--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every writer has to find the thing to…" description: "\"Every writer has to find the thing to keep her eye on about which she has strong opinions. That's of course deeply personal, but the nice thing is that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/george-saunders-317_courses_every-writer-has-to-find-the-thing-to-ke_2652170.jpg" --- # Every writer has to find the thing to keep her eye on… ![“Every writer has to find the thing to keep her eye on about which she has strong opinions. That's of course deeply personal, but the nice thing is that it has to do with joy rather than fear. It has to do with you. If you're funny, your method will be to try to be funnier. Which again is…” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/george-saunders-317_courses_every-writer-has-to-find-the-thing-to-ke_2652170.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/george-saunders-317_courses_every-writer-has-to-find-the-thing-to-ke_2652170.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/george-saunders-317_courses_every-writer-has-to-find-the-thing-to-ke_2652170.jpg) > “Every writer has to find the thing to keep her eye on about which she has strong opinions. That's of course deeply personal, but the nice thing is that it has to do with joy rather than fear. It has to do with you. If you're funny, your method will be to try to be funnier. Which again is empowering I think.” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers should focus on topics they care deeply about, driven by joy not fear, which fuels authentic humor and empowerment. **In simple terms:** Write about what you love, not what scares you. Key Takeaway Follow your joy, let humor empower you. Themes creativity authenticity joy Mood inspirational reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal essays - stand‑up comedy - creative projects Key Concepts personal voice humor empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What personal passion could you write about today? - How does joy change your creative process? A Different Perspective Joy may not always translate to market success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empowering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowering/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Strong opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-opinions/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I was trying to do one-liners and it took me years to realise I just had to be myself. 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