--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing a book is quite an undertaking…" description: "\"Writing a book is quite an undertaking and I wouldn't want to do it just to do it.\" — Laverne Cox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/laverne-cox-12172_book_writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-a_1122324.jpg" --- # Writing a book is quite an undertaking and I wouldn't want… ![“Writing a book is quite an undertaking and I wouldn't want to do it just to do it.” quote by Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/laverne-cox-12172_book_writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-a_1122324.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/laverne-cox-12172_book_writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-a_1122324.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/laverne-cox-12172_book_writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-a_1122324.jpg) > “Writing a book is quite an undertaking and I wouldn't want to do it just to do it.” [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a book should serve a purpose beyond merely completing a task; it needs meaningful intent. **In simple terms:** Write with purpose, not just for the sake of writing. Key Takeaway Ensure your project has clear value. Themes purpose creativity commitment Mood thoughtful inspired Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - career development - personal memoir - educational material - advocacy publishing Key Concepts meaningful work authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - What purpose will your book fulfill? - How will it impact readers? A Different Perspective Without a clear purpose, the work may feel empty or unfocused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Undertaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undertaking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing a book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-a-book/) ## Related quotes > [It is a precarious undertaking to say anything reliable about aims and intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-is-a-precarious-undertaking-to-say-anything-reliable-about-aims/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [This position will not be disputed, so long as it is admitted that the desire of reward is one of the strongest incentives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/this-position-will-not-be-disputed-so-long-as-it-is-admitted-that-the/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Above the pyramid on the great seal of the United States it says in Latin: "God has favored our undertaking." God will not favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/above-the-pyramid-on-the-great-seal-of-the-united-states-it-says-in/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Too much vigor in the beginning of an undertaking often intercepts and prevents the steadiness and perseverance always necessary in the conduct of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/too-much-vigor-in-the-beginning-of-an-undertaking-often-intercepts/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I understand you undertake to overthrow my undertaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-understand-you-undertake-to-overthrow-my-undertaking/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [It is a very hard undertaking to seek to please everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-a-very-hard-undertaking-to-seek-to-please-everybody/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Study is to study what cannot be studied. Undertaking means undertaking what cannot be undertaken. Philosophizing is to philosophize about what cannot be philosophized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/study-is-to-study-what-cannot-be-studied-undertaking-means/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [I think the Lewis and Clark Expedition was the greatest undertaking in American History. I think landing a man on the moon pales next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-lasky/i-think-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition-was-the-greatest-undertaking/) [Kathryn Lasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-lasky/) > [It's very clear, under anyone's scenario, that it's a massive, extensive undertaking regardless of where you might ultimately draw the line as to when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcconnell/it-s-very-clear-under-anyone-s-scenario-that-it-s-a-massive-extensive/) Jack McConnell > [You are engaged in an undertaking of major importance to you. To be sure of success, you must have plans which are faultless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-are-engaged-in-an-undertaking-of-major-importance-to-you-to-be/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I cannot and will not give any undertaking at a time when I, and you, the people, are not free. Your freedom and mine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-cannot-and-will-not-give-any-undertaking-at-a-time-when-i-and-you/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Writing is an undertaking for the modest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-moore/writing-is-an-undertaking-for-the-modest/) [Marianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-moore/) > [Just getting movies made is difficult because it takes a lot of money; I mean, it costs more money to make one movie than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/just-getting-movies-made-is-difficult-because-it-takes-a-lot-of-money/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Benevolence today has become altogether too huge an undertaking to be conducted otherwise than on business lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-rosenwald/benevolence-today-has-become-altogether-too-huge-an-undertaking-to-be/) [Julius Rosenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-rosenwald/) > [An undertaking beset with danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/an-undertaking-beset-with-danger/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) ## More by Laverne Cox > [I think transwomen, and transpeople in general, show everyone that you can define what it means to be a man or woman on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/i-think-transwomen-and-transpeople-in-general-show-everyone-that-you/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [What took time for my mom was getting the pronouns right and calling me by a different name. Laverne was my middle name before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/what-took-time-for-my-mom-was-getting-the-pronouns-right-and-calling/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [So often, trans roles don't even go to trans actors. Most of the fabulous trans roles that have won people Oscars, we didn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/so-often-trans-roles-don-t-even-go-to-trans-actors-most-of-the/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [I believe that when we love someone, we respect them, and we listen to them; we feel that their voice matters. And- we let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/i-believe-that-when-we-love-someone-we-respect-them-and-we-listen-to/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [It is revolutionary for any trans person to choose to be seen and visible in a world that tells us we should not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/it-is-revolutionary-for-any-trans-person-to-choose-to-be-seen-and/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [I just have to be myself. I'm not perfect, and I'm going to make mistakes; I might say the wrong thing. I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/i-just-have-to-be-myself-i-m-not-perfect-and-i-m-going-to-make/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [I'm so grateful that I had the luxury of transitioning in private. Because when you transition in the public eye, the transition becomes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/i-m-so-grateful-that-i-had-the-luxury-of-transitioning-in-private/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [When people have points of reference that are humanizing, that demystifies difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/when-people-have-points-of-reference-that-are-humanizing-that/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [“Everything that you're going through now is for a reason. You just have to survive so that one day you can thrive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/everything-that-you-re-going-through-now-is-for-a-reason-you-just/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [Just me existing, as an openly black transgender woman from a working-class background, thriving, is a political act. My brother always reminds me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/just-me-existing-as-an-openly-black-transgender-woman-from-a-working/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [By doing the work to love ourselves more, I believe we will love each other better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/by-doing-the-work-to-love-ourselves-more-i-believe-we-will-love-each/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [“We are not what other people say we are. We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/we-are-not-what-other-people-say-we-are-we-are-who-we-know-ourselves/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [Beyoncé means so much to me. Throughout my transition, Beyoncé has been there as a style icon, an example of excellence, of beauty, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/beyonc-means-so-much-to-me-throughout-my-transition-beyonc-has-been/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [The preoccupation with transition and with surgery objectifies trans people, and we don't get to really deal with the real lived experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/the-preoccupation-with-transition-and-with-surgery-objectifies-trans/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [Everyone is insecure. I think, really, it comes from, like, a desire to want to be in control of how you're represented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/everyone-is-insecure-i-think-really-it-comes-from-like-a-desire-to/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) [Explore all 56 Laverne Cox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing a book is quite an undertaking and I wouldn't want to do it just to do it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laverne Cox" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-and-i-wouldn-t-want-to-do-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-and-i-wouldn-t-want-to-do-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/laverne-cox-12172_book_writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-a_1122324.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/laverne-cox-12172_book_writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-a_1122324.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/laverne-cox-12172_book_writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-a_1122324.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Writing a book is quite an undertaking and I wouldn't want to do it just to do it.” — Laverne Cox", "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": "Laverne Cox", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Writing a book is quite an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-and-i-wouldn-t-want-to-do-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/writing-a-book-is-quite-an-undertaking-and-i-wouldn-t-want-to-do-it/#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 } } ] } ```