--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You're supposed to be writing from…" description: "\"You're supposed to be writing from experience - experience with people, with reading, seeing some homeless guy on the street and making up some story o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/julie-plec-4595_dreams_you-re-supposed-to-be-writing-from-exper_1884600.jpg" --- # You're supposed to be writing from experience - experience… ![“You're supposed to be writing from experience - experience with people, with reading, seeing some homeless guy on the street and making up some story of him in your head. If you never see any of that or have those conversations or even sleep enough to have vivid dreams, then what are you writing…” quote by Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/julie-plec-4595_dreams_you-re-supposed-to-be-writing-from-exper_1884600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/julie-plec-4595_dreams_you-re-supposed-to-be-writing-from-exper_1884600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/julie-plec-4595_dreams_you-re-supposed-to-be-writing-from-exper_1884600.jpg) > “You're supposed to be writing from experience - experience with people, with reading, seeing some homeless guy on the street and making up some story of him in your head. If you never see any of that or have those conversations or even sleep enough to have vivid dreams, then what are you writing about?” [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing without lived experience leads to shallow, unauthentic narratives; genuine insight comes from direct observation and interaction. **In simple terms:** Real experience fuels authentic writing. Key Takeaway Seek real encounters for depth. Themes authenticity experience writing Mood reflective inquisitive Type literary advice When to use this quote - journalism - fiction writing - creative workshops - street interviews Key Concepts Empathy Observation Storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can you broaden your perspective without direct exposure? - What role does imagination play in storytelling? A Different Perspective Limited access to diverse experiences can still produce meaningful work through imagination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street/) [Vivid dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivid-dreams/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes dreams show me that my writing should go deeper. Dreams have not so much changed my work as deepened it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/sometimes-dreams-show-me-that-my-writing-should-go-deeper-dreams-have/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [Every writer dreams of writing a book that will touch people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/every-writer-dreams-of-writing-a-book-that-will-touch-people/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [“Depression was my body's way of grieving the loss of my childhood dreams. Writing was my imagination's way of redefining them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/depression-was-my-body-s-way-of-grieving-the-loss-of-my-childhood/) [Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/) > [I grew up at the time of Social Realism in Poland, when everyone was supposed to be 'writing for the workers.' But I soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/i-grew-up-at-the-time-of-social-realism-in-poland-when-everyone-was/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [When you find yourself on the Internet when you're supposed to be writing, you've already lost. It's even beyond procrastination when you end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-when-you-re-supposed-to-be/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [When I'm supposed to be writing I clean my apartment, take my clothes to the laundry, get organized, make lists, do the dishes. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-m-supposed-to-be-writing-i-clean-my-apartment-take-my-clothes/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When I was younger I was much more polemical and didactic, much less trusting. Inherently my own vision of the world would weave its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-i-was-younger-i-was-much-more-polemical-and-didactic-much-less/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [I'm supposed to be writing a book, and I can hardly read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fidrych/i-m-supposed-to-be-writing-a-book-and-i-can-hardly-read/) Mark Fidrych > [Not writing is probably the most exhausting profession I've ever encountered. It takes it out of you. It's very psychically wearing not to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/not-writing-is-probably-the-most-exhausting-profession-i-ve-ever/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“Cath wanted to work on her own story now. Not the one for class. "Carry on". "Carry on" was Cath's story. Thousands of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/cath-wanted-to-work-on-her-own-story-now-not-the-one-for-class-carry/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Writing, as I experience it, means wringing out the heart/mind until it stops lying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-stone/writing-as-i-experience-it-means-wringing-out-the-heart-mind-until-it/) [Jennifer Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-stone/) > [I have a lot more writing experience than Paul Dano has, so to be able to put that experience to use in exercising his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-have-a-lot-more-writing-experience-than-paul-dano-has-so-to-be-able/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [Because there is no better tool for writing than experience. It has very little to do with grammar and everything to do with knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/because-there-is-no-better-tool-for-writing-than-experience-it-has/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Well, my background is journalism. I don't have any creative-writing experience except for one class I took as a sophomore in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/well-my-background-is-journalism-i-don-t-have-any-creative-writing/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [Weirdly the writing experience has not really changed that much except it used to be that I was busy because I had to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-jo-campbell/weirdly-the-writing-experience-has-not-really-changed-that-much/) [Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-jo-campbell/) ## More by Julie Plec > [Daily, I visualize the smart-ass troll who lives deep in my subconscious, and I pelt him with rainbows and unicorns. I fight a battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/daily-i-visualize-the-smart-ass-troll-who-lives-deep-in-my/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > ['The Reckoning' is one of my proudest hours. I love that episode so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/the-reckoning-is-one-of-my-proudest-hours-i-love-that-episode-so-much/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [Fans are always talking about endgame as though endgame has been chosen from minute 1. I don't know that you could talk to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/fans-are-always-talking-about-endgame-as-though-endgame-has-been/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [Actors have their own processes, and if you want to be respectful of their process, you've got to communicate with them in the language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/actors-have-their-own-processes-and-if-you-want-to-be-respectful-of/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [The problem with ratings is that you can give yourself a million reasons why they are what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/the-problem-with-ratings-is-that-you-can-give-yourself-a-million/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [Because I was such a student of pop culture growing up, I love that on the list of things that I got to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/because-i-was-such-a-student-of-pop-culture-growing-up-i-love-that-on/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [I think that when you're exploring themes of humanity and what defines a hero and what makes us our best self and what makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/i-think-that-when-you-re-exploring-themes-of-humanity-and-what/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [Don't do another show just because someone thinks that there's a dollar to be earned there. Do it because you love the characters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/don-t-do-another-show-just-because-someone-thinks-that-there-s-a/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [If the day-to-day culture is saying it's OK to not be inclusive or tolerant, that it's OK to be bigoted, then it's your responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/if-the-day-to-day-culture-is-saying-it-s-ok-to-not-be-inclusive-or/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [Once a vampire drinks another vampires blood they are connected to them forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/once-a-vampire-drinks-another-vampires-blood-they-are-connected-to/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [The funny thing about the entertainment business is that we all feel like kids playing in a candy store, but we are entrusted with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/the-funny-thing-about-the-entertainment-business-is-that-we-all-feel/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [I remember, my freshman year of college, sitting in my TV room at the end of my dorm hallway with one other girl watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/i-remember-my-freshman-year-of-college-sitting-in-my-tv-room-at-the/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [I used to sneak 'General Hospital' when I was a kid. My cousin was my babysitter, and she watched it, so I got hooked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/i-used-to-sneak-general-hospital-when-i-was-a-kid-my-cousin-was-my/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [I'm not a morning person, and yet production is a morning person's game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/i-m-not-a-morning-person-and-yet-production-is-a-morning-person-s-game/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [I do all these panels where people are always talking about the lack of female directors, and I have a lot of opinions on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/i-do-all-these-panels-where-people-are-always-talking-about-the-lack/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) [Explore all 108 Julie Plec quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) ## More Dreams quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [“Now you’re wet. You’re so wet you’re leaking down your ass. You’re soaking my pillow. I don’t think I’m ever washing it. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stoker/now-you-re-wet-you-re-so-wet-you-re-leaking-down-your-ass-you-re/) [Susan Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stoker/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 40,599 Dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You're supposed to be writing from experience - experience with people, with reading, seeing some homeless guy on the street and making up some story of him in your head. 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