--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a writer tries to explain too much…" description: "\"When a writer tries to explain too much, he's out of time before he begins.\" — Isaac Bashevis Singer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_time_when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much_2052835.jpg" --- # When a writer tries to explain too much, he's out of time… ![“When a writer tries to explain too much, he's out of time before he begins.” quote by Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_time_when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much_2052835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_time_when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much_2052835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_time_when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much_2052835.jpg) > “When a writer tries to explain too much, he's out of time before he begins.” [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Over-explaining wastes time, preventing the work from starting effectively **In simple terms:** Too much explanation stops progress Key Takeaway Keep explanations concise to begin work Themes writing efficiency focus Mood reflective analytical Type advice observational When to use this quote - authoring - presentations - teaching - project planning Key Concepts communication brevity Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance clarity with brevity? - When is detail essential? A Different Perspective Complex ideas may need depth, risking oversimplification ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“(It starts with) One thing, I don’t know why It doesn’t even matter how hard you try Keep that in mind, I designed this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linkin-park/it-starts-with-one-thing-i-don-t-know-why-it-doesn-t-even-matter-how/) [Linkin Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linkin-park/) > [“Actually it's this easy to explain: When your time's up...poof...your time is up!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/actually-it-s-this-easy-to-explain-when-your-time-s-up-poof-your-time/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [It is futile to try to explain time in a place where time does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasey-clark/it-is-futile-to-try-to-explain-time-in-a-place-where-time-does-not/) Kasey Clark > [Carl Sagan always used to say that when he was trying to explain something to someone, he would go back to that time when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/carl-sagan-always-used-to-say-that-when-he-was-trying-to-explain/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [“It's all a waste of time. Everything begins only to end. The moment you were born you began to die. That's how it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janne-teller/it-s-all-a-waste-of-time-everything-begins-only-to-end-the-moment-you/) [Janne Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janne-teller/) > [“Great time begins when you have discovered the reason why .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osunsakin-adewale/great-time-begins-when-you-have-discovered-the-reason-why/) [Osunsakin Adewale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osunsakin-adewale/) > [“...time begins when we awaken and ends when we fall asleep...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/time-begins-when-we-awaken-and-ends-when-we-fall-asleep/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [Happily ever after doesn't begin with Once upon a time: it begins with Now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/happily-ever-after-doesn-t-begin-with-once-upon-a-time-it-begins-with/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [“We read, we learn, we experience, we make adjustments. Then one day we reach the point where all the necessary distances have been set,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ove-knausgard/we-read-we-learn-we-experience-we-make-adjustments-then-one-day-we/) [Karl Ove Knausgård](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ove-knausgard/) > [“In utter loneliness a writer tries to explain the inexplicable... The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/in-utter-loneliness-a-writer-tries-to-explain-the-inexplicable-the/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [When an older writer tries to tell a younger writer through a review what kind of career she should be pursuing, it tends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-weiner/when-an-older-writer-tries-to-tell-a-younger-writer-through-a-review/) [Jennifer Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-weiner/) > [When one writer tries to silence another, he silences every writer-and in the end he also silences himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leavitt/when-one-writer-tries-to-silence-another-he-silences-every-writer-and/) [David Leavitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leavitt/) > [When a writer tries to copy another writer, it's doomed to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hannah/when-a-writer-tries-to-copy-another-writer-it-s-doomed-to-fail/) [Sophie Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hannah/) > [There is a terrible, mean American resentment toward a writer who tries to do many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/there-is-a-terrible-mean-american-resentment-toward-a-writer-who/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [In utter loneliness a writer tries to explain the inexplicable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/in-utter-loneliness-a-writer-tries-to-explain-the-inexplicable/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More by Isaac Bashevis Singer > [Every body resisted (the slaughterer) in its own fashion, tried to escape and seemed to argue with the Creator to its last breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/every-body-resisted-the-slaughterer-in-its-own-fashion-tried-to/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/people-often-say-that-humans-have-always-eaten-animals-as-if-this-is/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/as-long-as-people-will-shed-the-blood-of-innocent-creatures-there-can/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [There must be a way for man to attain all possible pleasures, all the powers and knowledge that nature can grant him, and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/there-must-be-a-way-for-man-to-attain-all-possible-pleasures-all-the/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [What nature creates has eternity in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/what-nature-creates-has-eternity-in-it/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [“The rabbi thought he saw an expression of perplexity in the golem's eyes. It seemed to the rabbi that his eyes were asking, Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-rabbi-thought-he-saw-an-expression-of-perplexity-in-the-golem-s/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [“If you hear I'm dead, don't come to my funeral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/if-you-hear-i-m-dead-don-t-come-to-my-funeral/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [If you keep saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/if-you-keep-saying-things-are-going-to-be-bad-you-have-a-good-chance/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Men want all women to lie down as whores and get up as virgins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/men-want-all-women-to-lie-down-as-whores-and-get-up-as-virgins/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise... Because this is how life is full of surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/a-story-to-me-means-a-plot-where-there-is-some-surprise-because-this/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Night is a time of rigor, but also of mercy. There are truths which one can see only when it’s dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/night-is-a-time-of-rigor-but-also-of-mercy-there-are-truths-which-one/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [No doubt the world is entirely an imaginary world, but it is only once removed from the true world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/no-doubt-the-world-is-entirely-an-imaginary-world-but-it-is-only-once/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [It is a general rule that when the grain of truth cannot be found, men will swallow great helpings of falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/it-is-a-general-rule-that-when-the-grain-of-truth-cannot-be-found-men/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [As often as Herman had witnessed the slaughter of animals and fish, he always had the same thought: in their behaviour towards creatures, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/as-often-as-herman-had-witnessed-the-slaughter-of-animals-and-fish-he/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Sometimes love is stronger than a man's convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/sometimes-love-is-stronger-than-a-man-s-convictions/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) [Explore all 169 Isaac Bashevis Singer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) ## More Explain quotes > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [If you have a good idea you must explain it or you will fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-have-a-good-idea-you-must-explain-it-or-you-will-fail/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [How do you explain a person like Asha Bhosle? A star or a super star or just someone from the Gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/how-do-you-explain-a-person-like-asha-bhosle-a-star-or-a-super-star/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [If you win you need not explain……But if you lose you should not be there to explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-win-you-need-not-explain-but-if-you-lose-you-should-not-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm afraid I can't explain myself, sir. Because I am not myself, you see?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-m-afraid-i-can-t-explain-myself-sir-because-i-am-not-myself-you-see/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [There is an indefinable quality possessed by some artists. You simply can't explain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-ellen/there-is-an-indefinable-quality-possessed-by-some-artists-you-simply/) [Vera-Ellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-ellen/) > [To be in a room and have to explain your point of view is a huge skill in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-savage/to-be-in-a-room-and-have-to-explain-your-point-of-view-is-a-huge/) [Stephanie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-savage/) > [“I am not sure how to explain it, except that - truth matters to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-am-not-sure-how-to-explain-it-except-that-truth-matters-to-us/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [When I'm creating art or music, when something is resonating or a scene is going well, that almost feels religious to me... there's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-thatcher/when-i-m-creating-art-or-music-when-something-is-resonating-or-a/) [Sophie Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-thatcher/) > [In a Western, you don't over-explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dean-morgan/in-a-western-you-don-t-over-explain/) [Jeffrey Dean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dean-morgan/) > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [I explain at the parties that I believe knitting is a transformative and intriguing act that can change the life and brain of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/i-explain-at-the-parties-that-i-believe-knitting-is-a-transformative/) [Stephanie Pearl-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/) > [Old cookbooks connect you to your past and explain the history of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/old-cookbooks-connect-you-to-your-past-and-explain-the-history-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no way to explain enlightenment. It is just a word to indicate something beyond, something very, very far beyond the normal human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-is-no-way-to-explain-enlightenment-it-is-just-a-word-to/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) Browse all 989 Explain quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a writer tries to explain too much, he's out of time before he begins.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Isaac Bashevis Singer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much-he-s-out-of-time-before-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Explain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much-he-s-out-of-time-before-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_time_when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much_2052835.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_time_when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much_2052835.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_time_when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much_2052835.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a writer tries to explain too much, he's out of time before he begins.” — Isaac Bashevis Singer", "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": "Isaac Bashevis Singer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When a writer tries to explain...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much-he-s-out-of-time-before-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/when-a-writer-tries-to-explain-too-much-he-s-out-of-time-before-he/#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 } } ] } ```