--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether I'm writing scripts or prose, the…" description: "\"Whether I'm writing scripts or prose, the goal is identical. To give pleasure. Now whether I succeed or not is up for debate, and, mostly, I fail. But ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/440/jonathan-ames-7444_busy_whether-i-m-writing-scripts-or-prose-the_1497729.jpg" --- # Whether I'm writing scripts or prose, the goal is… ![“Whether I'm writing scripts or prose, the goal is identical. To give pleasure. Now whether I succeed or not is up for debate, and, mostly, I fail. But I try. I like to make things. It's a way to stay busy during one's ephemeral and confusing life.” quote by Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/440/jonathan-ames-7444_busy_whether-i-m-writing-scripts-or-prose-the_1497729.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/440/jonathan-ames-7444_busy_whether-i-m-writing-scripts-or-prose-the_1497729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/440/jonathan-ames-7444_busy_whether-i-m-writing-scripts-or-prose-the_1497729.jpg) > “Whether I'm writing scripts or prose, the goal is identical. To give pleasure. Now whether I succeed or not is up for debate, and, mostly, I fail. But I try. I like to make things. It's a way to stay busy during one's ephemeral and confusing life.” [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer aims to entertain, acknowledging frequent failure but persisting through creation as a means to stay occupied amid life's fleeting confusion. **In simple terms:** Writing aims to entertain despite failures. Key Takeaway Keep creating, regardless of outcome. Themes creativity purpose perseverance Mood thoughtful determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career shifts - personal journals - therapy sessions - educational curricula Key Concepts artistic expression self‑discovery Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to create when success is uncertain? - How does making art help you navigate confusion? A Different Perspective Creative work can feel futile without external validation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Confusing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusing/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasure Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure-succeed-1879889/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Prose Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose-goal-5483016/) [Scripts Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts-prose-5483018/) [Stay Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-busy/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Succeed Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed-debate-5483017/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [To enjoy anything, we cannot be attached to it. What we usually try to do is capture any joy that comes our way before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eknath-easwaran/to-enjoy-anything-we-cannot-be-attached-to-it-what-we-usually-try-to/) [Eknath Easwaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eknath-easwaran/) > [Pleasure must succeed to pleasure, else past pleasure turns to pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/pleasure-must-succeed-to-pleasure-else-past-pleasure-turns-to-pain/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [Solitude. It is way underrated in our world of writing. We stay busy. We act busy. We thrive on busy. The truth is there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-baker/solitude-it-is-way-underrated-in-our-world-of-writing-we-stay-busy-we/) [Bonnie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-baker/) > [Free time is my enemy. I recognized early on I'm not a guy who should have a lot of time to contemplate the mysteries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/free-time-is-my-enemy-i-recognized-early-on-i-m-not-a-guy-who-should/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I do not want to work to stay busy. I want to feel excited and challenged with each character that I portray on-screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirti-kulhari/i-do-not-want-to-work-to-stay-busy-i-want-to-feel-excited-and/) [Kirti Kulhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirti-kulhari/) > [I like to stay busy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-oliveira/i-like-to-stay-busy/) [Charles Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-oliveira/) > [If you stay busy accomplishing your goals in life, many people will be attracted to you. If you have no goals, few people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-you-stay-busy-accomplishing-your-goals-in-life-many-people-will-be/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I just always wanted to stay busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-wilson/i-just-always-wanted-to-stay-busy/) [Luke Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-wilson/) > [And yet the real success goes to those who obsess. The focus that leads you through the Dip to the other side is rewarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/and-yet-the-real-success-goes-to-those-who-obsess-the-focus-that/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [“I've learned that if I stay busy, especially by helping others, I don't think about my pain. In an odd way, my pain is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-piper/i-ve-learned-that-if-i-stay-busy-especially-by-helping-others-i-don-t/) [Don Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-piper/) > [I'm always looking for ways that I can work from home with my home studio and stay busy. This is a great way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel/i-m-always-looking-for-ways-that-i-can-work-from-home-with-my-home/) [Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel/) > [It's important that the kids stay busy. It's important that they have something to focus on, and something that they feel good about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chita-rivera/it-s-important-that-the-kids-stay-busy-it-s-important-that-they-have/) [Chita Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chita-rivera/) > [I love working. If somebody took away my jobs, I don't know what I would do. I'm just the kind of person who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-shepherd/i-love-working-if-somebody-took-away-my-jobs-i-don-t-know-what-i/) [Sherri Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherri-shepherd/) > [When you're on a roll, you want to stay busy - you want to keep that momentum going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-lawler/when-you-re-on-a-roll-you-want-to-stay-busy-you-want-to-keep-that/) [Robbie Lawler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-lawler/) > [I love to stay busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginuwine/i-love-to-stay-busy/) [Ginuwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginuwine/) ## More by Jonathan Ames > [“I do think everyone would be a lot happier if we laid eggs on our own and could just have friendship and didn't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-do-think-everyone-would-be-a-lot-happier-if-we-laid-eggs-on-our-own/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [“Try to think about more important things,' he said. 'Think about your soul, your character. Think about the freezer. It's a solid block of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/try-to-think-about-more-important-things-he-said-think-about-your/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [It's hard to leave New York: this is where my friends are, my parents are. It is so vital. The whole world seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/it-s-hard-to-leave-new-york-this-is-where-my-friends-are-my-parents/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [Unfortunately, I'm one of those idiots who knows everything about health and is in a constant state of alarm, and yet I continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/unfortunately-i-m-one-of-those-idiots-who-knows-everything-about/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [I don't know that I've gotten much feedback directly from the literary world; sometimes I doubt even the notion that there is a literary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-don-t-know-that-i-ve-gotten-much-feedback-directly-from-the/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [People don't expect too much from literature. They just want to know they're not alone with being confused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/people-don-t-expect-too-much-from-literature-they-just-want-to-know/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [I have very few hobbies. In fact, I have no hobbies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-have-very-few-hobbies-in-fact-i-have-no-hobbies/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [It was one of those days when every time I went to go out the door, something grabbed me in the back of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/it-was-one-of-those-days-when-every-time-i-went-to-go-out-the-door/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [I wish we had a dog in the show so that I could get to be a dog for a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-wish-we-had-a-dog-in-the-show-so-that-i-could-get-to-be-a-dog-for-a/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [There are so many talented young writers named Jonathan, with whom by comparison I suffer terribly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/there-are-so-many-talented-young-writers-named-jonathan-with-whom-by/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [“I know I experience great consolation when my mouth is between a woman’s legs. I think it must be because I’m drinking in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-know-i-experience-great-consolation-when-my-mouth-is-between-a/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [I might have some sort of personality disorder. I might not have proper filters; it might be some kind of version of Asperger's meets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-might-have-some-sort-of-personality-disorder-i-might-not-have/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [I didn't play or like a lot of board games as a child. I liked playing with my G.I. Joes and making up adventures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-didn-t-play-or-like-a-lot-of-board-games-as-a-child-i-liked-playing/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [How terrible to be alcoholic. You just want to quietly soothe and maybe poison yourself, but you end up poisoning those around you as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/how-terrible-to-be-alcoholic-you-just-want-to-quietly-soothe-and/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [I always liked those characters in 'True Blood' who could turn into animals. I'd love to be an animal of some kind and run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-always-liked-those-characters-in-true-blood-who-could-turn-into/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) [Explore all 91 Jonathan Ames quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) [Victoria Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-derbyshire/) > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) [The Shawshank Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-shawshank-redemption/) [Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whether I'm writing scripts or prose, the goal is identical. To give pleasure. Now whether I succeed or not is up for debate, and, mostly, I fail. But I try. I like to make things. 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