--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a journalist you have to think…" description: "\"As a journalist you have to think quickly, you're exposed to all types of people and situations and you've got to synthesize your thoughts in a very cl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/frank-spotnitz-26682_all-things_as-a-journalist-you-have-to-think-quickl_1555394.jpg" --- # As a journalist you have to think quickly, you're exposed… ![“As a journalist you have to think quickly, you're exposed to all types of people and situations and you've got to synthesize your thoughts in a very clear and concise way and write them down quickly. Those were all things that have proven really useful in my life as a television writer.” quote by Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/frank-spotnitz-26682_all-things_as-a-journalist-you-have-to-think-quickl_1555394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/frank-spotnitz-26682_all-things_as-a-journalist-you-have-to-think-quickl_1555394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/frank-spotnitz-26682_all-things_as-a-journalist-you-have-to-think-quickl_1555394.jpg) > “As a journalist you have to think quickly, you're exposed to all types of people and situations and you've got to synthesize your thoughts in a very clear and concise way and write them down quickly. Those were all things that have proven really useful in my life as a television writer.” [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Journalism trains quick thinking, diverse exposure, and concise synthesis, skills that translate into effective TV writing. **In simple terms:** Journalism teaches fast, clear thinking useful for TV writing. Key Takeaway Leverage journalistic habits in creative work. Themes writing communication creativity adaptability Mood focused energetic Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - newsroom - television writing - script development - deadline pressure Key Concepts synthesis storytelling clarity Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance speed with depth? - What journalistic habit most improves your scripts? A Different Perspective Journalistic speed may clash with deep narrative development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Types of people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/types-of-people/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I was once a journalist. And I think of myself as a journalist, and that's it. You tell the truth. I even wrote a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-was-once-a-journalist-and-i-think-of-myself-as-a-journalist-and/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's very important to get out, to do reporting. It's also really interesting. I come at it as a journalist, and I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/it-s-very-important-to-get-out-to-do-reporting-it-s-also-really/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Certainly I'm still mining my experiences as a journalist. I think it's no coincidence that all three of my novels basically are about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/certainly-i-m-still-mining-my-experiences-as-a-journalist-i-think-it/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [As a journalist, I think it's OK to feel - I think there's space for it. It's how you react to those feelings that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-dooley/as-a-journalist-i-think-it-s-ok-to-feel-i-think-there-s-space-for-it/) [Stacey Dooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-dooley/) > [As a journalist, I think the only question that you ask yourself - once you've determined that the material is authentic - is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/as-a-journalist-i-think-the-only-question-that-you-ask-yourself-once/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [The most recent example and the most, I think, appalling example was when Martin Peretz, the owner - and I stress owner - of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/the-most-recent-example-and-the-most-i-think-appalling-example-was/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [If you're a journalist - and I think, on some level, I'm a journalist, and proud to be a journalist, or a documentarian, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/if-you-re-a-journalist-and-i-think-on-some-level-i-m-a-journalist-and/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Allisha's a big guard, and I love that. Wait, no - no no. I have to back this up a second. This is where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/allisha-s-a-big-guard-and-i-love-that-wait-no-no-no-i-have-to-back/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [I'm a little of everything, a concerned dad, faith-based guy, businessman, entertainer and journalist. I don't have formal training as a journalist, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-m-a-little-of-everything-a-concerned-dad-faith-based-guy/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [I prefer the word 'journeyman' to 'journalist' because I think that certainly, when you hear a story, you want to hear certain facts. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/i-prefer-the-word-journeyman-to-journalist-because-i-think-that/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [I'd go for "really great writer." Although I don't think I am. I know I have a style which is recognizable. I think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-d-go-for-really-great-writer-although-i-don-t-think-i-am-i-know-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Talk slowly but think quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/talk-slowly-but-think-quickly/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [ The kick \[of comedy\] is to think quickly. It's a great kick. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-bishop/the-kick-of-comedy-is-to-think-quickly-it-s-a-great-kick/) [Joey Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-bishop/) > [If you don't I think very quickly in the modern climate you get left behind. Your ideas can become dated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-howe/if-you-don-t-i-think-very-quickly-in-the-modern-climate-you-get-left/) [Eddie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-howe/) > [“And as soon as I thought this, I tried to think of something else quickly. Because we were so close that I felt sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/and-as-soon-as-i-thought-this-i-tried-to-think-of-something-else/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) ## More by Frank Spotnitz > [The beauty of a really good movie is that it's a whole world, complete in an hour and a half or two hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/the-beauty-of-a-really-good-movie-is-that-it-s-a-whole-world-complete/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [I have always read all my reviews, the bad along with the good (although you remember the bad much more than the good!). I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/i-have-always-read-all-my-reviews-the-bad-along-with-the-good/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [I don't like television and movies where it's like, "Well, that was entertaining, but when I think back on it, that didn't really make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/i-don-t-like-television-and-movies-where-it-s-like-well-that-was/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [When I sit down, I find that it's much easier for me to want to consume a movie than to dip back into 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/when-i-sit-down-i-find-that-it-s-much-easier-for-me-to-want-to/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [Usually monsters are some aspect of human behavior or humanity at large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/usually-monsters-are-some-aspect-of-human-behavior-or-humanity-at/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [The challenge is creating a character that's rich and interesting to warrant following for a number of years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/the-challenge-is-creating-a-character-that-s-rich-and-interesting-to/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [If my whole game depends on whether you can guess the ending or not, I'm done, forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/if-my-whole-game-depends-on-whether-you-can-guess-the-ending-or-not-i/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [The primary reason people watch television is you want to see the world through somebody else's eyes, and learn what that's like. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/the-primary-reason-people-watch-television-is-you-want-to-see-the/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [If people walk out of the movie and they think about it, then that's quite something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/if-people-walk-out-of-the-movie-and-they-think-about-it-then-that-s/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [I love films where I'm looking around the world a little different now that I've seen that. I want something that nourishes my view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/i-love-films-where-i-m-looking-around-the-world-a-little-different/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [The actors in Britain are incredible, and I didn't appreciate that until I got there. They interpret your words and you realize how deliberate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/the-actors-in-britain-are-incredible-and-i-didn-t-appreciate-that/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [Let's make really good stories that people get something out of. That's the one common denominator with everything I try to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/let-s-make-really-good-stories-that-people-get-something-out-of-that/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [It's my belief that when you're dealing with the supernatural, the supernatural still has to trump we mortals, it still has to be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/it-s-my-belief-that-when-you-re-dealing-with-the-supernatural-the/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [You can't outsmart or outguess the audience in terms of what the narrative answer is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/you-can-t-outsmart-or-outguess-the-audience-in-terms-of-what-the/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [The one thing you can do that the audience can't do - all those smart people online in the chat rooms can't do -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/the-one-thing-you-can-do-that-the-audience-can-t-do-all-those-smart/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) [Explore all 21 Frank Spotnitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) ## More All things quotes > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... 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They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Standing as a witness in all things means being kind in all things, being the first to say hello, being the first to smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-nadauld/standing-as-a-witness-in-all-things-means-being-kind-in-all-things/) [Margaret D. 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