--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life being so short, and the possible…" description: "\"Life being so short, and the possible books to write so many, it's good to function by night as well as by day; but would anybody become a writer if th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/hilary-mantel-440_anybody_life-being-so-short-and-the-possible-boo_998727.jpg" --- # Life being so short, and the possible books to write so… ![“Life being so short, and the possible books to write so many, it's good to function by night as well as by day; but would anybody become a writer if they realised at the outset what the working hours were?” quote by Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/hilary-mantel-440_anybody_life-being-so-short-and-the-possible-boo_998727.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/hilary-mantel-440_anybody_life-being-so-short-and-the-possible-boo_998727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/hilary-mantel-440_anybody_life-being-so-short-and-the-possible-boo_998727.jpg) > “Life being so short, and the possible books to write so many, it's good to function by night as well as by day; but would anybody become a writer if they realised at the outset what the working hours were?” [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) ## 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 a demanding craft that often requires nocturnal work; many avoid it because they underestimate the required hours. **In simple terms:** Writing demands long hours, often at night, deterring many. Key Takeaway Recognize and plan for the time commitment of writing. Themes work ethic time management creativity Mood realistic thoughtful Type advice reflective When to use this quote - author residencies - freelance writing - academic research Key Concepts discipline night work career choice Questions to Reflect On - Are you willing to sacrifice personal time for writing? - How can you structure a sustainable writing schedule? A Different Perspective May discourage aspiring writers with unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Outset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outset/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't like working all hours of the night and having an unreliable working pattern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-don-t-like-working-all-hours-of-the-night-and-having-an-unreliable/) [Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/) > [There are no working hours for leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gibbons/there-are-no-working-hours-for-leaders/) [James Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gibbons/) > [“Most self-employed people remain slaves to the employed’s working hours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-self-employed-people-remain-slaves-to-the-employed-s-working/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [In our country, there must be two time zones to save working hours. 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