--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think that writer's block exists…" description: "\"I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects just..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/joyce-carol-oates-344_block_i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists_78341.png" --- # I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think… ![“I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects just need time, as I've learned over and over again. You've got to wait before you write about them.” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/joyce-carol-oates-344_block_i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists_78341.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/joyce-carol-oates-344_block_i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists_78341.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/joyce-carol-oates-344_block_i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists_78341.png) > “I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects just need time, as I've learned over and over again. You've got to wait before you write about them.” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writer's block is a myth; it's actually premature effort on topics that need maturation. Patience allows ideas to develop organically. **In simple terms:** Patience beats forced writing. Key Takeaway Wait for ideas to mature. Themes creativity process patience timing self-awareness Mood reflective patient encouraging Type advice observation philosophical When to use this quote - starting a novel - drafting a research paper - brainstorming a screenplay - blogging about a new topic Key Concepts creative flow mental readiness subject maturity Practical Applications - allow ideas to incubate before writing - schedule reflective pauses during projects Questions to Reflect On - How can you tell when an idea is ready? - What habits help you respect creative timing? A Different Perspective Some argue that block can stem from fear or perfectionism, not just timing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [I've learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-ve-learned/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Think Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-writer/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time of need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-of-need/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Prematurely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-prematurely-1008137/) [Wait Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wait-write-1008136/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer 's block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-s-block/) [Writer Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-block/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [... I had never given much credence to the phenomenon of "writer's block". I was more inclined to think of it as "writer's impatience",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/i-had-never-given-much-credence-to-the-phenomenon-of-writer-s-block-i/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [I think writer's block is simply the dread that you are going to write something horrible. But as a writer, I believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-blount-jr/i-think-writer-s-block-is-simply-the-dread-that-you-are-going-to/) [Roy Blount, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-blount-jr/) > [I would also argue that there is a good chance that an outline will help you stave off any onslaught of writer's block. Let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/i-would-also-argue-that-there-is-a-good-chance-that-an-outline-will/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [If surgeons don't get surgeon's block, then why are you allowed to get writer's block?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/if-surgeons-don-t-get-surgeon-s-block-then-why-are-you-allowed-to-get/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [Writer's block to me is where you stop because you're afraid to go forward because you're not sure of what really should be happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-hickam/writer-s-block-to-me-is-where-you-stop-because-you-re-afraid-to-go/) [Homer Hickam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-hickam/) > [I've experienced writer's block, but never for more than a few days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-jon-williams/i-ve-experienced-writer-s-block-but-never-for-more-than-a-few-days/) [Walter Jon Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-jon-williams/) > [With two books a year, I don't have time for writer's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rollins/with-two-books-a-year-i-don-t-have-time-for-writer-s-block/) [James Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-rollins/) > [If I've got Writer's Block it generally means that I don't have that much to say or something's not quite connecting. I have had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-goulding/if-i-ve-got-writer-s-block-it-generally-means-that-i-don-t-have-that/) [Ellie Goulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-goulding/) > [My prescription for writer's block is to face the fact that there is no such thing… Writing well is difficult, but one can always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/my-prescription-for-writer-s-block-is-to-face-the-fact-that-there-is/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [Writer's block.. when one curses the blinking cursor on the blank page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-brett/writer-s-block-when-one-curses-the-blinking-cursor-on-the-blank-page/) [Regina Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-brett/) > [Cure for writer's block: blow something up(in the story)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/cure-for-writer-s-block-blow-something-up-in-the-story/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [I don't believe in writer's block, writing well is very easy; it's writing horribly, the horrible work necessary to do to get to writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-young/i-don-t-believe-in-writer-s-block-writing-well-is-very-easy-it-s/) [Dean Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-young/) > [I've never really suffered complete and utter writer's block, really. I equate it with sex: in the beginning of my career, I was writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/i-ve-never-really-suffered-complete-and-utter-writer-s-block-really-i/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [Maybe one of the reasons that I don't ever experience myself as having writer's block is I don't feel that I need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-barton/maybe-one-of-the-reasons-that-i-don-t-ever-experience-myself-as/) [Emily Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-barton/) > [Writer's block? I've never heard of a plumber complain about plumber's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/writer-s-block-i-ve-never-heard-of-a-plumber-complain-about-plumber-s/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. Any idiot can be happy in a happy place, but moral courage is required to be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-challenge-is-to-resist-circumstances-any-idiot-can-be-happy-in-a/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Did you know, Marianne: how by breaking the code that day, you broke it forever? For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“You don’t have to understand why anything that has happened to you has happened nor do you even have to understand what it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-don-t-have-to-understand-why-anything-that-has-happened-to-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Block quotes > [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/) [Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [Stevie Wonder always smells so good... I'm like a DEA dog, I can smell people a block away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/stevie-wonder-always-smells-so-good-i-m-like-a-dea-dog-i-can-smell/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [When it comes to people I love and care about, I may condense the time, but I'm giving them every ounce of my energy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-shetty/when-it-comes-to-people-i-love-and-care-about-i-may-condense-the-time/) [Jay Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-shetty/) > [I mean family is more important than anything in life. Family is important than my crew, D-Block, my rap career anything... It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [One of those blocks (that prevent the 'Middle East from entering the mainstream of modernity') is the orthodox tenet that the Koran and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-beichman/one-of-those-blocks-that-prevent-the-middle-east-from-entering-the/) [Arnold Beichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-beichman/) > [The family is the building block for whatever solidarity there is in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ruckelshaus/the-family-is-the-building-block-for-whatever-solidarity-there-is-in/) [William Ruckelshaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ruckelshaus/) > [New York is so serious about the creation of work. 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It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I think you can train yourself to block out some of that pressure and replace it with confidence. It's about preparation, and the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rodgers/i-think-you-can-train-yourself-to-block-out-some-of-that-pressure-and/) [Aaron Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rodgers/) > [Writer's block? I've never heard of a plumber complain about plumber's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/writer-s-block-i-ve-never-heard-of-a-plumber-complain-about-plumber-s/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) [Browse all 1,755 Block quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects just need time, as I've learned over and over again. 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