--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether I'm writing about plumbers or…" description: "\"Whether I'm writing about plumbers or psychics or psychic plumbers, I want to find a creative space that imprisons me usefully, so I can deviate with p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/heidi-julavits-8173_creative_whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-ps_1531538.png" --- # Whether I'm writing about plumbers or psychics or psychic… ![“Whether I'm writing about plumbers or psychics or psychic plumbers, I want to find a creative space that imprisons me usefully, so I can deviate with purpose.” quote by Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/heidi-julavits-8173_creative_whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-ps_1531538.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/heidi-julavits-8173_creative_whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-ps_1531538.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/heidi-julavits-8173_creative_whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-ps_1531538.png) > “Whether I'm writing about plumbers or psychics or psychic plumbers, I want to find a creative space that imprisons me usefully, so I can deviate with purpose.” [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer seeks a disciplined creative space that both confines and liberates, allowing purposeful deviation. **In simple terms:** Structure can foster purposeful creativity. Key Takeaway Create boundaries that inspire intentional exploration. Themes creativity discipline purpose deviation artistic freedom Mood inspirational thoughtful analytical Type essay creative When to use this quote - writing routine - artistic projects - experimental work Key Concepts creative process self‑imposition intentionality Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance structure and freedom? - What limits inspire your best work? A Different Perspective Too much restriction may stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-space/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Deviate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deviate/) [Deviate Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deviate-purpose-5683337/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Plumber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plumber/) [Plumbers Psychics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plumbers-psychics-5683338/) [Psychic Plumbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychic-plumbers-5683335/) [Psychics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychics/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Usefully Deviate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usefully-deviate-5683336/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A creative space is an important thing. There are so many studios that feel like doctor's offices in Nashville. I couldn't write there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/a-creative-space-is-an-important-thing-there-are-so-many-studios-that/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [When you've fought and fought to keep positive and to keep creative even though there was not a space to be creative, well, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/when-you-ve-fought-and-fought-to-keep-positive-and-to-keep-creative/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) > [“Learned and sociological accepted lines, boundaries, internal perimeters, and partitions diminish the creative space within our minds that's poised and ready.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-abix/learned-and-sociological-accepted-lines-boundaries-internal/) [Ben Abix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-abix/) > [“Seeking to create a high-productivity space for commercial innovation, Probst conceived the “Action Office,” whose surfaces, both horizontal and vertical, allowed for clear thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-prentice/seeking-to-create-a-high-productivity-space-for-commercial-innovation/) [Steve Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-prentice/) > [The fashion business got boring. I was working with big companies, but the minute it became too formulaic, I got bored with it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-cornejo/the-fashion-business-got-boring-i-was-working-with-big-companies-but/) [Maria Cornejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-cornejo/) > [A lot of the songs that I wrote during 'Pt. 1' and 'Pt. 2' are the first songs that I ever wrote that sounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bibi-bourelly/a-lot-of-the-songs-that-i-wrote-during-pt-1-and-pt-2-are-the-first/) [Bibi Bourelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bibi-bourelly/) > [Respect your own creativity and respect the creativity and creative space of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-barker/respect-your-own-creativity-and-respect-the-creativity-and-creative/) [Danny Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-barker/) > [“That may be true, but it’s not the point. Designers learn to have lots of wild ideas because they know that the number one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/that-may-be-true-but-it-s-not-the-point-designers-learn-to-have-lots/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [ “The fatal misconception behind brainstorming is that there is a particular script we should all follow in group interactions… \[W\]hen the composition of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/the-fatal-misconception-behind-brainstorming-is-that-there-is-a/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [I've always wanted to keep my own personal creative space, and do everything myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-ve-always-wanted-to-keep-my-own-personal-creative-space-and-do/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I don't want to sound like anyone else, I wanted to be in my own creative space and find this river of melody myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-grennan/i-don-t-want-to-sound-like-anyone-else-i-wanted-to-be-in-my-own/) [Thomas Grennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-grennan/) > [I've always felt like there was less creative space on sets with guardians. I just felt independent at a young age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothee-chalamet/i-ve-always-felt-like-there-was-less-creative-space-on-sets-with/) [Timothee Chalamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothee-chalamet/) > [I work for ABC. If the thing that ABC is paying me for is storytelling - not to make sure that a costume is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-work-for-abc-if-the-thing-that-abc-is-paying-me-for-is-storytelling/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I used to hate the fact that I did so much study cause I felt it was useless. I'm into this creative space, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-ting/i-used-to-hate-the-fact-that-i-did-so-much-study-cause-i-felt-it-was/) [Chloe Ting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-ting/) > [I did the Daily Show, and then I did Air America Radio, and I realized that I was lucky enough to have a job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/i-did-the-daily-show-and-then-i-did-air-america-radio-and-i-realized/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) ## More by Heidi Julavits > [I am simply looking for a companion with whom to spend my days, a companion who will cherish as much as I the stupidity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-am-simply-looking-for-a-companion-with-whom-to-spend-my-days-a/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [There are some writers who are done when they finish a draft because they've thought it through beforehand. Whereas I'll finish a first draft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/there-are-some-writers-who-are-done-when-they-finish-a-draft-because/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I won't deny that I have a far more productive writing life without the Internet, mostly because I rekindle my ability to concentrate on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-won-t-deny-that-i-have-a-far-more-productive-writing-life-without/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [“I take you for a girl who's eager to grow unstable at the first indication that things can come back to haunt a person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-take-you-for-a-girl-who-s-eager-to-grow-unstable-at-the-first/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I'm at that age where I notice friends checking out my face and wondering, Has she been Botoxed? There's a new map there people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-m-at-that-age-where-i-notice-friends-checking-out-my-face-and/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [If, at some future point, my face collapses around my eyes, I'd probably do something about it. My eyes are where I live, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/if-at-some-future-point-my-face-collapses-around-my-eyes-i-d-probably/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I obviously read and adore traditional fiction. I teach traditional fiction; I also teach all kinds of not-so-traditional fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-obviously-read-and-adore-traditional-fiction-i-teach-traditional/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I obviously read and adore traditional fiction. I teach traditional fiction, I also teach all kind of not-so-traditional fiction. And since I'm such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-obviously-read-and-adore-traditional-fiction-i-teach-traditional-2/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I wouldn't be myself if I weren't always trying to be someone else. I only have so much time on this earth and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-wouldn-t-be-myself-if-i-weren-t-always-trying-to-be-someone-else-i/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [If you agree with an outside person's interpretation of you, that's a happy bit of affirmation. It means you're communicating externally what you believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/if-you-agree-with-an-outside-person-s-interpretation-of-you-that-s-a/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I have a daughter who, when younger, possessed no barrier between her emotional self and the outside world. Her emotional insides spilled out all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-have-a-daughter-who-when-younger-possessed-no-barrier-between-her/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I can't even tell you what else I imagined. I can only humiliate myself to such a degree; at a certain point it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-can-t-even-tell-you-what-else-i-imagined-i-can-only-humiliate/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [It's fascinating to imagine two successful writers in one house. But when you think about it, it isn't very unusual. In fact, so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/it-s-fascinating-to-imagine-two-successful-writers-in-one-house-but/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [When my husband first read a draft, he said, "You spend too much time describing the characters' outfits." He was right. I removed much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/when-my-husband-first-read-a-draft-he-said-you-spend-too-much-time/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I really did for a few weeks think, I'm in pain because the world needs me to save it. Which is so ridiculous and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-really-did-for-a-few-weeks-think-i-m-in-pain-because-the-world/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) [Explore all 83 Heidi Julavits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [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/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whether I'm writing about plumbers or psychics or psychic plumbers, I want to find a creative space that imprisons me usefully, so I can deviate with purpose.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Heidi Julavits" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-psychics-or-psychic-plumbers-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-psychics-or-psychic-plumbers-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/heidi-julavits-8173_creative_whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-ps_1531538.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/heidi-julavits-8173_creative_whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-ps_1531538.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/heidi-julavits-8173_creative_whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-ps_1531538.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whether I'm writing about plumbers or psychics or psychic plumbers, I want to find a creative space that…” — Heidi Julavits", "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": "Heidi Julavits", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whether I'm writing about plumbers or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-psychics-or-psychic-plumbers-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/whether-i-m-writing-about-plumbers-or-psychics-or-psychic-plumbers-i/#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 } } ] } ```