--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You wrote down that you were a writer by…" description: "\"“You wrote down that you were a writer by profession. It sounded to me like the loveliest euphemism I had ever heard. When was writing ever your profes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/j-d-salinger-560_ask-yourself_you-wrote-down-that-you-were-a-writer-by_1868424.png" --- # You wrote down that you were a writer by profession. It… ![“You wrote down that you were a writer by profession. It sounded to me like the loveliest euphemism I had ever heard. When was writing ever your profession? It's never been anything but your religion. Never. I'm a little over-excited now. Since it is your religion, do you know what you will be…” quote by J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/j-d-salinger-560_ask-yourself_you-wrote-down-that-you-were-a-writer-by_1868424.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/j-d-salinger-560_ask-yourself_you-wrote-down-that-you-were-a-writer-by_1868424.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/j-d-salinger-560_ask-yourself_you-wrote-down-that-you-were-a-writer-by_1868424.png) > ““You wrote down that you were a writer by profession. It sounded to me like the loveliest euphemism I had ever heard. When was writing ever your profession? It's never been anything but your religion. Never. I'm a little over-excited now. Since it is your religion, do you know what you will be asked when you die? But let me tell you first what you won't be asked. You won't be asked if you were working on a wonderful moving piece of writing when you died. You won't be asked if it was long or short, sad or funny, published or unpublished. You won't be asked if you were in good or bad form while you were working on it. You won't even be asked if it was the one piece of writing you would have been working on if you had known your time would be up when it was finished--I think only poor Soren K. will get asked that. I'm so sure you'll get asked only two questions.' Were most of your stars out? Were you busy writing your heart out? If only you knew how easy it would be for you to say yes to both questions. If only you'd remember before ever you sit down to write that you've been a reader long before you were ever a writer. You simply fix that fact in your mind, then sit very still and ask yourself, as a reader, what piece of writing in all the world Buddy Glass would most want to read if he had his heart's choice. The next step is terrible, but so simple I can hardly believe it as I write it. You just sit down shamelessly and write the thing yourself. I won't even underline that. It's too important to be underlined. Oh, dare to do it, Buddy ! Trust your heart. You're a deserving craftsman. It would never betray you.”” [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage urges writers to view writing as a spiritual calling rather than a job, and to write from a reader’s perspective, trusting one’s heart. **In simple terms:** Writing is a religion; write from the heart as a reader. Key Takeaway Write authentically, guided by your inner reader. Themes creativity purpose authenticity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal writing - creative block - artistic confidence - overcoming self‑doubt Key Concepts spirituality self‑trust reader‑centric Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor your inner reader before you write? - What fears stop you from trusting your heart? A Different Perspective It may be hard to silence inner critic and accept vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-yourself/) [Next step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-step/) [Soren Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soren-asked-2562331/) [Trust your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-your-heart/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-died-2562330/) [Writing Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-heart-503838/) [Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote/) [Wrote Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-writer-390677/) ## Related quotes > [“Do you know what I was smiling at? You wrote down that you were a writer by profession. It sounded to me like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/do-you-know-what-i-was-smiling-at-you-wrote-down-that-you-were-a/) [J. 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Salinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) ## More Ask yourself quotes > [“If you want to stop smoking, ask yourself, do you do it because you love nicotine, or because it provides a burst of stimulation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/if-you-want-to-stop-smoking-ask-yourself-do-you-do-it-because-you/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-ve-written-about-persistence-and-perseverance-and-yet-for-those-of/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [When you experience difficulty at work or in your life, instead of looking back on it as something that was really challenging, look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-ghosn/when-you-experience-difficulty-at-work-or-in-your-life-instead-of/) [Caroline Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-ghosn/) > [“ask yourself how many people you have met who grumbled at a thing as incurable, and how many who attacked it as curable? 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I'm a little over-excited now. Since it is your religion, do you know what you will be asked when you die? But let me tell you first what you won't be asked. You won't be asked if you were working on a wonderful moving piece of writing when you died. You won't be asked if it was long or short, sad or funny, published or unpublished. You won't be asked if you were in good or bad form while you were working on it. You won't even be asked if it was the one piece of writing you would have been working on if you had known your time would be up when it was finished--I think only poor Soren K. will get asked that. I'm so sure you'll get asked only two questions.' Were most of your stars out? Were you busy writing your heart out? If only you knew how easy it would be for you to say yes to both questions. If only you'd remember before ever you sit down to write that you've been a reader long before you were ever a writer. You simply fix that fact in your mind, then sit very still and ask yourself, as a reader, what piece of writing in all the world Buddy Glass would most want to read if he had his heart's choice. The next step is terrible, but so simple I can hardly believe it as I write it. You just sit down shamelessly and write the thing yourself. I won't even underline that. It's too important to be underlined. Oh, dare to do it, Buddy ! Trust your heart. You're a deserving craftsman. It would never betray you.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.D. 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