--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think any writer is a fool if he…" description: "\"I think any writer is a fool if he doesn't do it for money. There needs to be some kind of incentive in addition to the project. It all goes together. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc5/elmore-leonard-3471_action_i-think-any-writer-is-a-fool-if-he-doesn_915919.jpg" --- # I think any writer is a fool if he doesn't do it for… ![“I think any writer is a fool if he doesn't do it for money. There needs to be some kind of incentive in addition to the project. It all goes together. It's fun to sit there and think of characters and get them into action, then be paid for it.” quote by Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc5/elmore-leonard-3471_action_i-think-any-writer-is-a-fool-if-he-doesn_915919.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc5/elmore-leonard-3471_action_i-think-any-writer-is-a-fool-if-he-doesn_915919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc5/elmore-leonard-3471_action_i-think-any-writer-is-a-fool-if-he-doesn_915919.jpg) > “I think any writer is a fool if he doesn't do it for money. There needs to be some kind of incentive in addition to the project. It all goes together. It's fun to sit there and think of characters and get them into action, then be paid for it.” [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers need financial incentive to sustain creativity; money fuels the discipline to produce work. **In simple terms:** Writers need pay to keep writing. Key Takeaway Balance passion with practical compensation. Themes writing money motivation Mood pragmatic inspirational Type advice motivational When to use this quote - freelance writing - publishing contracts - content creation - budget planning Key Concepts creative economy incentive discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay true to your voice while earning? - What non‑monetary rewards motivate you? A Different Perspective Too much focus on money can stifle artistic integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Addition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addition/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Goes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Incentive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentive/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Project](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/project/) [Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-characters/) [Think Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-writer/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-fool-1378766/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I think any writer is a fool if he doesn't do it for money. 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I think that's important to writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-russell/i-think-even-the-characters-that-are-fundamentally-evil-and-wrong-i/) [Mark Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-russell/) > [A lot of writers do think of their characters as living beings. I know that's the way people think. That's why I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-cooper/a-lot-of-writers-do-think-of-their-characters-as-living-beings-i-know/) [Dennis Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-cooper/) > [I read 'Love in the Time of Cholera' when I was 19, and I still think about the characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-courtney-sullivan/i-read-love-in-the-time-of-cholera-when-i-was-19-and-i-still-think/) [J. Courtney Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-courtney-sullivan/) > [I think everything you do, characters I always find, have their own voices and once you establish who that character is you find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-ritchie/i-think-everything-you-do-characters-i-always-find-have-their-own/) [Guy Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-ritchie/) > [First of all, I never think of my characters as good or evil. I play them as honestly as I can. When you're playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/first-of-all-i-never-think-of-my-characters-as-good-or-evil-i-play/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [I don't tend to think of the characters i play as losers. I like the struggles that people have, people who are feeling like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/i-don-t-tend-to-think-of-the-characters-i-play-as-losers-i-like-the/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [Basically, I think that there are some characters that you can just allow the truth of your character as a human being in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-james-olmos/basically-i-think-that-there-are-some-characters-that-you-can-just/) [Edward James Olmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-james-olmos/) > [I think if characters change too much, it's unrealistic; their whole fabric of who they are as a person doesn't just disappear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-think-if-characters-change-too-much-it-s-unrealistic-their-whole/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [I think characters are going to be, if not a reflection of the author, at least some refraction of some part of their personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-think-characters-are-going-to-be-if-not-a-reflection-of-the-author/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) ## More by Elmore Leonard > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [These are rules I've picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/these-are-rules-i-ve-picked-up-along-the-way-to-help-me-remain/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“There’s something happening here, I know it. It’s right in front of my face, but I just can’t see it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/there-s-something-happening-here-i-know-it-it-s-right-in-front-of-my/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/the-line-of-dialogue-belongs-to-the-character-the-verb-is-the-writer/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-try-to-leave-out-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-have-fun-writing-i-don-t-make-it-a-chore-i-don-t-have-to-struggle/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/if-it-sounds-like-writing-i-rewrite-it-or-if-proper-usage-gets-in-the/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-don-t-think-writers-compete-i-think-they-re-all-doing-separate/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [After 58 years you'd think writing would get easier. It doesn't. If you're lucky, you become harder to please. That's all right, it's still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/after-58-years-you-d-think-writing-would-get-easier-it-doesn-t-if-you/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“He saw Harvey and Edgar catch each other's eye as he looked off toward the strains of "Alley Cat," Jesus, hoping they'd rush it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/he-saw-harvey-and-edgar-catch-each-other-s-eye-as-he-looked-off/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-m-not-going-to-write-for-posterity-i-m-going-to-write-to-make-a-buck/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“A wife's faithful to her husband, subject to him. It's in the bible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/a-wife-s-faithful-to-her-husband-subject-to-him-it-s-in-the-bible/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Using adverbs is a mortal sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/using-adverbs-is-a-mortal-sin/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Try not to write the parts that people skip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/try-not-to-write-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-want-the-reader-to-know-what-s-going-on-so-there-s-never-a-mystery/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) [Explore all 130 Elmore Leonard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [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/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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