---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They paid people to write books!!! Until…"
description: "\"“They paid people to write books!!! Until that moment I had a vague idea that books were produced in factories, like tires, or else they grew on trees,..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/gary-reilly-13028_being-an-author_they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-th_1907533.jpg"
---

#  They paid people to write books!!! Until that moment I had…

![“They paid people to write books!!! Until that moment I had a vague idea that books were produced in factories, like tires, or else they grew on trees, like money.” quote by Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/gary-reilly-13028_being-an-author_they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-th_1907533.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/gary-reilly-13028_being-an-author_they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-th_1907533.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/gary-reilly-13028_being-an-author_they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-th_1907533.jpg)

> ““They paid people to write books!!! Until that moment I had a vague idea that books were produced in factories, like tires, or else they grew on trees, like money.””

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Books are often perceived as mass‑produced, but they are creative works, not factory items.

**In simple terms:** Books aren’t manufactured like tires; they’re crafted ideas.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the creative labor behind books.

Themes

literature perception creativity

Mood

curious analytical thoughtful

Type

critical educational

When to use this quote

- reading clubs
- publishing industry
- library curation
- author talks

Key Concepts

mass production myth authorial effort

Questions to Reflect On

- What assumptions do you hold about how books are made?
- How does knowing the process change your reading?

A Different Perspective

May overlook the value of handcrafted storytelling.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Being-an-author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-an-author-17165/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-moment-1411978/) [Factories Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factories-like-2851386/) [People Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-write/) [Tires Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tires-grew-2851387/) [Write Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-books/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [“My mother, who is a pianist and a fine artist, purchased a piano for me. Twice. This was back when I was a small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/my-mother-who-is-a-pianist-and-a-fine-artist-purchased-a-piano-for-me/)

[C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/)

> [“I live, love and loathe my characters. They stole my mind. They stole my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaya-ellman/i-live-love-and-loathe-my-characters-they-stole-my-mind-they-stole-my/)

[Amaya Ellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaya-ellman/)

> [Books are becoming everything to me. If I had at this moment any choice in life, I would bury myself in one of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/books-are-becoming-everything-to-me-if-i-had-at-this-moment-any/)

[Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/)

> [What is missed when people talk about books is the moment of grace when the reader creates the book, lends it the authority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/what-is-missed-when-people-talk-about-books-is-the-moment-of-grace/)

[Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/)

> [I always have several books on the go at any one moment, so it's no good you asking 'What's on the bedside table at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-always-have-several-books-on-the-go-at-any-one-moment-so-it-s-no/)

[Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/)

> [There are a lot of people out there who will write books, in which everything turns out nicely and the bad guys lose, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/there-are-a-lot-of-people-out-there-who-will-write-books-in-which/)

[George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/)

> [People who write books - they live in their own world as they're writing. But people who are doing shows or big movies -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/people-who-write-books-they-live-in-their-own-world-as-they-re/)

[Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/)

> [I've seen people around me write books, and somehow they're always in the center of everything that happened; they were the one who made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stanley/i-ve-seen-people-around-me-write-books-and-somehow-they-re-always-in/)

[Paul Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stanley/)

> [I don't understand why, in my work, writing is always so dangerous. It's very destructive. People who write books are destroyers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/i-don-t-understand-why-in-my-work-writing-is-always-so-dangerous-it-s/)

[A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/)

> [A lot of people write books not at the end of their career. Why you gotta wait until then? When you're momentum's going, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ortiz/a-lot-of-people-write-books-not-at-the-end-of-their-career-why-you/)

[David Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ortiz/)

> [People do write books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-pietersen/people-do-write-books/)

[Kevin Pietersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-pietersen/)

> [Writers are really people who write books not because they are poor, but because they are dissatisfied with the books which they could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/writers-are-really-people-who-write-books-not-because-they-are-poor/)

[Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/)

> [These people that write books on how to succeed and how to think positively make millions because it's something that doesn't occur naturally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/these-people-that-write-books-on-how-to-succeed-and-how-to-think/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Too many people write books as a calling card.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/too-many-people-write-books-as-a-calling-card/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [Many, many people can write books. I just happen to be one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/many-many-people-can-write-books-i-just-happen-to-be-one-of-them/)

[Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/)

## More by Gary Reilly

> [“The big house... reminded me of the types of structures you can still see in places like Center City: gingerbread houses, two-story affairs built…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/the-big-house-reminded-me-of-the-types-of-structures-you-can-still/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [It's a funny thing about writing. You get so balled up in a story idea that you lose your perspective and forget that human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/it-s-a-funny-thing-about-writing-you-get-so-balled-up-in-a-story-idea/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“I don't think there is anything that annoys me as much as having to "be" somewhere. It seems like every bad thing that ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/i-don-t-think-there-is-anything-that-annoys-me-as-much-as-having-to/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“My imagination was running amok again. Twice in one night. This never happens when I’m sitting in front of a typewriter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/my-imagination-was-running-amok-again-twice-in-one-night-this-never/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“Writers, even unpublished writers, have a tendency not to notice what’s going on around them when they are the center of attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/writers-even-unpublished-writers-have-a-tendency-not-to-notice-what-s/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [Being a cab river is not unlike being a magician--minus the top hat, the cape, the rabbit, an the gorgeous assistant. But you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/being-a-cab-river-is-not-unlike-being-a-magician-minus-the-top-hat/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“Golf baffles me. They says it’s a sport, and I have to take their word for it, but anything that involves having fun while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/golf-baffles-me-they-says-it-s-a-sport-and-i-have-to-take-their-word/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“To me, knowing how to do something is like cheating. That's why I never studied in grade school. Studying made passing tests too easy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/to-me-knowing-how-to-do-something-is-like-cheating-that-s-why-i-never/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“My fake weekend has begun. I always take Tuesday off, unless my rent is due and I need to pick up some extra cash.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/my-fake-weekend-has-begun-i-always-take-tuesday-off-unless-my-rent-is/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“TGIF," I said aloud even though it was only Thursday. But I was alone in my apartment as far as I knew. I deliberately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/tgif-i-said-aloud-even-though-it-was-only-thursday-but-i-was-alone-in/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [Work/Loaf Ratio”...I have spent fourteen years perfecting... I won't bore you with a long-winded explanation of the “W/LR” save to say that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/work-loaf-ratio-i-have-spent-fourteen-years-perfecting-i-won-t-bore/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“Get thee behind me, whatever you are," that's my motto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/get-thee-behind-me-whatever-you-are-that-s-my-motto/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“Late Friday morning I was driving toward Boulder. I was seated in "Doctor Lovebeads Cosmic Wonderbus and Mobile Mercantile." That entire phrase was painted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/late-friday-morning-i-was-driving-toward-boulder-i-was-seated-in/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“I didn't offer to help him carry any of his stuff. That's the unwritten code between cabbies and movers… It's his punishment for tricking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/i-didn-t-offer-to-help-him-carry-any-of-his-stuff-that-s-the/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

> [“They say that a man has to want to quit before he can stop working, that nobody can stop working for him. His first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/they-say-that-a-man-has-to-want-to-quit-before-he-can-stop-working/)

[Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

[Explore all 52 Gary Reilly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/)

## More Being-an-author quotes

> [“I live, love and loathe my characters. They stole my mind. They stole my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaya-ellman/i-live-love-and-loathe-my-characters-they-stole-my-mind-they-stole-my/)

[Amaya Ellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaya-ellman/)

> [“My mother, who is a pianist and a fine artist, purchased a piano for me. Twice. This was back when I was a small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/my-mother-who-is-a-pianist-and-a-fine-artist-purchased-a-piano-for-me/)

[C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/)

[Browse all 3 Being-an-author quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-an-author-17165/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“They paid people to write books!!! Until that moment I had a vague idea that books were produced in factories, like tires, or else they grew on trees, like money.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gary Reilly"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-that-moment-i-had-a-vague-idea/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Being-an-author"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-that-moment-i-had-a-vague-idea/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/gary-reilly-13028_being-an-author_they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-th_1907533.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/gary-reilly-13028_being-an-author_they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-th_1907533.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/gary-reilly-13028_being-an-author_they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-th_1907533.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“They paid people to write books!!! Until that moment I had a vague idea that books were produced in…” — Gary Reilly",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Gary Reilly",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“They paid people to write books!!!...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-that-moment-i-had-a-vague-idea/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/they-paid-people-to-write-books-until-that-moment-i-had-a-vague-idea/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
