - brainstorming - improvisation - artistic practice Key Concepts flow state intuition Questions to Reflect On - When do you know to let ideas flow? - How do you balance spontaneity with refinement? A Different Perspective Too much spontaneity may lead to lack of structure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [After graduating from Stanford business school, I was working at McKinsey, crunching numbers for spreadsheets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/after-graduating-from-stanford-business-school-i-was-working-at/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [I don’t even know what I’m writing, I have no idea, I don’t know anything, and I’m not reading over it, and I’m not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-even-know-what-i-m-writing-i-have-no-idea-i-don-t-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm always crunching numbers, so my calculator watch is a must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-neeleman/i-m-always-crunching-numbers-so-my-calculator-watch-is-a-must/) [David Neeleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-neeleman/) > [If I don't know who I'm writing for, I make it up and pick somebody I'm writing for. That's really the only way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/if-i-don-t-know-who-i-m-writing-for-i-make-it-up-and-pick-somebody-i/) [Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/) > [I don't know about writing. It's quite lonely. You have to have a lot of patience with yourself. I don't know if I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-wilson/i-don-t-know-about-writing-it-s-quite-lonely-you-have-to-have-a-lot/) [Ruth Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-wilson/) > [Kids these days don't know as much about music as they think they do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/kids-these-days-don-t-know-as-much-about-music-as-they-think-they-do/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [“For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/for-all-i-know-writing-comes-out-of-a-superior-devotion-to-reading/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [I entered the literary world, really, from outside. My entire background has been in sciences; I was a biology major in college, then went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-entered-the-literary-world-really-from-outside-my-entire-background/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [If you want to study writing, read Dickens. That's how to study writing, or Faulkner, or D.H. Lawrence, or John Keats. They can teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-foote/if-you-want-to-study-writing-read-dickens-that-s-how-to-study-writing/) [Shelby Foote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-foote/) > [What keeps me writing is that I can only know through writing. My major sense organ is apparently a pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/what-keeps-me-writing-is-that-i-can-only-know-through-writing-my/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [Know what makes a sentence more than a random list, practice constructing sentences and explaining what you have done, and you will know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-fish/know-what-makes-a-sentence-more-than-a-random-list-practice/) [Stanley Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-fish/) > [One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/one-of-the-few-things-i-know-about-writing-is-this-spend-it-all-shoot/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [You already know when I'm writing, so don't be surprised if it's short and dry, because I'm too hungry to write anything fat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/you-already-know-when-i-m-writing-so-don-t-be-surprised-if-it-s-short/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [I think it's dangerous to think you know what you're writing. I usually don't know, and usually I just discover it in the course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/i-think-it-s-dangerous-to-think-you-know-what-you-re-writing-i/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [My first interest in graffitti came when I was in grammar school, around '87 or '88 I was about twelve years old. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaws/my-first-interest-in-graffitti-came-when-i-was-in-grammar-school/) [KAWS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaws/) ## More by Dustin Diamond > [You see people who are 19 or 20 years old and they don't even know who The Who is. It's like, where have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/you-see-people-who-are-19-or-20-years-old-and-they-don-t-even-know/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [If I ever went, I'd want to go peacefully in my sleep. I wouldn't want to plan my own death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/if-i-ever-went-i-d-want-to-go-peacefully-in-my-sleep-i-wouldn-t-want/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [I don't expect that we're going to become the biggest craze. If it happened, I'd be really shocked. I think people will dig it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/i-don-t-expect-that-we-re-going-to-become-the-biggest-craze-if-it/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [This music isn't Top 40, we really stand out from anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/this-music-isn-t-top-40-we-really-stand-out-from-anyone/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [Chess is a game that benefits people of all ages, especially kids, in any area of life, business, problem solving, and social skills. Chess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/chess-is-a-game-that-benefits-people-of-all-ages-especially-kids-in/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [These days, everyone is a writer, producer and movie star. You post something on the web, get enough hits, and suddenly you have TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/these-days-everyone-is-a-writer-producer-and-movie-star-you-post/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [Kids these days don't know as much about music as they think they do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/kids-these-days-don-t-know-as-much-about-music-as-they-think-they-do/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [The Britney Spears fans aren't going to dig us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/the-britney-spears-fans-aren-t-going-to-dig-us/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [I've been in this business so long, it just doesn't faze me. I know what's going to happen before it happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/i-ve-been-in-this-business-so-long-it-just-doesn-t-faze-me-i-know/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [There's people that figure if they hang out with you, all of a sudden they're going to be successes. 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I'm, like, one of the only people I know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/all-these-child-stars-grow-up-and-they-re-knockin-over-banks-and/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [The sword was a very elegant weapon in the days of the samurai. You had honor and chivalry much like the knights, and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/the-sword-was-a-very-elegant-weapon-in-the-days-of-the-samurai-you/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [There probably is a lot of music that no one's ever gonna hear. For anyone doing music, just do exactly what it is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/there-probably-is-a-lot-of-music-that-no-one-s-ever-gonna-hear-for/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) [Explore all 35 Dustin Diamond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) ## More Numbers quotes > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The number of ways you can live in one lifetime is limitless. So why limit yourself? The sky is not the limit. Beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-number-of-ways-you-can-live-in-one-lifetime-is-limitless-so-why/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [The creator of the universe works in mysterious ways. But he uses a base ten counting system and likes round numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-creator-of-the-universe-works-in-mysterious-ways-but-he-uses-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [I've never believed unemployment numbers because the way that they calculate unemployment makes no sense whatsoever. It's not how many people are unemployed. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-ve-never-believed-unemployment-numbers-because-the-way-that-they/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [Perhaps the most important reason to be skeptical of government inflation numbers is that the government, like a fox campaigning to guard a hen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/perhaps-the-most-important-reason-to-be-skeptical-of-government/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Rule number something or other -- never tell anybody anything unless you're going to get something better in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/rule-number-something-or-other-never-tell-anybody-anything-unless-you/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-the-effect-of-her-being-on-those-around-her-was-incalculably/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Belief in the Law of Small Numbers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/belief-in-the-law-of-small-numbers/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) Browse all 7,672 Numbers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We don't know what we're writing until it just comes out. 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