--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing is for stories to be read, books…" description: "\"Writing is for stories to be read, books to be published, poems to be recited, plays to be acted, songs to be sung, newspapers to be shared, letters to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/frank-smith-29214_ability_writing-is-for-stories-to-be-read-books_1215754.png" --- # Writing is for stories to be read, books to be published… ![“Writing is for stories to be read, books to be published, poems to be recited, plays to be acted, songs to be sung, newspapers to be shared, letters to be mailed, jokes to be told, notes to be passed, recipes to be cooked, messages to be exchanged, memos to be circulated, announcements to be…” quote by Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/frank-smith-29214_ability_writing-is-for-stories-to-be-read-books_1215754.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/frank-smith-29214_ability_writing-is-for-stories-to-be-read-books_1215754.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/frank-smith-29214_ability_writing-is-for-stories-to-be-read-books_1215754.png) > “Writing is for stories to be read, books to be published, poems to be recited, plays to be acted, songs to be sung, newspapers to be shared, letters to be mailed, jokes to be told, notes to be passed, recipes to be cooked, messages to be exchanged, memos to be circulated, announcements to be posted, bills to be collected, posters to be displayed and diaries to be concealed. Writing is for ideas, action, reflection, and experience. It is not for having your ignorance exposed, your sensitivity destroyed, or your ability assessed.” [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing serves to share ideas, emotions, and experiences, not to expose personal weaknesses. **In simple terms:** Writing is for expression, not vulnerability. Key Takeaway Write purposefully, protect personal boundaries. Themes expression creativity communication Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - publishing - teaching - personal journaling - public speaking Key Concepts literary purpose self‑protection Questions to Reflect On - What topics do you feel safe sharing? - How can you balance honesty with privacy? A Different Perspective Over‑censorship may stifle authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Diaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) [Sensitivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitivity/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-stories/) ## Related quotes > [If you only knew I'm hanging by a thread The web I spin for you If you only knew I'd sacrifice my beating heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-only-knew-i-m-hanging-by-a-thread-the-web-i-spin-for-you-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I'm writing, those ideas are seldom inspired by music itself. I won't often listen to an artist and come up with an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/when-i-m-writing-those-ideas-are-seldom-inspired-by-music-itself-i/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [If a person has never given writing a try, they assume that a brilliant idea is hard to come by. But really, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-a-person-has-never-given-writing-a-try-they-assume-that-a/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [Stand-up isn't something I just sit down and start writing - it's ideas you come up with in the shower, while you're driving, waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/stand-up-isn-t-something-i-just-sit-down-and-start-writing-it-s-ideas/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [I was always writing - whether it's ideas, poems, whatever - because we spent so much time in the car traveling from city to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickie-james/i-was-always-writing-whether-it-s-ideas-poems-whatever-because-we/) [Mickie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickie-james/) > [Style matters, but the real force of writing is ideas, not style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brunt/style-matters-but-the-real-force-of-writing-is-ideas-not-style/) [Douglas Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brunt/) > [There's so much writing I could have done and so many ideas that I had and so many things I wanted to work on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/there-s-so-much-writing-i-could-have-done-and-so-many-ideas-that-i/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [I'm always writing ideas down and then I stick em in my pocket and put em in that folder so I don't lose them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-williams/i-m-always-writing-ideas-down-and-then-i-stick-em-in-my-pocket-and/) [Lucinda Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-williams/) > [The hardest part of writing is not to get the ideas but to remember, why it is important to get them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/the-hardest-part-of-writing-is-not-to-get-the-ideas-but-to-remember/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [If you look around at the news industry, there are more and more sites clamoring for that kind of writing, whether it's an Ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-carmody/if-you-look-around-at-the-news-industry-there-are-more-and-more-sites/) Tim Carmody > [I was constantly in the studio at my home writing ideas that would later become 'Hotel California' or 'Victim of Love.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-felder/i-was-constantly-in-the-studio-at-my-home-writing-ideas-that-would/) [Don Felder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-felder/) > [Ideas mostly come from the work itself. Often when I'm drawing, the words will be bouncing around in my head, and when I'm writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-rae-perkins/ideas-mostly-come-from-the-work-itself-often-when-i-m-drawing-the/) [Lynne Rae Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-rae-perkins/) > [I draw inspiration from many different places - my own life and other media that I absorb - TV, films, books, and other songs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-peters/i-draw-inspiration-from-many-different-places-my-own-life-and-other/) [Maisie Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-peters/) > [In fiction writing ideas have to be handled extremely carefully. You can't let your characters just be mouthpieces for your ideas. They have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-fiction-writing-ideas-have-to-be-handled-extremely-carefully-you/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [If you're going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/if-you-re-going-to-be-a-writer-the-first-essential-is-just-to-write/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) ## More by Frank Smith > [“We know far more than we were ever taught.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/we-know-far-more-than-we-were-ever-taught/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [Two kinds of reading can be distinguished. I call them reading like a reader and reading like a writer ... when you read like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/two-kinds-of-reading-can-be-distinguished-i-call-them-reading-like-a/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [“❝One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.❞”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/one-language-sets-you-in-a-corridor-for-life-two-languages-open-every/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [Uses are always much broader than functions, and usually far less contentious. The word function carries overtones of purpose andpropriety, of concern with why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/uses-are-always-much-broader-than-functions-and-usually-far-less/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [ Thoughts are created in the act of writing. \[It is a myth that\] you must have something to say in order to write. Reality:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/thoughts-are-created-in-the-act-of-writing-it-is-a-myth-that-you-must/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [The teachers who get "burned out" are not the ones who are constantly learning, which can be exhilarating, but those who feel they must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/the-teachers-who-get-burned-out-are-not-the-ones-who-are-constantly/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [Language is not a genetic gift, it is a social gift. Learning a new language is becoming a member of the club -the community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/language-is-not-a-genetic-gift-it-is-a-social-gift-learning-a-new/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [It is a libel to suggest that children need rewards for attending to tasks, apart from intrinsic interest and satisfaction. Children work very hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/it-is-a-libel-to-suggest-that-children-need-rewards-for-attending-to/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [“First, relax. ... And my second helpful hint is that you should not try to memorize anything you read in this book. ... My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/first-relax-and-my-second-helpful-hint-is-that-you-should-not-try-to/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [Reading and writing don't inevitably go together. You can read without learning a thing about writing, grammar, or spelling, although, you certainly can't learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/reading-and-writing-don-t-inevitably-go-together-you-can-read-without/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [It is difficult to distinguish deduction from what in other circumstances is called problem-solving. And concept learning, inference, and reasoning by analogy are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/it-is-difficult-to-distinguish-deduction-from-what-in-other/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [We are learning all the time - about the world and about ourselves. We learn without knowing that we are learning and we learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/we-are-learning-all-the-time-about-the-world-and-about-ourselves-we/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [It is infinitely more useful for a child to hear a story told by a person than by computer. Because the greatest part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/it-is-infinitely-more-useful-for-a-child-to-hear-a-story-told-by-a/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [You can't see other people's point of view when you have only one language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/you-can-t-see-other-people-s-point-of-view-when-you-have-only-one/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [Learning is never aversive - usually we are not aware of it at all. It is failure to learn that is frustrating and boring,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/learning-is-never-aversive-usually-we-are-not-aware-of-it-at-all-it/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) [Explore all 18 Frank Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing is for stories to be read, books to be published, poems to be recited, plays to be acted, songs to be sung, newspapers to be shared, letters to be mailed, jokes to be told, notes to be passed, recipes to be cooked, messages to be exchanged, memos to be circulated, announcements to be posted, bills to be collected, posters to be displayed and diaries to be concealed. 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