--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even if I could not earn a penny from my…" description: "\"Even if I could not earn a penny from my writing, I would earn my livelihood at something else and continue to write at night.\" — Irving Wallace" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f90/irving-wallace-49974_if-i-could_even-if-i-could-not-earn-a-penny-from-my_1725563.png" --- # Even if I could not earn a penny from my writing, I would… ![“Even if I could not earn a penny from my writing, I would earn my livelihood at something else and continue to write at night.” quote by Irving Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f90/irving-wallace-49974_if-i-could_even-if-i-could-not-earn-a-penny-from-my_1725563.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f90/irving-wallace-49974_if-i-could_even-if-i-could-not-earn-a-penny-from-my_1725563.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f90/irving-wallace-49974_if-i-could_even-if-i-could-not-earn-a-penny-from-my_1725563.png) > “Even if I could not earn a penny from my writing, I would earn my livelihood at something else and continue to write at night.” [Irving Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-wallace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative passion persists despite financial hardship; writing remains a calling beyond profit. **In simple terms:** Write even if you earn no money. Key Takeaway Pursue art for its own sake. Themes artistry perseverance financial independence passion dedication Mood reflective inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - Freelance writing - side hustles - nighttime projects - grant applications Key Concepts Intrinsic motivation creative economy work-life balance Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to create without pay? - How do you balance art and livelihood? A Different Perspective Financial strain may limit resources; sustainability concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Livelihood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/livelihood/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't work to earn my livelihood anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randhir-kapoor/i-don-t-work-to-earn-my-livelihood-anymore/) [Randhir Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randhir-kapoor/) > [People often become scholars for the same reason they become soldiers: simply because they are unfit for any other station. Their right hand has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/people-often-become-scholars-for-the-same-reason-they-become-soldiers/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [How good it is to work in the invigorating fresh air under the life-giving sun amid the inspiring beauty of nature. There are many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/how-good-it-is-to-work-in-the-invigorating-fresh-air-under-the-life/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [If you marry for money you will earn every penny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-mcgraw/if-you-marry-for-money-you-will-earn-every-penny/) [Phil McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-mcgraw/) > [When we manage a restaurant, we start making money from the first day. When we own a place, it's often five years before we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-boulud/when-we-manage-a-restaurant-we-start-making-money-from-the-first-day/) [Daniel Boulud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-boulud/) > [I usually don't write at night, but there are times where I wake up at 3 in the morning and write all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searles/i-usually-don-t-write-at-night-but-there-are-times-where-i-wake-up-at/) [John Searles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searles/) > [Being an insomniac only slows me down. I try not to write at night, as I'm concerned that this will affect the quality. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-perlman/being-an-insomniac-only-slows-me-down-i-try-not-to-write-at-night-as/) [Elliot Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-perlman/) > [She could only write with him at night and she was wasting her days just sitting around. So he thought I could write with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-weil/she-could-only-write-with-him-at-night-and-she-was-wasting-her-days/) [Cynthia Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-weil/) > [I took time in the day to write as much of the book as I possibly could. I didn't write too much at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-magary/i-took-time-in-the-day-to-write-as-much-of-the-book-as-i-possibly/) [Drew Magary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-magary/) > [I mean, when I was young I could write all through the night and I loved to work late into the night. Now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-mean-when-i-was-young-i-could-write-all-through-the-night-and-i/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I write every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-davis/i-write-every-night/) [Jonathan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-davis/) > [TEACHER:this isn't some paper you can just write the night before ME:you underestimate my power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/teacher-this-isn-t-some-paper-you-can-just-write-the-night-before-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It took me ten years to write The Night Journal, so that was a big ordeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/it-took-me-ten-years-to-write-the-night-journal-so-that-was-a-big/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [My page was too white My ink was too thin The day wouldn't write What the night pencilled in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-page-was-too-white-my-ink-was-too-thin-the-day-wouldn-t-write-what/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Get yourself a notebook and write in it EVERY night for two weeks. Then stop if you can. If you can't, you're a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ghigna/get-yourself-a-notebook-and-write-in-it-every-night-for-two-weeks/) [Charles Ghigna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ghigna/) ## More by Irving Wallace > [“If you talk about it, you probably won't write it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-wallace/if-you-talk-about-it-you-probably-won-t-write-it/) [Irving Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-wallace/) > [To be one's self, and unafraid whether right or wrong, is more admirable than the easy cowardice of surrender to conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-wallace/to-be-one-s-self-and-unafraid-whether-right-or-wrong-is-more/) [Irving Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-wallace/) > [To be ones self and unafraid whether right or wrong is more admirable than the easy cowardice of surrender to conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-wallace/to-be-ones-self-and-unafraid-whether-right-or-wrong-is-more-admirable/) [Irving Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-wallace/) > [Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of excitement and adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-wallace/every-man-can-transform-the-world-from-one-of-monotony-and-drabness/) [Irving Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-wallace/) [Explore all 5 Irving Wallace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-wallace/) ## More If i could quotes > [If I could find the right kind of property, get tied in with the right movie, I'd love to be involved, but I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/if-i-could-find-the-right-kind-of-property-get-tied-in-with-the-right/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [If I could ever be on a Missy Elliott record, I could then die. 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