--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: CUSTOMER: I’d love to write a book…" description: "\"“CUSTOMER: I’d love to write a book. BOOKSELLER: Then you should write one. CUSTOMER: I really don’t have the time. BOOKSELLER: I’m sure you could make..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/jen-campbell-17791_books_customer-i-d-love-to-write-a-book-bookse_1736552.jpg" --- # CUSTOMER: I’d love to write a book. BOOKSELLER: Then you… ![“CUSTOMER: I’d love to write a book. BOOKSELLER: Then you should write one. CUSTOMER: I really don’t have the time. BOOKSELLER: I’m sure you could make time. CUSTOMER: No, you don’t get it; I really don’t have the time. I had my fortune read on Monday, and the fortune teller lady said that I’m…” quote by Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/jen-campbell-17791_books_customer-i-d-love-to-write-a-book-bookse_1736552.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/jen-campbell-17791_books_customer-i-d-love-to-write-a-book-bookse_1736552.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/jen-campbell-17791_books_customer-i-d-love-to-write-a-book-bookse_1736552.jpg) > ““CUSTOMER: I’d love to write a book. BOOKSELLER: Then you should write one. CUSTOMER: I really don’t have the time. BOOKSELLER: I’m sure you could make time. CUSTOMER: No, you don’t get it; I really don’t have the time. I had my fortune read on Monday, and the fortune teller lady said that I’m going to get knocked down by a bus next week. She said that it’ll probably kill me BOOKSELLER: ... Oh. Well, er, that doesn’t sound very nice. CUSTOMER: No, it doesn’t, does it? It’s really annoying, too, ’cause I’d booked a holiday for next month, and I was really looking forward to it.”” [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous dialogue highlighting procrastination, excuses, and the absurdity of rationalizing lack of time, underscoring the need for action. **In simple terms:** Excuses block progress; act despite obstacles. Key Takeaway Stop making excuses and start writing. Themes procrastination excuses motivation Mood light‑hearted ironic Type dialogue humor When to use this quote - writing a book - setting deadlines - overcoming fear - prioritizing goals Key Concepts time management self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What excuse are you using most often? - How can you create realistic time blocks for writing? A Different Perspective May ignore systemic barriers to time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fortune teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune-teller/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Do you have any old copies of Dickens? Bookseller: We've got a copy of David Copperfield from 1850 for $150. Customer: Why is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/do-you-have-any-old-copies-of-dickens-bookseller-we-ve-got-a-copy-of/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“Customer: I'm looking for a book for my son. He's six. Bookseller: How about this one - it's about- Customer: Yeah, whatever, I'll take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-i-m-looking-for-a-book-for-my-son-he-s-six-bookseller-how/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: You know that film, Coraline? BOOKSELLER: Yes, indeed. CUSTOMER: My daughter loves it. Are they going to make it into a book?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-you-know-that-film-coraline-bookseller-yes-indeed-customer/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: I don’t know why she wants it, but my wife asked for a copy of The Dinosaur Cookbook. BOOKSELLER: The Dinah Shore Cookbook?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-i-don-t-know-why-she-wants-it-but-my-wife-asked-for-a-copy/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER:"Will you be open so I can buy the new Harry Potter book? BOOKSELLER: Yep, we're having a midnight opening. CUSTOMER: Great! What time?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-will-you-be-open-so-i-can-buy-the-new-harry-potter-book/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“I also have to credit Bill Bilby, owner of Chelsea Books, with two other important lessons: first, his shop was always tidy and thoughtfully-organized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/i-also-have-to-credit-bill-bilby-owner-of-chelsea-books-with-two/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: Is your mother around ? BOOKSELLER: ... I run this bookshop. CUSTOMER: Oh. Sorry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-is-your-mother-around-bookseller-i-run-this-bookshop/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: Hi. BOOKSELLER: Hi there, how can I help? CUSTOMER: Could you please explain Kindle to me. BOOKSELLER: Sure. It’s an e-reader, which means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-hi-bookseller-hi-there-how-can-i-help-customer-could-you/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“Our taste for books came from Antonin, an old second-hand bookseller, an anarchist, whose shop was on Cours Julien. We'd cut classes to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-izzo/our-taste-for-books-came-from-antonin-an-old-second-hand-bookseller/) [Jean-Claude Izzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-izzo/) > [“I had decided to become a bookseller because I loved good books. I assumed there must be many others who shared a love for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-brent/i-had-decided-to-become-a-bookseller-because-i-loved-good-books-i/) Stuart Brent > [“The bookseller handed me the book and winked. "Have a good look at it, little dumpling. I don't want you coming back to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/the-bookseller-handed-me-the-book-and-winked-have-a-good-look-at-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Overall, I'd say I was an awesome bookseller, but probably not the best book shelver. I loved recommending books and helping people find books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/overall-i-d-say-i-was-an-awesome-bookseller-but-probably-not-the-best/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“It is impossible for a Parisian to resist the desire to flick through the old volumes laid out by a bookseller. \[ Il est…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-rard-de-nerval/it-is-impossible-for-a-parisian-to-resist-the-desire-to-flick-through/) [Gérard de Nerval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-rard-de-nerval/) > [“He acquired more and more books, books being an acknowledged extravagance he could seldom curb. (With one London bookseller he had placed a standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/he-acquired-more-and-more-books-books-being-an-acknowledged/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > ["Out of Print" is bookseller speak for "We can't be hedgehogged".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/out-of-print-is-bookseller-speak-for-we-can-t-be-hedgehogged/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Jen Campbell > [“CUSTOMER: Do you have this children's book I've heard about? It's supposed to be very good. It's called "Lionel Richie and the Wardrobe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-do-you-have-this-children-s-book-i-ve-heard-about-it-s/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: Hi. BOOKSELLER: Hi there, how can I help? CUSTOMER: Could you please explain Kindle to me. BOOKSELLER: Sure. It’s an e-reader, which means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-hi-bookseller-hi-there-how-can-i-help-customer-could-you/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“Customer: Where are your fictional novels?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-where-are-your-fictional-novels/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“Sometimes bookselling is the best job in the world, and sometimes it isn’t (as you’ll soon find out). However, one thing is for sure:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/sometimes-bookselling-is-the-best-job-in-the-world-and-sometimes-it/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: Is your mother around ? BOOKSELLER: ... I run this bookshop. CUSTOMER: Oh. Sorry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-is-your-mother-around-bookseller-i-run-this-bookshop/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“Bookshop Customer: 'Who wrote the bible?' Customer's friend: 'Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/bookshop-customer-who-wrote-the-bible-customer-s-friend-jesus/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: I’m looking for a biography to read that’s really interesting. Could you recommend one? BOOKSELLER: Sure. What books have you read and liked?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-i-m-looking-for-a-biography-to-read-that-s-really/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: OK, so you want this book? THEIR DAUGHTER: Yes! CUSTOMER: Peter Pan ? THEIR DAUGHTER: Yes, please. Because he can fly. CUSTOMER: Yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-ok-so-you-want-this-book-their-daughter-yes-customer-peter/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“There are many different types of beginnings. And who’s to say we haven’t imagined our lives up to this point? Who’s to say we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/there-are-many-different-types-of-beginnings-and-who-s-to-say-we/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: I read a book in the sixties. I don’t remember the author, or the title. But it was green, and it made me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-i-read-a-book-in-the-sixties-i-don-t-remember-the-author-or/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“It makes me sad that grown up books don’t have pictures in them. You’re brought up with them when you’re younger, and then suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/it-makes-me-sad-that-grown-up-books-don-t-have-pictures-in-them-you/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: I’d like to buy this audiobook. BOOKSELLER: Great. CUSTOMER: Only, I don’t really like this narrator. BOOKSELLER: Oh. CUSTOMER: Do you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-i-d-like-to-buy-this-audiobook-bookseller-great-customer/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: Oh, look, these books are all signed. (Pause) I wonder who signed them ?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-oh-look-these-books-are-all-signed-pause-i-wonder-who-signed/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“CUSTOMER: Which was the first Harry Potter book? BOOKSELLER: The Philosopher’s Stone. CUSTOMER: And the second? BOOKSELLER: The Chamber of Secrets. CUSTOMER: I’l take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/customer-which-was-the-first-harry-potter-book-bookseller-the/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“I also have to credit Bill Bilby, owner of Chelsea Books, with two other important lessons: first, his shop was always tidy and thoughtfully-organized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/i-also-have-to-credit-bill-bilby-owner-of-chelsea-books-with-two/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) [Explore all 36 Jen Campbell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“CUSTOMER: I’d love to write a book. BOOKSELLER: Then you should write one. CUSTOMER: I really don’t have the time. BOOKSELLER: I’m sure you could make time. CUSTOMER: No, you don’t get it; I really don’t have the time. I had my fortune read on Monday, and the fortune teller lady said that I’m going to get knocked down by a bus next week. She said that it’ll probably kill me BOOKSELLER: ... Oh. 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