--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since I stopped writing, I read more than…" description: "\"Since I stopped writing, I read more than ever. Other people's words, not my own - my words are gone.\" — Jennifer Niven" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/jennifer-niven-2493_books_since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than_236303.jpg" --- # Since I stopped writing, I read more than ever. Other… ![“Since I stopped writing, I read more than ever. Other people's words, not my own - my words are gone.” quote by Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/jennifer-niven-2493_books_since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than_236303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/jennifer-niven-2493_books_since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than_236303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/jennifer-niven-2493_books_since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than_236303.jpg) > “Since I stopped writing, I read more than ever. Other people's words, not my own - my words are gone.” [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ceasing to write led the author to consume more others' words, feeling her own voice has vanished. **In simple terms:** Stopping writing made me lose my own voice. Key Takeaway Write regularly to keep your voice alive. Themes creativity self-expression learning Mood reflective melancholic Type self‑help literary When to use this quote - writing practice - reading habits - creative blocks Key Concepts authorial identity literary consumption voice loss Questions to Reflect On - What does writing give you that reading does not? - How can you balance reading and writing? A Different Perspective Reading alone cannot replace personal creation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“The poet Li Qing-jao knew the pain of regretting words that have already fallen from our lips and can never be called back. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-poet-li-qing-jao-knew-the-pain-of-regretting-words-that-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is the way he is when his words are gone and all there is is that one txt and that ... it tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/this-is-the-way-he-is-when-his-words-are-gone-and-all-there-is-is/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [The words are all gone, the time's been too long but it's not too late to say I'm sorry to a friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-mccain/the-words-are-all-gone-the-time-s-been-too-long-but-it-s-not-too-late/) [Edwin McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-mccain/) > [I have written a song that says: If you ever lose someone dear to you, never say the words, "They're gone," and they'll come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/i-have-written-a-song-that-says-if-you-ever-lose-someone-dear-to-you/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [“As far as I can see there is no conquering or exorcising the past with words - words born either of imagination or forthrightness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/as-far-as-i-can-see-there-is-no-conquering-or-exorcising-the-past/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“not just words, but words that carry the force of the state.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-p-trachtman/not-just-words-but-words-that-carry-the-force-of-the-state/) [Joel P. Trachtman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-p-trachtman/) > [It's funny because I've made a living off of words, but words get in the way of what you really want to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/it-s-funny-because-i-ve-made-a-living-off-of-words-but-words-get-in/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [I find my voice and manage to say those three one-syllable words back to him. Words I haven't uttered in a very, very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-find-my-voice-and-manage-to-say-those-three-one-syllable-words-back/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [If I stopped writing and being at my piano, I wouldn't know how to live. It's your best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-colter/if-i-stopped-writing-and-being-at-my-piano-i-wouldn-t-know-how-to/) [Jessi Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-colter/) > [“I stopped writing the book that I wanted to write, and wrote the one the book wanted to write.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lewis/i-stopped-writing-the-book-that-i-wanted-to-write-and-wrote-the-one/) Jim Lewis > [I stopped writing at the age of 18. I had written incessantly before that. I read, of course, because I was in university, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-stopped-writing-at-the-age-of-18-i-had-written-incessantly-before/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [“I'd been writing for as long as I could remember, but once I read Otherworld, I'd stopped writing original stories to focus on fan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-van-diepen/i-d-been-writing-for-as-long-as-i-could-remember-but-once-i-read/) [Allison van Diepen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-van-diepen/) > [I stopped writing fiction the moment I started writing songs, and I miss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-shears/i-stopped-writing-fiction-the-moment-i-started-writing-songs-and-i/) [Jake Shears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-shears/) > [I got so discouraged, I almost stopped writing. It was my 12-year-old son who changed my mind when he said to me, "Mother, you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/i-got-so-discouraged-i-almost-stopped-writing-it-was-my-12-year-old/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [People should be stopped from writing poetry. There's far too much of it. And if they're any good, they'll go ahead anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/people-should-be-stopped-from-writing-poetry-there-s-far-too-much-of/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) ## More by Jennifer Niven > [The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it-s-the/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“I am disappearing, maybe I'm already gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/i-am-disappearing-maybe-i-m-already-gone/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Sometimes, Ultraviolet, things feel true to us even if they’re not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/sometimes-ultraviolet-things-feel-true-to-us-even-if-they-re-not/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Stars on the sky, stars on the ground. It's hard to tell where the sky ends and the earth begins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/stars-on-the-sky-stars-on-the-ground-it-s-hard-to-tell-where-the-sky/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Who cares for Algebra? Who delights in solving math? I only want to live my life Along the creative path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/who-cares-for-algebra-who-delights-in-solving-math-i-only-want-to/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [Sorry wastes time. You have to live your life like you'll never be sorry. It's easier just to do the right thing from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/sorry-wastes-time-you-have-to-live-your-life-like-you-ll-never-be/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“I expect some fast reply, something flirty and flip, but instead he doesn't look up, just reaches for my hand and keeps reading. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/i-expect-some-fast-reply-something-flirty-and-flip-but-instead-he/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“You shouldn't spend all your time worrying about the love that leaves, because then you might overlook the love that was always there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/you-shouldn-t-spend-all-your-time-worrying-about-the-love-that-leaves/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“There's more to you than meets the eye”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/there-s-more-to-you-than-meets-the-eye/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Maybe it isn't the room that's different. Maybe it's me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/maybe-it-isn-t-the-room-that-s-different-maybe-it-s-me/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“You’re probably better at math than I am, because pretty much everyone’s better at math than I am, but it’s okay, I’m fine with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/you-re-probably-better-at-math-than-i-am-because-pretty-much-everyone/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“lovely is a lovey word that should be used more often”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/lovely-is-a-lovey-word-that-should-be-used-more-often/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“It's my experience that people are a lot more sympathetic if they can see you hurting, and for the millionth time in my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/it-s-my-experience-that-people-are-a-lot-more-sympathetic-if-they-can/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Be careful with that heart of yours”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/be-careful-with-that-heart-of-yours/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“We tread water, looking at each other, and suddenly there’s not enough water in the world to clean away my dirty thoughts. She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/we-tread-water-looking-at-each-other-and-suddenly-there-s-not-enough/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) [Explore all 162 Jennifer Niven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) ## 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": "Since I stopped writing, I read more than ever. Other people's words, not my own - my words are gone.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jennifer Niven" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than-ever-other-people-s-words/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than-ever-other-people-s-words/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/jennifer-niven-2493_books_since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than_236303.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/jennifer-niven-2493_books_since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than_236303.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/jennifer-niven-2493_books_since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than_236303.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since I stopped writing, I read more than ever. Other people's words, not my own - my words are gone.” — Jennifer Niven", "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": "Jennifer Niven", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since I stopped writing, I read...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than-ever-other-people-s-words/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than-ever-other-people-s-words/#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 } } ] } ```