--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're writing, you're starting in…" description: "\"If you're writing, you're starting in private. It can really be this amazing, private, freeing experience. Forget that it's for other people - that com..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/lena-dunham-1013_forget_if-you-re-writing-you-re-starting-in-pri_1725520.jpg" --- # If you're writing, you're starting in private. It can… ![“If you're writing, you're starting in private. It can really be this amazing, private, freeing experience. Forget that it's for other people - that comes in later.” quote by Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/lena-dunham-1013_forget_if-you-re-writing-you-re-starting-in-pri_1725520.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/lena-dunham-1013_forget_if-you-re-writing-you-re-starting-in-pri_1725520.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/lena-dunham-1013_forget_if-you-re-writing-you-re-starting-in-pri_1725520.jpg) > “If you're writing, you're starting in private. It can really be this amazing, private, freeing experience. Forget that it's for other people - that comes in later.” [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing begins as a private, liberating act; external audience considerations come later. **In simple terms:** Writing starts privately, then later you think about readers. Key Takeaway Write for yourself first, then share. Themes creativity writing privacy Mood introspective encouraging Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - journaling - novel drafting - blogging - songwriting Key Concepts self‑expression process authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What does writing privately allow you to explore? - How can you transition from private to public sharing? A Different Perspective Fear of judgment can stall the initial spark. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Private Freeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-freeing-1379911/) [Private Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-really-624779/) [Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting/) [Starting Private](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-private-1379909/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-starting-1379910/) ## Related quotes > [Writing is the starting point from which all goodness (and crappiness) flows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/writing-is-the-starting-point-from-which-all-goodness-and-crappiness/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [People are more aware now of cities and of different ways of life. I suppose the writing I do is a bit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/people-are-more-aware-now-of-cities-and-of-different-ways-of-life-i/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [The two hardest things about writing are starting and not stopping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-o-nan/the-two-hardest-things-about-writing-are-starting-and-not-stopping/) [Stewart O'Nan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-o-nan/) > [Yes, it's a very difficult thing to do, to promote a record, do television shows, and to still want to remain private, it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lowe/yes-it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-do-to-promote-a-record-do/) [Chris Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lowe/) > [Everything about my life is private, really. I'm not so sure that any of it has ever been public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everything-about-my-life-is-private-really-i-m-not-so-sure-that-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am basically very private, and I'm really nervous about doing publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/i-am-basically-very-private-and-i-m-really-nervous-about-doing/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [We are extremely private, and we really got sort of ambushed by the notoriety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/we-are-extremely-private-and-we-really-got-sort-of-ambushed-by-the/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [All of us are private to ourselves. Nobody ever really knows anybody else. Everybody in the world keeps something to themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/all-of-us-are-private-to-ourselves-nobody-ever-really-knows-anybody/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [What you do when eyes are averted, curtains are drawn shut, the expected are delayed, wife and kids vacate for leisurely merriments, when doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-valenzuela/what-you-do-when-eyes-are-averted-curtains-are-drawn-shut-the-2/) [Roy Valenzuela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-valenzuela/) > [This whole thing about announcing stuff and sharing it online is a new phenomenon. Keeping things private is really, really easy and simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adina-porter/this-whole-thing-about-announcing-stuff-and-sharing-it-online-is-a/) [Adina Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adina-porter/) > [What you do when eyes are averted, curtains are drawn shut, the expected are delayed, wife and kids vacate for leisurely merriments, when doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-valenzula/what-you-do-when-eyes-are-averted-curtains-are-drawn-shut-the/) [Roy Valenzula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-valenzula/) > [You don't go to school to become the best chef in the world right after you graduate. School is always a starting point so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-yamaguchi/you-don-t-go-to-school-to-become-the-best-chef-in-the-world-right/) [Roy Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-yamaguchi/) > [One should never forget that by actually perfecting one piece one gains and learns more than by starting or half-finishing a dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-brahms/one-should-never-forget-that-by-actually-perfecting-one-piece-one/) [Johannes Brahms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-brahms/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) ## More by Lena Dunham > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [“Oberlin being a liberal haven where opposition was king, the coolest clique at school was a group of rugby-playing, neon-wearing lesbians. They dominated every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/oberlin-being-a-liberal-haven-where-opposition-was-king-the-coolest/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Calling someone a drama queen is so negative. Why not 'content creator'?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/calling-someone-a-drama-queen-is-so-negative-why-not-content-creator/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [My relationship to eating, my relationship to critiquing my own shape, all of that has changed since I've started viewing my body much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/my-relationship-to-eating-my-relationship-to-critiquing-my-own-shape/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [“I am sorry (not to you but in a deeper way, sorry for my brain chemistry and who I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-am-sorry-not-to-you-but-in-a-deeper-way-sorry-for-my-brain/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [It's very easy for me to say what success is. I think success is connecting with an audience who understands you and having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-s-very-easy-for-me-to-say-what-success-is-i-think-success-is/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [At my age, no one is married, no one has kids, no one has a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/at-my-age-no-one-is-married-no-one-has-kids-no-one-has-a-career/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I should do the things that make me feel cool and smart. As I get older, I'm realizing more and more that it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-should-do-the-things-that-make-me-feel-cool-and-smart-as-i-get/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [My shape reminds me a lot of my grandmother, whom I was really close to. She died when I was 13, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/my-shape-reminds-me-a-lot-of-my-grandmother-whom-i-was-really-close/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I never set out to make any statements about a specific character, I just set out to tell what feels like is a truthful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-never-set-out-to-make-any-statements-about-a-specific-character-i/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [You’ve learned a new rule and it’s simple: don’t put yourself in situations you’d like to run away from. But when you run, run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/you-ve-learned-a-new-rule-and-it-s-simple-don-t-put-yourself-in/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I would go to work from 9 to 6, go home, nap for two hours, then write from 8 to 2 a.m.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-would-go-to-work-from-9-to-6-go-home-nap-for-two-hours-then-write/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [My uncle's a lawyer and I remember going to see him in court and thinking, 'That's cool, too bad I could never be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/my-uncle-s-a-lawyer-and-i-remember-going-to-see-him-in-court-and/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I love directing scenes that I'm not in because suddenly I really feel like a filmmaker which is a different thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-love-directing-scenes-that-i-m-not-in-because-suddenly-i-really/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I'm glad if my work can make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-m-glad-if-my-work-can-make-a-difference/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) [Explore all 301 Lena Dunham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) ## More Forget quotes > [I Never met her,i never talked to her,but in my whole day I am either thinking about her or trying to forget her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhananda/i-never-met-her-i-never-talked-to-her-but-in-my-whole-day-i-am-either/) [Subhananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhananda/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it-s-the/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [Remind a man of what he remembers, and you will make him forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/remind-a-man-of-what-he-remembers-and-you-will-make-him-forget-it/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [“So you try, and try, to move past it and forget about them, but it's like they're stuck in your head -- you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-mcdonald/so-you-try-and-try-to-move-past-it-and-forget-about-them-but-it-s/) [Abby McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-mcdonald/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [If God knows me I will never forget him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/if-god-knows-me-i-will-never-forget-him/) [Trunxbeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trunxbeats/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Browse all 11,315 Forget quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you're writing, you're starting in private. 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