--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People ask me, 'Why are you still writing…" description: "\"People ask me, 'Why are you still writing books?' Like I'm still only writing to make money and as soon as I have enough I'll quit and go fishing? I li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/elmore-leonard-3471_ask_people-ask-me-why-are-you-still-writing_1460591.jpg" --- # People ask me, 'Why are you still writing books?' Like I'm… ![“People ask me, 'Why are you still writing books?' Like I'm still only writing to make money and as soon as I have enough I'll quit and go fishing? I like to write books. It's the most satisfying thing I do.” quote by Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/elmore-leonard-3471_ask_people-ask-me-why-are-you-still-writing_1460591.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/elmore-leonard-3471_ask_people-ask-me-why-are-you-still-writing_1460591.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/elmore-leonard-3471_ask_people-ask-me-why-are-you-still-writing_1460591.jpg) > “People ask me, 'Why are you still writing books?' Like I'm still only writing to make money and as soon as I have enough I'll quit and go fishing? I like to write books. It's the most satisfying thing I do.” [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. A candid confession about writing for passion over profit. **In simple terms:** I write because I love it. Key Takeaway Prioritize passion over monetary gain. Themes writing passion purpose Mood inspirational honest Type literary personal When to use this quote - authorial work - financial decisions - personal satisfaction Key Concepts creativity career fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What drives your creative work? - How do you balance passion with livelihood? A Different Perspective May ignore practical financial needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishing/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Satisfying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfying/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Blogging has mostly been an opportunity to react more immediately to experiences to try out ideas that I may end up using in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-teachout/blogging-has-mostly-been-an-opportunity-to-react-more-immediately-to/) [Terry Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-teachout/) > [I could not write my books without the library's help. Even with the ease of Internet research, I find books to be indispensable when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-kehret/i-could-not-write-my-books-without-the-library-s-help-even-with-the/) [Peg Kehret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-kehret/) > [I'm an author. And writers write books. And writing books is a full-time career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-m-an-author-and-writers-write-books-and-writing-books-is-a-full/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I like writing books. I'd rather be at home with my wife. I can write, take a break, come out, have a glass of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-like-writing-books-i-d-rather-be-at-home-with-my-wife-i-can-write/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I like writing. I get cranky when I can't. 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I don't want to write books that lend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/people-always-ask-what-a-book-is-about-as-if-it-has-to-be-about/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/my-most-important-rule-is-one-that-sums-up-the-10-if-it-sounds-like/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/if-it-sounds-like-writing-i-rewrite-it/) [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/) > [“The one thing Leonard won't tolerate is fancy prose. As he states in his 10 Rules of Writing: "If it sounds like writing, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/the-one-thing-leonard-won-t-tolerate-is-fancy-prose-as-he-states-in/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I had the notion that, OK, so now we have all of this wealth, we could buy not only one expensive car, we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-omidyar/i-had-the-notion-that-ok-so-now-we-have-all-of-this-wealth-we-could/) [Pierre Omidyar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-omidyar/) > [Writing screenplays is not my business. I've written half a dozen, and maybe half of those were made. But it was never a satisfying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/writing-screenplays-is-not-my-business-i-ve-written-half-a-dozen-and/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Authors go on writing books, and so we go on reading them. It is a sad state of affairs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-aston/authors-go-on-writing-books-and-so-we-go-on-reading-them-it-is-a-sad/) [Elizabeth Aston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-aston/) ## 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 Ask quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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I ask myself, 'What would the audience want to hear?' and 'Why would they buy my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/i-follow-a-simple-formula-when-i-compose-i-ask-myself-what-would-the/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [If you ask an actor what he'd prefer to act on, he'd probably say a tangible, real set, or even better, a real location…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/if-you-ask-an-actor-what-he-d-prefer-to-act-on-he-d-probably-say-a/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [It turns out that this part of the brain is one of the first areas that's attacked by Alzheimer's disease. So we can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-keefe/it-turns-out-that-this-part-of-the-brain-is-one-of-the-first-areas/) [John O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-keefe/) > [I prefer department stores. In boutiques, they come up and ask you if you need help. 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