--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a writer, you don't know what the hell…" description: "\"As a writer, you don't know what the hell you're doing. You're just doing it. You hope it works out well.\" — John Edgar Wideman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/john-edgar-wideman-7347_doing_as-a-writer-you-don-t-know-what-the-hell_2693250.jpg" --- # As a writer, you don't know what the hell you're doing… ![“As a writer, you don't know what the hell you're doing. You're just doing it. You hope it works out well.” quote by John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/john-edgar-wideman-7347_doing_as-a-writer-you-don-t-know-what-the-hell_2693250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/john-edgar-wideman-7347_doing_as-a-writer-you-don-t-know-what-the-hell_2693250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/john-edgar-wideman-7347_doing_as-a-writer-you-don-t-know-what-the-hell_2693250.jpg) > “As a writer, you don't know what the hell you're doing. You're just doing it. You hope it works out well.” [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing often feels uncertain; progress comes from continual action despite doubt. **In simple terms:** Writing is messy but moving forward helps. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty, keep writing. Themes creativity uncertainty process Mood reflective determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - starting a novel - daily writing practice - overcoming perfectionism Key Concepts Writer's block self‑doubt Questions to Reflect On - How do you act when unsure? - What small step can you take now? A Different Perspective Uncertainty can stall momentum if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Doing Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-hope-730473/) [Doing Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-just/) [Doing you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-you/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Just Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-doing/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-don-667020/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [We must become just be doing just acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/we-must-become-just-be-doing-just-acts/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [If the cost of figuring out whether to do something is more than just doing it, then just do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joichi-ito/if-the-cost-of-figuring-out-whether-to-do-something-is-more-than-just/) [Joichi Ito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joichi-ito/) > [Just keep doing 'you', and being who you are and doing what feels natural to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/just-keep-doing-you-and-being-who-you-are-and-doing-what-feels/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [“how often do we forget that there is hope as well, and that we seldom think about hope? We are ready to despair too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/how-often-do-we-forget-that-there-is-hope-as-well-and-that-we-seldom/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [As a young actor, people were trying to define who I was before I really knew that for myself. But I still remember thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/as-a-young-actor-people-were-trying-to-define-who-i-was-before-i/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [“It's always something, to know you've done the most you could. But, don't leave off hoping, or it's of no use doing anything. Hope,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-s-always-something-to-know-you-ve-done-the-most-you-could-but-don/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“We are ready to despair too soon, we are ready to say, ‘What’s the good of doing anything?’ Hope is the virtue we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/we-are-ready-to-despair-too-soon-we-are-ready-to-say-what-s-the-good/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Hope to the last!" said Newman, clapping him on the back. "Always hope; that's dear boy. Never leave off hoping; it don't answer. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/hope-to-the-last-said-newman-clapping-him-on-the-back-always-hope/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I'm not a born writer, and I don't enjoy writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/i-m-not-a-born-writer-and-i-don-t-enjoy-writing/) [Alistair Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/) > [I'm not a writer, and I don't want there to be any mistake about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-m-not-a-writer-and-i-don-t-want-there-to-be-any-mistake-about-that/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [If I wasn't a writer, I don't know what I'd be. Probably a marine biologist or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/if-i-wasn-t-a-writer-i-don-t-know-what-i-d-be-probably-a-marine/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [I just don't see myself as a travel writer. I can't. I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-davidson/i-just-don-t-see-myself-as-a-travel-writer-i-can-t-i-don-t/) [Robyn Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-davidson/) > [I'm a writer. I don't cook and I don't clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-west/i-m-a-writer-i-don-t-cook-and-i-don-t-clean/) [Dorothy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-west/) > [If you're a good writer, you don't have everybody shouting in every scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/if-you-re-a-good-writer-you-don-t-have-everybody-shouting-in-every/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [There's many things that I am. And all of those things come together at some point. If somebody wants to limit me, you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/there-s-many-things-that-i-am-and-all-of-those-things-come-together/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) ## More by John Edgar Wideman > [My mother loved my father. From my view, she let him get away with too much. It broke my heart to see him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-mother-loved-my-father-from-my-view-she-let-him-get-away-with-too/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [Too much is made for us; too much is given to us - even those of us who are underprivileged. The poverty is given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/too-much-is-made-for-us-too-much-is-given-to-us-even-those-of-us-who/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [A great artist transforms our world, removes scales from our eyes, plugs from our ears, gloves from our fingertips, teaches us to perceive reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/a-great-artist-transforms-our-world-removes-scales-from-our-eyes/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [That's what writing is: it's imagining that you can make a world. That's what basketball is, too: it's imagining the game as a world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/that-s-what-writing-is-it-s-imagining-that-you-can-make-a-world-that/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [I'm very hard-nosed and cold-blooded and I can walk past a drowning man. If I have someplace else to go, well, tough s\*\*t. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/i-m-very-hard-nosed-and-cold-blooded-and-i-can-walk-past-a-drowning/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [I get off on anticipating and waiting much more than I get off on the actual event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/i-get-off-on-anticipating-and-waiting-much-more-than-i-get-off-on-the/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [You have to be a minor superhero just to get to be a dignified man, and that's kind of exacerbated for men of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/you-have-to-be-a-minor-superhero-just-to-get-to-be-a-dignified-man/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [Stories are told over time, and so they naturally accrue meanings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/stories-are-told-over-time-and-so-they-naturally-accrue-meanings/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [That's been my routine for years and years... Up early before everybody else, before I get connected, before I get bugged, before I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/that-s-been-my-routine-for-years-and-years-up-early-before-everybody/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [My father was intelligent and closed-mouthed. He knew a lot more than what he was ever going to tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-father-was-intelligent-and-closed-mouthed-he-knew-a-lot-more-than/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [What I wanted to do in talking about basketball in 'Hoop Roots' was retrieve the game as something to participate in, not to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/what-i-wanted-to-do-in-talking-about-basketball-in-hoop-roots-was/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [Books are an attempt to control something that's uncontrollable. That's one of the beauties of African American life. There was this thing called slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/books-are-an-attempt-to-control-something-that-s-uncontrollable-that/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [That's one of the beauties, I think, of African American life. There was this thing called slavery and adjustments were made. It literally destroyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/that-s-one-of-the-beauties-i-think-of-african-american-life-there-was/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [Things seem to fall apart inevitably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/things-seem-to-fall-apart-inevitably/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [My aunt Geraldine was the unofficial historian and storyteller. She had all the information about family members and the gossip that came out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-aunt-geraldine-was-the-unofficial-historian-and-storyteller-she/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) [Explore all 92 John Edgar Wideman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) ## More Doing quotes > [I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm damn well gonna do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-but-i-m-damn-well-gonna-do-it/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [If I'm not thinking about you then I am texting you , if I am not texting you then I am on the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-m-not-thinking-about-you-then-i-am-texting-you-if-i-am-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [.\*. why u hate me..Bitches be doing the most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty/why-u-hate-me-bitches-be-doing-the-most/) [Kitty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [I really can't live without my In-N-Out burgers. Honestly, I can't. Even when I'm doing the whole no-carb thing occasionally, I make an exception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-really-can-t-live-without-my-in-n-out-burgers-honestly-i-can-t-even/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [You can't drain the swamp, as President Trump has touted doing, without getting rid of Mitch McConnell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/you-can-t-drain-the-swamp-as-president-trump-has-touted-doing-without/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) [Browse all 10,133 Doing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a writer, you don't know what the hell you're doing. You're just doing it. 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