--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seems like many people think that if…" description: "\"It seems like many people think that if you drive yourself crazy, then you can write. I’m absolutely not interested in that. It made sense to me to be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kay-ryan-16282_crazy_it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if_2678178.png" --- # It seems like many people think that if you drive yourself… ![“It seems like many people think that if you drive yourself crazy, then you can write. I’m absolutely not interested in that. It made sense to me to be as whole and well as I could be, and as happy. I wanted to see what a fortunate life would produce. What writing would come out of a mind that…” quote by Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kay-ryan-16282_crazy_it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if_2678178.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kay-ryan-16282_crazy_it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if_2678178.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kay-ryan-16282_crazy_it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if_2678178.png) > “It seems like many people think that if you drive yourself crazy, then you can write. I’m absolutely not interested in that. It made sense to me to be as whole and well as I could be, and as happy. I wanted to see what a fortunate life would produce. What writing would come out of a mind that didn’t try to torment itself? What did I have to know? What did I have to do rather than what can I torment and bend myself into doing? What was the fruit on that tree?” [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She rejects the myth that self‑torment fuels creativity, seeking wholeness and happiness instead. **In simple terms:** Creativity doesn’t require self‑inflicted suffering. Key Takeaway Pursue well‑being for better writing. Themes creativity well‑being myths self‑care Mood calm inspirational Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - daily meditation - healthy routines - creative retreats Key Concepts psychology artistic process Questions to Reflect On - What habits nurture your creativity? - How does happiness influence output? A Different Perspective Some argue struggle fuels art. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy/) [Crazy Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy-write-851533/) [Fortunate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortunate/) [Fortunate life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortunate-life/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-didn-1173337/) [Not interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-interested/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Torment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torment/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-absolutely-901189/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If you see a credit with just my name on it, that means I write absolutely everything: rhythm guitar parts, guitar melodies, vocal melodies...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harris/if-you-see-a-credit-with-just-my-name-on-it-that-means-i-write/) [Steve Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harris/) > [People think you have to go through something to write about it, and you absolutely do not. You can write about, like, a shoe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-eilish/people-think-you-have-to-go-through-something-to-write-about-it-and/) [Billie Eilish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-eilish/) > [I can write absolutely anywhere. All I need is a laptop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/i-can-write-absolutely-anywhere-all-i-need-is-a-laptop/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [I write pretty fast, probably faster than most people. But I might think about something for six hours, then write it in 20 minutes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/i-write-pretty-fast-probably-faster-than-most-people-but-i-might/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [“One has to be just a little crazy to write a great novel. One must be capable of allowing the darkest, most ancient and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/one-has-to-be-just-a-little-crazy-to-write-a-great-novel-one-must-be/) [john gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [One must be just a little crazy to write a great novel. One must be capable of allowing the darkest, most ancient and shrewd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/one-must-be-just-a-little-crazy-to-write-a-great-novel-one-must-be/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [It would be crazy to write a movie - which, I've seen these movies before - where someone is a beginner, has their training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-stearns/it-would-be-crazy-to-write-a-movie-which-i-ve-seen-these-movies/) [Riley Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riley-stearns/) > [“One has to be just a little crazy to write a great novel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/one-has-to-be-just-a-little-crazy-to-write-a-great-novel/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [“I'm not sure if I write because I am crazy, or I'm crazy because I write.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-stanphill/i-m-not-sure-if-i-write-because-i-am-crazy-or-i-m-crazy-because-i/) [Wendy Stanphill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-stanphill/) > [“My mind didn't clear. It had been clear before. Instead it muddled, suddenly ablaze with rioting factions of insecurities and dreams, a cacophonous battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/my-mind-didn-t-clear-it-had-been-clear-before-instead-it-muddled/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Thoughts would go in and out of my mind, but I didn't want to believe that he could have done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kato-kaelin/thoughts-would-go-in-and-out-of-my-mind-but-i-didn-t-want-to-believe/) [Kato Kaelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kato-kaelin/) > [An Active mind didn't need distraction in its physical environment. It needed a collection of outstanding books and a good lamp. Maybe some cheese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/an-active-mind-didn-t-need-distraction-in-its-physical-environment-it/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [“It was bad enough that he couldn't seem to get the image of her out of his mind, He didn't need to add et…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-snow/it-was-bad-enough-that-he-couldn-t-seem-to-get-the-image-of-her-out/) [Tiffany Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-snow/) > [For me, I was in school and I pushed myself to be a good student, just because that's the type of person I was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/for-me-i-was-in-school-and-i-pushed-myself-to-be-a-good-student-just/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Whenever I was asked what I wanted my first impulse was to answer "Nothing." The thought went through my mind that it didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/whenever-i-was-asked-what-i-wanted-my-first-impulse-was-to-answer/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) ## More by Kay Ryan > [A too closely watched flower/blossoms the wrong color./Excess attention to the jonquil/turns it gentian. Flowers/need it tranquil to get/their hues right. Some/only open at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/a-too-closely-watched-flower-blossoms-the-wrong-color-excess/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [It isn't ever delicate to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/it-isn-t-ever-delicate-to-live/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [I simply want to celebrate the fact that right near your home, year in and year out, a community college is quietly - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/i-simply-want-to-celebrate-the-fact-that-right-near-your-home-year-in/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [The day misspent, the love misplaced, has inside it the seed of redemption. Nothing is exempt from resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/the-day-misspent-the-love-misplaced-has-inside-it-the-seed-of/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [“ Stardust is the hardest thing to hold out for. You must make of yourself a perfect plane- something still upon which something settles-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/stardust-is-the-hardest-thing-to-hold-out-for-you-must-make-of/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [What keeps me writing is that I can only know through writing. My major sense organ is apparently a pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/what-keeps-me-writing-is-that-i-can-only-know-through-writing-my/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [Forgetting takes space./Forgotten matters displace/as much anything else as/anything else. We must/skirt unlabeled crates/as thought it made sense/and take them when we go/to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/forgetting-takes-space-forgotten-matters-displace-as-much-anything/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [“The Self Is Not Portable The self is not portable. It cannot be packed. It comes sneaking back to any place from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/the-self-is-not-portable-the-self-is-not-portable-it-cannot-be-packed/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [Who would have guessed it possible that waiting is sustainable. A place with its own harvest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/who-would-have-guessed-it-possible-that-waiting-is-sustainable-a/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [The only real access that I have to my mind is when I'm writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/the-only-real-access-that-i-have-to-my-mind-is-when-i-m-writing/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [Gaps don't/just happen./There is a/generative element/inside them,/a welling motion/ as when cold/waters shoulder/up through/warmer oceans./And where gaps/choose to widen,/coordinates warp,/even in places/constant since/the oldest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/gaps-don-t-just-happen-there-is-a-generative-element-inside-them-a/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [“Hide and Seek It's hard not to jump out instead of waiting to be found. It's hard to be alone so long and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/hide-and-seek-it-s-hard-not-to-jump-out-instead-of-waiting-to-be/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [“There are high places that don’t invite us, sharp shapes, glacier-scraped faces, whole ranges whose given names slip off. Any such relation as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/there-are-high-places-that-don-t-invite-us-sharp-shapes-glacier/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [I simply want to celebrate the fact that right near your home, year in and year out, a community college is quietly — and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/i-simply-want-to-celebrate-the-fact-that-right-near-your-home-year-in-2/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [“A certain kind of Eden holds us thrall.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/a-certain-kind-of-eden-holds-us-thrall/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) [Explore all 40 Kay Ryan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) ## More Crazy quotes > [Im wild Im crazy, I'm wild, Im crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dot-dot-curve/im-wild-im-crazy-i-m-wild-im-crazy/) [Dot Dot Curve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dot-dot-curve/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I didn't understand Southland Tales script at all! Is there a single word to describe it? Cacophony? It's celebrity meets pornography meets politics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-didn-t-understand-southland-tales-script-at-all-is-there-a-single/) [Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/) > [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/) [Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) [Browse all 9,039 Crazy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It seems like many people think that if you drive yourself crazy, then you can write. I’m absolutely not interested in that. It made sense to me to be as whole and well as I could be, and as happy. I wanted to see what a fortunate life would produce. What writing would come out of a mind that didn’t try to torment itself? What did I have to know? What did I have to do rather than what can I torment and bend myself into doing? What was the fruit on that tree?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kay Ryan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if-you-drive-yourself-crazy-then/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crazy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if-you-drive-yourself-crazy-then/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kay-ryan-16282_crazy_it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if_2678178.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kay-ryan-16282_crazy_it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if_2678178.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kay-ryan-16282_crazy_it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if_2678178.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It seems like many people think that if you drive yourself crazy, then you can write. I’m absolutely not…” — Kay Ryan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kay Ryan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It seems like many people think...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if-you-drive-yourself-crazy-then/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/it-seems-like-many-people-think-that-if-you-drive-yourself-crazy-then/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```