--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing may be either the record of a…" description: "\"Writing may be either the record of a deed or a deed. It is nobler when it is a deed.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/henry-david-thoreau-20_deed_writing-may-be-either-the-record-of-a-de_2554086.jpg" --- # Writing may be either the record of a deed or a deed. It… ![“Writing may be either the record of a deed or a deed. It is nobler when it is a deed.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/henry-david-thoreau-20_deed_writing-may-be-either-the-record-of-a-de_2554086.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/henry-david-thoreau-20_deed_writing-may-be-either-the-record-of-a-de_2554086.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/henry-david-thoreau-20_deed_writing-may-be-either-the-record-of-a-de_2554086.jpg) > “Writing may be either the record of a deed or a deed. It is nobler when it is a deed.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing can document actions or become an action itself; deeds hold higher moral value than mere description. **In simple terms:** Writing can be a deed. Key Takeaway Let actions speak louder than words. Themes writing action morality authorship Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - activism - journalism - creative projects - personal expression Key Concepts philosophy literary theory ethical conduct Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure your writing drives real change? - When does documentation become complicity? A Different Perspective May blur line between documentation and action, causing confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [There is no nobler deed than the performance of one's duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-smith/there-is-no-nobler-deed-than-the-performance-of-one-s-duty/) [Len Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-smith/) > [I'm used to writing something, it becomes a record, it comes out. Then I go perform and I play it and I get this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-m-used-to-writing-something-it-becomes-a-record-it-comes-out-then-i/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Writing is a journey into the unknown. Say who you are, really say it in your life and in your work. Tell someone out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/writing-is-a-journey-into-the-unknown-say-who-you-are-really-say-it/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [The lyrics came out of necessity. When we started writing the record, we started in a more fusion environment and that got boring really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-chamberlin/the-lyrics-came-out-of-necessity-when-we-started-writing-the-record/) [Jimmy Chamberlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-chamberlin/) > [Writing a record is like dating a few men at once. You take them to the same restaurants to see if they measure up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/writing-a-record-is-like-dating-a-few-men-at-once-you-take-them-to-2/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [The writing of the record didn't take long, because I just have a huge stack of papers and I just pluck from the stack.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/the-writing-of-the-record-didn-t-take-long-because-i-just-have-a-huge/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [Writing the record for me - every record is almost a surprise. When people ask me, what are the themes you want to grapple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/writing-the-record-for-me-every-record-is-almost-a-surprise-when/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Do not let any record company disturb your creative flow. You are not writing for the record company. You're writing for the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grandmaster-flash/do-not-let-any-record-company-disturb-your-creative-flow-you-are-not/) [Grandmaster Flash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grandmaster-flash/) > [I can't relate to the process of just disappearing and writing a record, all at the same time, followed by the sort of drudgery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-can-t-relate-to-the-process-of-just-disappearing-and-writing-a/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [You work for a record deal, and you work for writing a record, and you mix and master the record and put it out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-kracker/you-work-for-a-record-deal-and-you-work-for-writing-a-record-and-you/) [Uncle Kracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-kracker/) > [Say who you are, really say it in your life and in your work. Tell someone out there who is lost, someone not yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/say-who-you-are-really-say-it-in-your-life-and-in-your-work-tell/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [I think when you're 17 and you're angry, you're angry about very short-term things. And there's nothing wrong about writing that record. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/i-think-when-you-re-17-and-you-re-angry-you-re-angry-about-very-short/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [Writing a record is like dating a few men at once. You take them to the same restaurants to see if they measure up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/writing-a-record-is-like-dating-a-few-men-at-once-you-take-them-to/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [The deed of love is stronger than words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-bailey/the-deed-of-love-is-stronger-than-words/) [Pearl Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-bailey/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) Donald P. Ryan ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Deed quotes > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) Donald P. Ryan > [“I discovered that everything you do is in response to a request or a suggestion made to you by some other party either inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/i-discovered-that-everything-you-do-is-in-response-to-a-request-or-a/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Be sure to do your duty today, and let God Take care of the outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-sure-to-do-your-duty-today-and-let-god-take-care-of-the-outcome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One good deed will lead to thousands more of blessings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-good-deed-will-lead-to-thousands-more-of-blessings/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you see a guy opening a car door for a girl, its one of two things, either a new girl, or a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-armenta/if-you-see-a-guy-opening-a-car-door-for-a-girl-its-one-of-two-things/) Jorge Armenta > [A man who is wise in speech but not in deeds is not wise for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-who-is-wise-in-speech-but-not-in-deeds-is-not-wise-for-me/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A good deed is not just a duty, but above all, a privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-arison/a-good-deed-is-not-just-a-duty-but-above-all-a-privilege/) [Shari Arison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-arison/) > [Not really what you can do, others can either. Not really what you can't do, neither can others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voeun-tivea/not-really-what-you-can-do-others-can-either-not-really-what-you-can/) [Voeun Tivea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voeun-tivea/) > [“Kindness is not about words. It isn’t spoken. It is about action. Kindness is a deed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/kindness-is-not-about-words-it-isn-t-spoken-it-is-about-action/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [Measuring life by what others do for us may disappoint us...But Measuring life by what we do for others will add more meaning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/measuring-life-by-what-others-do-for-us-may-disappoint-us-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The deed of love is stronger than words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-bailey/the-deed-of-love-is-stronger-than-words/) [Pearl Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-bailey/) > [Through the perfect karma of good deeds, one meets the Perfect Guru, whose speech is perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-guru-granth-sahib/through-the-perfect-karma-of-good-deeds-one-meets-the-perfect-guru/) [Sri Guru Granth Sahib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-guru-granth-sahib/) > [Reward will follow every good deed. Only by doing good deeds can a man know the true joy of living and have a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/reward-will-follow-every-good-deed-only-by-doing-good-deeds-can-a-man/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Life is never worth worrying about deeds. Just doing is enough to get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aamir-sheikh/life-is-never-worth-worrying-about-deeds-just-doing-is-enough-to-get/) [Aamir Sheikh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aamir-sheikh/) > [Our everyday cares, making a living, the crazy rat race of life, often make us forget the value of a good deed. Thus, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-arison/our-everyday-cares-making-a-living-the-crazy-rat-race-of-life-often/) [Shari Arison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-arison/) Browse all 281 Deed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing may be either the record of a deed or a deed. 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