--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, writing is a job. I do not…" description: "\"For me, writing is a job. I do not separate the work from the act of writing like two things that have nothing to do with each other. I arrange words o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/jos-saramago-208_act_for-me-writing-is-a-job-i-do-not-separat_2346006.png" --- # For me, writing is a job. I do not separate the work from… ![“For me, writing is a job. I do not separate the work from the act of writing like two things that have nothing to do with each other. I arrange words one after another, or one in front of another, to tell a story, to say something that I consider important or useful, or at least important or…” quote by Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/jos-saramago-208_act_for-me-writing-is-a-job-i-do-not-separat_2346006.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/jos-saramago-208_act_for-me-writing-is-a-job-i-do-not-separat_2346006.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/jos-saramago-208_act_for-me-writing-is-a-job-i-do-not-separat_2346006.png) > “For me, writing is a job. I do not separate the work from the act of writing like two things that have nothing to do with each other. I arrange words one after another, or one in front of another, to tell a story, to say something that I consider important or useful, or at least important or useful to me.” [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing is both profession and personal expression, inseparable in purpose and process. **In simple terms:** Writing is work and personal expression. Key Takeaway Treat writing as a unified craft. Themes creativity work expression Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - novel writing - journalism - personal essays - teaching writing Key Concepts literature authorial identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep personal voice in paid work? - When does work become a distraction from meaning? A Different Perspective Balancing commercial demands with artistic integrity can be hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [For me, writing is a job. I do not separate the work from the act of writing like two things that have nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/for-me-writing-is-a-job-i-do-not-separate-the-work-from-the-act-of-2/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Writing is not a job or activity. Nor do I sit at a desk writing for inspiration to strike. Writing is like a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marsden/writing-is-not-a-job-or-activity-nor-do-i-sit-at-a-desk-writing-for/) [John Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marsden/) > [“It is easy to arrange the words in a story born out of a dream; for a story without a dream, a story itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/it-is-easy-to-arrange-the-words-in-a-story-born-out-of-a-dream-for-a/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [I think one of the blessings that I've had in watching, you know, films be made now from four of my books is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/i-think-one-of-the-blessings-that-i-ve-had-in-watching-you-know-films/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [the artist is not separate from the work and therefore cannot judge it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/the-artist-is-not-separate-from-the-work-and-therefore-cannot-judge-it/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [My work as an artist is completely separate from my work as a philanthropist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/my-work-as-an-artist-is-completely-separate-from-my-work-as-a/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [“Advantages of the Double Life Layout: ​Can separate work and personal projects while keeping both visible ​Simple to create and read ​Accommodates more appointments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rutell/advantages-of-the-double-life-layout-can-separate-work-and-personal/) Megan Rutell > [I tend to try and really separate my work from my real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elden-henson/i-tend-to-try-and-really-separate-my-work-from-my-real-life/) [Elden Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elden-henson/) > [Some people separate their work and home lives, but I love the idea of having my studio and house in the same space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-parker/some-people-separate-their-work-and-home-lives-but-i-love-the-idea-of/) [Cornelia Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-parker/) > [My first work in comics had an Adult theme and I had to create a nom du plume to separate that work and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-golightly/my-first-work-in-comics-had-an-adult-theme-and-i-had-to-create-a-nom/) [Holly Golightly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-golightly/) > [When you do a writing job for a studio, one of the things you want to do is satisfy the expectations of your employer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-coen/when-you-do-a-writing-job-for-a-studio-one-of-the-things-you-want-to/) [Joel Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-coen/) > [My advice for writers is to get a good day job. It takes the pressure off writing if you have a job that pays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/my-advice-for-writers-is-to-get-a-good-day-job-it-takes-the-pressure/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [Like everyone else, there are days when I don't want to go to work. However, writing is a job like anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/like-everyone-else-there-are-days-when-i-don-t-want-to-go-to-work/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [I used to love to write. As a child I used to write all the time. I loved to write up until the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-used-to-love-to-write-as-a-child-i-used-to-write-all-the-time-i/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I don't see writing as a communication of something already discovered, as "truths" already known. Rather, I see writing as a job of experiment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stafford/i-don-t-see-writing-as-a-communication-of-something-already/) [William Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stafford/) ## More by Jose Saramago > [“We are born, and at that moment, it is as if we had signed a pact for the rest of our life, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/we-are-born-and-at-that-moment-it-is-as-if-we-had-signed-a-pact-for/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [It takes little or nothing to undo reputations, the merest trifle makes and remakes them, it is simply a question of finding the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/it-takes-little-or-nothing-to-undo-reputations-the-merest-trifle/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [One can show no greater respect than to weep for a stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/one-can-show-no-greater-respect-than-to-weep-for-a-stranger/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I am not a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-am-not-a-prophet/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [With the passage of time, as well as the social evolution and genetic exchange, we ended up putting our conscience in the color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/with-the-passage-of-time-as-well-as-the-social-evolution-and-genetic/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Al día siguiente no murió nadie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/al-d-a-siguiente-no-muri-nadie/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“E se as histórias para crianças passassem a ser de leitura obrigatória para os adultos? Seriam eles capazes de aprender realmente o que há…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/e-se-as-hist-rias-para-crian-as-passassem-a-ser-de-leitura-obrigat/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [In a king, modesty would be a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/in-a-king-modesty-would-be-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“the inmates of the second ward in the right wing have decided, at long last, to bury their dead, at least we shall be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/the-inmates-of-the-second-ward-in-the-right-wing-have-decided-at-long/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Stretching one arm behind him, the man passed his hand over the horse's coat, his own skin transformed, or skin which had transformed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/stretching-one-arm-behind-him-the-man-passed-his-hand-over-the-horse/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I think we are blind. Blind people who can see, but do not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-think-we-are-blind-blind-people-who-can-see-but-do-not-see/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [...you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourselves, Unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/you-have-to-leave-the-island-in-order-to-see-the-island-that-we-can-t/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [anyone who gets up early by inclination or has been forced to rise early out of necessity finds it intolerable that others should go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/anyone-who-gets-up-early-by-inclination-or-has-been-forced-to-rise/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Society has to change, but the political powers we have at the moment are not enough to effect this change. The whole democratic system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/society-has-to-change-but-the-political-powers-we-have-at-the-moment/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“... aborrece os odores nocturnos, aquelas expansões do corpo a que nem poetas escapam".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/aborrece-os-odores-nocturnos-aquelas-expans-es-do-corpo-a-que-nem/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) [Explore all 487 Jose Saramago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## More Act quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“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/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/) [Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/) [Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/) [Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/) Browse all 1,802 Act quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For me, writing is a job. 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