--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reading makes me want to write my own…" description: "\"Reading makes me want to write my own books, and just trying to understand what I see in the world around me makes me want to figure things out.\" — Gre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/gretchen-rubin-867_book_reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-bo_201666.png" --- # Reading makes me want to write my own books, and just… ![“Reading makes me want to write my own books, and just trying to understand what I see in the world around me makes me want to figure things out.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/gretchen-rubin-867_book_reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-bo_201666.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/gretchen-rubin-867_book_reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-bo_201666.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/gretchen-rubin-867_book_reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-bo_201666.png) > “Reading makes me want to write my own books, and just trying to understand what I see in the world around me makes me want to figure things out.” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading sparks curiosity and the desire to create, while observation drives problem‑solving. **In simple terms:** Reading inspires writing; observation inspires discovery. Key Takeaway Turn reading into writing and observation into experiments. Themes curiosity creativity learning Mood enthusiastic inquisitive Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - writing a story - researching a topic - journaling observations - designing a solution Key Concepts self‑expression inquiry knowledge‑seeking Questions to Reflect On - What topic could you explore first? - How can you structure your insights into a project? A Different Perspective May become overwhelmed by ideas without focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Reading makes me happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/reading-makes-me-happy/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I want to write books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-la-anthony/i-want-to-write-books/) [La La Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-la-anthony/) > [I want to write books that can truly become a legacy and bring benefits to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-hirata/i-want-to-write-books-that-can-truly-become-a-legacy-and-bring/) [Andrea Hirata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-hirata/) > [I want to write books that keep people up at night, where they cry through the first forty pages and keep reading anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kameron-hurley/i-want-to-write-books-that-keep-people-up-at-night-where-they-cry/) [Kameron Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kameron-hurley/) > [I only want to write books and movies about women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-only-want-to-write-books-and-movies-about-women/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [I don't want to be famous per se, but I want to write books for as long as I can. And I plan on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-per-se-but-i-want-to-write-books-for-as/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [If you want to do this - either write for TV, or write books - the first thing you have to do is write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/if-you-want-to-do-this-either-write-for-tv-or-write-books-the-first/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [I want to write books that only those who read them claim they did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-want-to-write-books-that-only-those-who-read-them-claim-they-did/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I don't want to write things that people don't want to read. I would have no pleasure in producing something that sold 600 copies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-rodda/i-don-t-want-to-write-things-that-people-don-t-want-to-read-i-would/) [Emily Rodda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-rodda/) > [Years and years ago, I said I did not want to write academic books. I want to write books that are in the language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/years-and-years-ago-i-said-i-did-not-want-to-write-academic-books-i/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [People always ask what a book is about, as if it has to be about something. I don't want to write books that lend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/people-always-ask-what-a-book-is-about-as-if-it-has-to-be-about/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I want to write books that can be read a hundred years from now, and readers wouldn't be bogged down by irrelevant details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/i-want-to-write-books-that-can-be-read-a-hundred-years-from-now-and/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [“I've come to the realization that I really only want to write books that maybe I can't write.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-ve-come-to-the-realization-that-i-really-only-want-to-write-books/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I never thought I'd be a person who would want to write books...I promise you not a single English teacher I've ever had would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-never-thought-i-d-be-a-person-who-would-want-to-write-books-i/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I just want to write books or give talks which, if I were in the audience or I were the reader, I would appreciate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-just-want-to-write-books-or-give-talks-which-if-i-were-in-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [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/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Reading makes me want to write my own books, and just trying to understand what I see in the world around me makes me want to figure things out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gretchen Rubin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-books-and-just-trying-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-books-and-just-trying-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/gretchen-rubin-867_book_reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-bo_201666.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/gretchen-rubin-867_book_reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-bo_201666.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/gretchen-rubin-867_book_reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-bo_201666.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Reading makes me want to write my own books, and just trying to understand what I see in the world around me…” — Gretchen Rubin", "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": "Gretchen Rubin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Reading makes me want to write...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-books-and-just-trying-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/reading-makes-me-want-to-write-my-own-books-and-just-trying-to/#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 } } ] } ```