--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Books are like your children. They take…" description: "\"Books are like your children. They take nine months to write; the manuscript weighs six pounds and...you send them out into the world and hope that som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/906/edna-buchanan-27044_book_books-are-like-your-children-they-take-n_604954.png" --- # Books are like your children. They take nine months to… ![“Books are like your children. They take nine months to write; the manuscript weighs six pounds and...you send them out into the world and hope that some day they'll send back money.” quote by Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/906/edna-buchanan-27044_book_books-are-like-your-children-they-take-n_604954.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/906/edna-buchanan-27044_book_books-are-like-your-children-they-take-n_604954.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/906/edna-buchanan-27044_book_books-are-like-your-children-they-take-n_604954.png) > “Books are like your children. They take nine months to write; the manuscript weighs six pounds and...you send them out into the world and hope that some day they'll send back money.” [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing books is a long, labor‑intensive process; authors invest time and hope for eventual financial return. **In simple terms:** Writing books is hard work with uncertain payoff. Key Takeaway Invest effort and manage expectations. Themes creativity patience entrepreneurship Mood pragmatic hopeful Type advice reflective When to use this quote - publishing - entrepreneurship - financial planning Key Concepts writing investment risk Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance creative passion with financial risk? - What strategies can mitigate publishing losses? A Different Perspective Success isn’t guaranteed despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Nine months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine-months/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [When you start writing a picture book, you have to write a manuscript that has enough language to prompt the illustrator to get his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/when-you-start-writing-a-picture-book-you-have-to-write-a-manuscript/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [It took me nine months to write 60 pages. It was very frustrating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/it-took-me-nine-months-to-write-60-pages-it-was-very-frustrating/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [It took us nine months to write 'The East'; we didn't start writing it on the computer until seven and a half months into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zal-batmanglij/it-took-us-nine-months-to-write-the-east-we-didn-t-start-writing-it/) [Zal Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zal-batmanglij/) > [It is not as easy to emigrate with steel mills as it is with the manuscript of a novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golo-mann/it-is-not-as-easy-to-emigrate-with-steel-mills-as-it-is-with-the/) Golo Mann > [A manuscript not submitted is a book not published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-poynter/a-manuscript-not-submitted-is-a-book-not-published/) [Dan Poynter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-poynter/) > [All writing seems to me worse in the state of proof than in any other form. In manuscript one's own wisdom is rather remarkable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/all-writing-seems-to-me-worse-in-the-state-of-proof-than-in-any-other/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [If you invent two or three people and turn them loose in your manuscript, something is bound to happen to them -- you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-invent-two-or-three-people-and-turn-them-loose-in-your/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [ The manuscript you submit \[should not\] contain any flaws that you can identify - it is up to the writer to do the work,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-north-patterson/the-manuscript-you-submit-should-not-contain-any-flaws-that-you-can/) [Richard North Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-north-patterson/) > [I think once you have done all you can to a manuscript, let it find its way in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-think-once-you-have-done-all-you-can-to-a-manuscript-let-it-find/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [You should be writing for the love of the story, and when it comes time to return to the manuscript, everything else belongs behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-koryta/you-should-be-writing-for-the-love-of-the-story-and-when-it-comes/) [Michael Koryta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-koryta/) > [Would you please publish the enclosed manuscript or return it without delay, as I have other irons in the fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elinor-glyn/would-you-please-publish-the-enclosed-manuscript-or-return-it-without/) [Elinor Glyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elinor-glyn/) > [There is never finality in the display terminal's screen, but an irresponsible whimsicality, as words, sentences, and paragraphs are negated at the touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-is-never-finality-in-the-display-terminal-s-screen-but-an/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [I began writing 'Matterhorn' in 1975 and for more than 30 years I kept working on my novel in my spare time, unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marlantes/i-began-writing-matterhorn-in-1975-and-for-more-than-30-years-i-kept/) [Karl Marlantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marlantes/) > [To me, all the juice of a book is in an unpublished manuscript, and the published book is like a dead tree - just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/to-me-all-the-juice-of-a-book-is-in-an-unpublished-manuscript-and-the/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [A thing may in itself be the finest piece of writing one has ever done, and yet have absolutely no place in the manuscript…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-forche/a-thing-may-in-itself-be-the-finest-piece-of-writing-one-has-ever/) [Carolyn Forche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-forche/) ## More by Edna Buchanan > [You ought to try surviving one of my family reunions. It's like having a bowling alley in your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/you-ought-to-try-surviving-one-of-my-family-reunions-it-s-like-having/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Friends are family you choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/friends-are-family-you-choose/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [The past is an unsolved mystery and the truth a moving target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/the-past-is-an-unsolved-mystery-and-the-truth-a-moving-target/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Men give love because they want sex. Women give sex because they want love. That's the difference between men and women. Ever notice how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/men-give-love-because-they-want-sex-women-give-sex-because-they-want/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [True friends are those who really know you but love you anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/true-friends-are-those-who-really-know-you-but-love-you-anyway/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Where I come from these days, anybody who isn't seeing a therapist needs to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/where-i-come-from-these-days-anybody-who-isn-t-seeing-a-therapist/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [... I have become a conscientious objector in the war between the sexes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/i-have-become-a-conscientious-objector-in-the-war-between-the-sexes/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Life is a death-defying experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/life-is-a-death-defying-experience/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Fear is like water. You need it. And it's good for you, as long as you have the right amount.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/fear-is-like-water-you-need-it-and-it-s-good-for-you-as-long-as-you/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [If not for bad luck we'd have no luck at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/if-not-for-bad-luck-we-d-have-no-luck-at-all/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Sex gets people killed, put in jail, beaten up, bankrupted, and disgraced, to say nothing of ruined - personally, politically, and professionally. Looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/sex-gets-people-killed-put-in-jail-beaten-up-bankrupted-and-disgraced/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Every once in a while, there comes a story. A story that blows your mind. One where you know you've made a difference. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/every-once-in-a-while-there-comes-a-story-a-story-that-blows-your/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [To entrust to an editor a story over which you have labored and to which your name and reputation are attached can be like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/to-entrust-to-an-editor-a-story-over-which-you-have-labored-and-to/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Love is so fragile and so often fatal. I am amazed when people are brave enough to risk it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/love-is-so-fragile-and-so-often-fatal-i-am-amazed-when-people-are/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Our system is not one of justice, but of law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/our-system-is-not-one-of-justice-but-of-law/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) [Explore all 21 Edna Buchanan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Books are like your children. 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