--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People say that writers write for money…" description: "\"“People say that writers write for money. From my own experience that's not true. I write for me. I publish for money.”\" — Greg Curtis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a3/greg-curtis-35404_money_people-say-that-writers-write-for-money_1808087.jpg" --- # People say that writers write for money. From my own… ![“People say that writers write for money. From my own experience that's not true. I write for me. I publish for money.” quote by Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a3/greg-curtis-35404_money_people-say-that-writers-write-for-money_1808087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a3/greg-curtis-35404_money_people-say-that-writers-write-for-money_1808087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a3/greg-curtis-35404_money_people-say-that-writers-write-for-money_1808087.jpg) > ““People say that writers write for money. From my own experience that's not true. I write for me. I publish for money.”” [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing is driven by personal passion, not financial gain; publishing can be a practical side effect. **In simple terms:** Write for yourself, not money. Key Takeaway Prioritize intrinsic motivation. Themes creativity motivation writing Mood reflective inspirational Type advice personal When to use this quote - authoring - self‑publishing - career planning Key Concepts self‑expression artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What drives your creative work? - How do you balance passion and profit? A Different Perspective Money can limit creative freedom if it becomes primary focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Publish Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publish-money-638548/) [Say Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-writers-405369/) [Write Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-money-1309418/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writers Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-write-254639/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-advice/) ## Related quotes > [My teacher Tom Spanbauer, the man who got me started writing in his workshop, used to say: 'Writers write because they weren't invited to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/my-teacher-tom-spanbauer-the-man-who-got-me-started-writing-in-his/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Write for pleasure and publish for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/write-for-pleasure-and-publish-for-money/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [Whatever I write I publish. Because that's where the money is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/whatever-i-write-i-publish-because-that-s-where-the-money-is/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [“You know what they say about writers: we can do it quietly, in many different positions, and all night long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-d-votey/you-know-what-they-say-about-writers-we-can-do-it-quietly-in-many/) [Christopher D. Votey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-d-votey/) > [I think it's important to remember where I began. I know that when I talk to other writers, say, writers from the South or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-maclachlan/i-think-it-s-important-to-remember-where-i-began-i-know-that-when-i/) [Patricia MacLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-maclachlan/) > [“Many writers write because they’ve been there, seen that, did it and burnt their fingers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/many-writers-write-because-they-ve-been-there-seen-that-did-it-and/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Every so often I'll hear writers say that there are other writers they would read if for no other reason than to marvel at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/every-so-often-i-ll-hear-writers-say-that-there-are-other-writers/) [Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/) > [“Sentences spoken by writers, unless they have been written out first, rarely say what writers wish to say. Writers are unlucky speakers, by and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/sentences-spoken-by-writers-unless-they-have-been-written-out-first/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [I'm a little harsh. When people say, 'I have writers block. What do you suggest?' I say, 'If you can't write, don't write. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-m-a-little-harsh-when-people-say-i-have-writers-block-what-do-you/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [A lot of people say writers start losing their powers after 60 or 65. But I look at the best-seller list and see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/a-lot-of-people-say-writers-start-losing-their-powers-after-60-or-65/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [I think many people would say that writers like Stephen King have hypergraphia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/i-think-many-people-would-say-that-writers-like-stephen-king-have/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [Not being published would be great. When I say that to other writers they look at me as if I'm totally insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/not-being-published-would-be-great-when-i-say-that-to-other-writers/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/a-writer-is-a-person-who-cares-what-words-mean-what-they-say-how-they/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [They say writers sell everybody out. What can you do? You know only the people you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/they-say-writers-sell-everybody-out-what-can-you-do-you-know-only-the/) [Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/) > [If you're spending a lot of time in the writers' room and then you're also acting, you have your foot in both of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-arnold/if-you-re-spending-a-lot-of-time-in-the-writers-room-and-then-you-re/) [Tom Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-arnold/) ## More by Greg Curtis > [“My cats inspire me daily. They inspire me to get a dog!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/my-cats-inspire-me-daily-they-inspire-me-to-get-a-dog/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“If wishes were horses, I'd need a very big stable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/if-wishes-were-horses-i-d-need-a-very-big-stable/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“And there shall come a kingdom in which the lion shall lie down with the lamb. Unfortunately for the lamb it shall be inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/and-there-shall-come-a-kingdom-in-which-the-lion-shall-lie-down-with/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“I have recently been called antisocial, and I'd like to set the record straight. I am not antisocial, I like social. It's people I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/i-have-recently-been-called-antisocial-and-i-d-like-to-set-the-record/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“I recently published a new book. It's a Christian urban fantasy about mad science gone wrong. And then after I'd written that in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/i-recently-published-a-new-book-it-s-a-christian-urban-fantasy-about/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“They say that maths is a language. So how do I order a pizza with extra cheese in maths?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/they-say-that-maths-is-a-language-so-how-do-i-order-a-pizza-with/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“There's only one thing in life more dangerous than a bad idea, and that's a good one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/there-s-only-one-thing-in-life-more-dangerous-than-a-bad-idea-and/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“I think I know where my life went wrong. For all the world's a stage and I'm a lousy actor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/i-think-i-know-where-my-life-went-wrong-for-all-the-world-s-a-stage/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“The definition of Brevity: That which people believe would be a virtue - in me!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/the-definition-of-brevity-that-which-people-believe-would-be-a-virtue/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“After suffering a torn disc six months ago, then a car crash just when it was starting to heal, and then an attack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/after-suffering-a-torn-disc-six-months-ago-then-a-car-crash-just-when/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“God does not play dice, bankers do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/god-does-not-play-dice-bankers-do/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) > [“The Philosopher's Motto: I came, I saw, I pondered!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/the-philosopher-s-motto-i-came-i-saw-i-pondered/) [Greg Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) [Explore all 13 Greg Curtis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/) ## More Money quotes > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/money-is-the-kind-of-instrument-which-is-very-speedily-produced/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Maybe you can,t buy a big house.. A new car.. A huge diamond ring.. But if you have just one true friend who loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy/maybe-you-can-t-buy-a-big-house-a-new-car-a-huge-diamond-ring-but-if/) [Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy/) > [“Don't allow money to become the yardstick by which you measure the worth of the world around you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-james-pritchard/don-t-allow-money-to-become-the-yardstick-by-which-you-measure-the/) [Andrew James Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-james-pritchard/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/) [Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/) > [“The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-writer-must-earn-money-in-order-to-be-able-to-live-and-to-write/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [The man who works for the gold in the job rather than for the money in the pay envelope, is the fellow who gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-french-johnson/the-man-who-works-for-the-gold-in-the-job-rather-than-for-the-money/) [Joseph French Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-french-johnson/) [Browse all 45,172 Money quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People say that writers write for money. From my own experience that's not true. I write for me. I publish for money.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greg Curtis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/people-say-that-writers-write-for-money-from-my-own-experience-that-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Money" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/people-say-that-writers-write-for-money-from-my-own-experience-that-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a3/greg-curtis-35404_money_people-say-that-writers-write-for-money_1808087.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a3/greg-curtis-35404_money_people-say-that-writers-write-for-money_1808087.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a3/greg-curtis-35404_money_people-say-that-writers-write-for-money_1808087.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People say that writers write for money. From my own experience that's not true. I write for me. I publish…” — Greg Curtis", "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": "Greg Curtis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-curtis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“People say that writers write for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/people-say-that-writers-write-for-money-from-my-own-experience-that-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-curtis/people-say-that-writers-write-for-money-from-my-own-experience-that-s/#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 } } ] } ```