---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that writers are best served by…"
description: "\"I think that writers are best served by sticking to their writing. Not having loads of theories about the best way to position the writing. I think tha..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/hilton-als-7671_best_i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by_810031.jpg"
---

#  I think that writers are best served by sticking to their…

![“I think that writers are best served by sticking to their writing. Not having loads of theories about the best way to position the writing. I think that if the writing is good and the point of view is strong, the writing is going to take care of itself.” quote by Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/hilton-als-7671_best_i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by_810031.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/hilton-als-7671_best_i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by_810031.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/hilton-als-7671_best_i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by_810031.jpg)

> “I think that writers are best served by sticking to their writing. Not having loads of theories about the best way to position the writing. I think that if the writing is good and the point of view is strong, the writing is going to take care of itself.”

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Writers should focus on crafting strong, authentic work rather than over‑theorizing; good writing naturally succeeds.

**In simple terms:** Write well, let it speak for itself.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize clarity and voice over theory.

Themes

writing authenticity craft theory voice

Mood

confident introspective encouraging

Type

practical inspirational

When to use this quote

- author workshops
- self‑publishing
- academic writing
- blogging
- scriptwriting

Key Concepts

literary criticism creative process self‑editing confidence communication

Questions to Reflect On

- What practical steps keep you writing despite doubts?
- How do you know when a piece is ready without external validation?

A Different Perspective

Too much focus on theory can paralyze creation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [High-profile columnists should remember they are in a privileged position. Writing isn't a dreadfully specific skill - it's taught to millions via our schooling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/high-profile-columnists-should-remember-they-are-in-a-privileged/)

[Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/)

> [Write regularly, whether you feel like writing or not, and whether you think what you're writing is any good or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/write-regularly-whether-you-feel-like-writing-or-not-and-whether-you/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [I try to make the writing as regular and regimented as possible. I usually get up at around 5 a.m. and read what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/i-try-to-make-the-writing-as-regular-and-regimented-as-possible-i/)

[Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/)

> [I love writing. Writing has been very good to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-love-writing-writing-has-been-very-good-to-me/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [It's weird - I don't feel like I'm a better or more confident writer because I'm publishing something. I think, for most writers as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-gavin/it-s-weird-i-don-t-feel-like-i-m-a-better-or-more-confident-writer/)

[James M. Gavin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-gavin/)

> [It's something that's difficult to explain but I think all writers work this way to some extent, whether we're aware of it or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-miller/it-s-something-that-s-difficult-to-explain-but-i-think-all-writers/)

[Mary J. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-miller/)

> [I think writers have become hypnotised by the number of jokes on the page at the expense of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-schwartz/i-think-writers-have-become-hypnotised-by-the-number-of-jokes-on-the/)

[Sherwood Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-schwartz/)

> [I think some writers should wait for something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orner/i-think-some-writers-should-wait-for-something-to-say/)

[Peter Orner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orner/)

> [I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-don-t-think-writers-compete-i-think-they-re-all-doing-separate/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [I think writers are the most narcissistic people. Well, I musn't say this, I like many of them, a great many of my friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-think-writers-are-the-most-narcissistic-people-well-i-musn-t-say/)

[Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/)

> [“You're lucky to have within your grasp something that everyone envies. You can't act as though that didn't exist, as though it wasn't part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delphine-de-vigan/you-re-lucky-to-have-within-your-grasp-something-that-everyone-envies/)

[Delphine de Vigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delphine-de-vigan/)

> [We aren't suggesting that mental instability or unhappiness makes one a better poet, or a poet at all; and contrary to the romantic notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorianne-laux/we-aren-t-suggesting-that-mental-instability-or-unhappiness-makes-one/)

[Dorianne Laux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorianne-laux/)

> [I don't think many writers like their best-known piece of work, particularly when it was written a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/i-don-t-think-many-writers-like-their-best-known-piece-of-work/)

[Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/)

> [I think writers tend to be experience junkies, and I think they also tend to want to be on the outside looking in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-think-writers-tend-to-be-experience-junkies-and-i-think-they-also/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [I think that if writers don't speak about real life, it's because they don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/i-think-that-if-writers-don-t-speak-about-real-life-it-s-because-they/)

[Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/)

## More by Hilton Als

> [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [I think someone like Khandi Alexander, who's now on 'Treme,' is one of the most extraordinary actresses I've seen in years. But she's dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-someone-like-khandi-alexander-who-s-now-on-treme-is-one-of/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [I have not seen 'The Lion King.' I don't do black folklore. And I'm black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-have-not-seen-the-lion-king-i-don-t-do-black-folklore-and-i-m-black/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [I think you're not really teaching anyone unless you're learning yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-you-re-not-really-teaching-anyone-unless-you-re-learning/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [I used to always love taking photos, but I would always give a camera away to someone else. Now I don't give the camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-used-to-always-love-taking-photos-but-i-would-always-give-a-camera/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [If I feel like I haven't really tapped into the essence of the story when I do an assignment, I may revisit it on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/if-i-feel-like-i-haven-t-really-tapped-into-the-essence-of-the-story/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [Inspiration takes many forms, but it's rarely pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/inspiration-takes-many-forms-but-it-s-rarely-pure/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [Great sadness can be off putting, hard to comprehend, especially if it hasn't been your experience. It's amazing for me to know now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/great-sadness-can-be-off-putting-hard-to-comprehend-especially-if-it/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [I think that Tyler Perry's genius really has been to tap into the domestic market. He knows what his audience is based on, having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-that-tyler-perry-s-genius-really-has-been-to-tap-into-the/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [I love Andre Leon Talley as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-love-andre-leon-talley-as-a-person/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [I thought of the structure as musical. The first piece, for instance, contains the names/subject matter of every person to come in the book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-thought-of-the-structure-as-musical-the-first-piece-for-instance/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [People have a copyright on their own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-have-a-copyright-on-their-own-life/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [People are quick to make monuments of anything they live long enough to control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-are-quick-to-make-monuments-of-anything-they-live-long-enough/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting out the living and breathing and 'different' world all around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-categorize-shutting-out-the/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [I was so well loved by my mother that if people have any expectations of me I really don't notice because I'm hardest on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-was-so-well-loved-by-my-mother-that-if-people-have-any-expectations/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

[Explore all 88 Hilton Als quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

## More Best quotes

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/)

[Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/)

> [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/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

Gene Scott

> [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/)

[Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/)

> [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/)

[Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/)

> [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

Browse all 21,674 Best quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think that writers are best served by sticking to their writing. Not having loads of theories about the best way to position the writing. I think that if the writing is good and the point of view is strong, the writing is going to take care of itself.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hilton Als"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by-sticking-to-their-writing-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by-sticking-to-their-writing-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/hilton-als-7671_best_i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by_810031.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/hilton-als-7671_best_i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by_810031.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/hilton-als-7671_best_i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by_810031.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think that writers are best served by sticking to their writing. Not having loads of theories about the…” — Hilton Als",
                "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": "Hilton Als",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think that writers are best...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by-sticking-to-their-writing-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-that-writers-are-best-served-by-sticking-to-their-writing-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
