--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Write. Don't talk about writing. Don't…" description: "\"“Write. Don't talk about writing. Don't tell me about your wonderful story ideas. Don't give me a bunch of 'somedays'. Plant your ass and scribble, typ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/glen-cook-9893_creative-process_write-don-t-talk-about-writing-don-t-tel_2906006.jpg" --- # Write. Don't talk about writing. Don't tell me about your… ![“Write. Don't talk about writing. Don't tell me about your wonderful story ideas. Don't give me a bunch of 'somedays'. Plant your ass and scribble, type, keyboard. If you have any talent at all it will leak out despite your failure to pay attention in English." [ The Instrumentalities of the Night…” quote by Glen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/glen-cook-9893_creative-process_write-don-t-talk-about-writing-don-t-tel_2906006.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/glen-cook-9893_creative-process_write-don-t-talk-about-writing-don-t-tel_2906006.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/glen-cook-9893_creative-process_write-don-t-talk-about-writing-don-t-tel_2906006.jpg) > ““Write. Don't talk about writing. Don't tell me about your wonderful story ideas. Don't give me a bunch of 'somedays'. Plant your ass and scribble, type, keyboard. If you have any talent at all it will leak out despite your failure to pay attention in English." \[ The Instrumentalities of the Night: An Interview with Glen Cook , The SF Site, September 2005\]”” [Glen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-cook/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He urges immediate writing action over idle dreaming, trusting talent to surface. **In simple terms:** Write now, don’t just plan. Key Takeaway Start writing immediately. Themes creativity discipline talent action writing Mood determined pragmatic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - daily writing - workshops - personal projects Key Concepts productivity self‑efficacy creative process Questions to Reflect On - What prevents you from writing today? - How can you overcome self‑criticism? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-process/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Diligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diligence/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Resilience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilience/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Write. Don't talk about writing. Don't tell me about your wonderful story ideas. Don't give me a bunch of "somedays." 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I also won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/in-my-writing-class-we-never-ever-talk-about-the-writing-ever-we/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [I'm too shy for personal appearances, and I've found out that anytime I talk about my writing, I can't do any writing for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/i-m-too-shy-for-personal-appearances-and-i-ve-found-out-that-anytime/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [A lot of people talk to me about writing lyrics and it is obvious they are really paying attention to the fact that ours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-ross/a-lot-of-people-talk-to-me-about-writing-lyrics-and-it-is-obvious/) [Ryan Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-ross/) > [I always tell audiences when I talk about writing: Writing isn't something I do; writing is something that I am. I am writing -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/i-always-tell-audiences-when-i-talk-about-writing-writing-isn-t/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [When I've taught writing to five, six, and seven year olds, it's not very different than talking to an adult writer. They're writers then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/when-i-ve-taught-writing-to-five-six-and-seven-year-olds-it-s-not/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [Clear writing is universal. People talk about writing down to an audience or writing up to an audience; I think that's nonsense. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/clear-writing-is-universal-people-talk-about-writing-down-to-an/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The secret to writing is writing. Lots of people I know talk about writing. They will tell me about the book they are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/the-secret-to-writing-is-writing-lots-of-people-i-know-talk-about/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) ## More by Glen Cook > [“Truth is a deadly weapon, Lady said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-cook/truth-is-a-deadly-weapon-lady-said/) [Glen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-cook/) > [“I cry for a little girl's dreams. I cry because the dreams will not die, though I am powerless to make them come true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-cook/i-cry-for-a-little-girl-s-dreams-i-cry-because-the-dreams-will-not/) [Glen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-cook/) > [No religion I ever encountered made any sense. None are consistent. Most gods are megalomaniacs and paranoid psychotics by their worshippers' description. 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And they all live again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-cook/in-the-night-when-the-wind-dies-and-silence-rules-the-place-of/) [Glen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-cook/) > [Consistency is the sign of a narrow mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-cook/consistency-is-the-sign-of-a-narrow-mind/) [Glen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-cook/) [Explore all 69 Glen Cook quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-cook/) ## More Creative process quotes > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Any creative process is about being in a territory which isn't secure, isn't necessarily familiar, and isn't convenient in any sort of way. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/any-creative-process-is-about-being-in-a-territory-which-isn-t-secure/) [Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/) > [ “\[A\]lways get to the dialogue as soon as possible. I always feel the thing to go for is speed. Nothing puts the reader off… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/a-lways-get-to-the-dialogue-as-soon-as-possible-i-always-feel-the/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [Use the creative process - singing, writing, art, dance, whatever - to get to know yourself better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catie-curtis/use-the-creative-process-singing-writing-art-dance-whatever-to-get-to/) [Catie Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catie-curtis/) > [Fear is a killer, when it comes to the creative process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baldwin/fear-is-a-killer-when-it-comes-to-the-creative-process/) [Adam Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baldwin/) > [The impresario function is about intervening with the company's more administrative management structure. It is about trying to establish a sense of boundaries and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kao/the-impresario-function-is-about-intervening-with-the-company-s-more/) [John Kao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kao/) > [“I’m a big believer in cooking your own meals. It makes it much easier not only to ensure that you eat fresh foods but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ori-hofmekler/i-m-a-big-believer-in-cooking-your-own-meals-it-makes-it-much-easier/) [Ori Hofmekler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ori-hofmekler/) > [I think what holds people up in creative processes is the expectation of what it is they're doing. It's also the sense of judgement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-hegarty/i-think-what-holds-people-up-in-creative-processes-is-the-expectation/) [Antony Hegarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-hegarty/) > [There just is exponentially more money in the movie business than in the music business. As a result there are more people involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-duritz/there-just-is-exponentially-more-money-in-the-movie-business-than-in/) [Adam Duritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-duritz/) > [“The sooner you finish procrastinating, the sooner you can get back to your art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lennox/the-sooner-you-finish-procrastinating-the-sooner-you-can-get-back-to/) [Stephanie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lennox/) > [Well, I do expect a lot of myself. I'm a harsh critic because I know what I'm capable of. I have hit those occasional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-stevens/well-i-do-expect-a-lot-of-myself-i-m-a-harsh-critic-because-i-know/) Dave Stevens > [With music I get to feel real ownership with what I do. 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The creative process is very disorganised; the production process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-arnault/it-is-not-enough-to-have-a-talented-designer-the-management-must-be/) [Bernard Arnault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-arnault/) [Browse all 691 Creative process quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-process/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Write. Don't talk about writing. Don't tell me about your wonderful story ideas. Don't give me a bunch of 'somedays'. Plant your ass and scribble, type, keyboard. 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