--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only reason for being a professional…" description: "\"“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can't help it.”\" — Leo Rosten" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/leo-rosten-9943_inspirational_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_1458097.jpg" --- # The only reason for being a professional writer is that… ![“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can't help it.” quote by Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/leo-rosten-9943_inspirational_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_1458097.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/leo-rosten-9943_inspirational_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_1458097.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/leo-rosten-9943_inspirational_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_1458097.jpg) > ““The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can't help it.”” [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Professional writers are driven by an inner compulsion; they write because they cannot resist the urge to express ideas. **In simple terms:** Writers write because they can’t stop themselves. Key Takeaway Accept and nurture your creative impulse. Themes creativity profession compulsion writing Mood inspirational reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career choice - creative projects - personal fulfillment Key Concepts intrinsic motivation artistic drive Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your creative drive? - Can compulsion be balanced with practicality? A Different Perspective Not everyone can sustain a writing career financially. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-can-t/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [“I had been a writer all of my life, every waking second, and now that part of my life was over. I suppose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-greer/i-had-been-a-writer-all-of-my-life-every-waking-second-and-now-that/) [Bonnie Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-greer/) > [My personal opinion is that, if you're a professional writer, that you do have quotas. So every day I do try to write 800-1,200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/my-personal-opinion-is-that-if-you-re-a-professional-writer-that-you/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [Being a professional writer is not an easy way to make a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-kidder/being-a-professional-writer-is-not-an-easy-way-to-make-a-living/) [Tracy Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-kidder/) > [“A professional writer is an amateur who never gave up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/a-professional-writer-is-an-amateur-who-never-gave-up/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [At some point if you're a professional writer, no matter what, it always comes down to you staring at the blank page by yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-guggenheim/at-some-point-if-you-re-a-professional-writer-no-matter-what-it/) [Marc Guggenheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-guggenheim/) > [Is any novelist going to recognize the moment when he or she has nothing more to say? It is a brave thing to admit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/is-any-novelist-going-to-recognize-the-moment-when-he-or-she-has/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The life of the professional writer - like that of any freelance, whether she be a plumber or a podiatrist - is predicated on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/the-life-of-the-professional-writer-like-that-of-any-freelance/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [In the usual way I submitted manuscripts to publishers. This was not so much a feeling that I should be published as a wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/in-the-usual-way-i-submitted-manuscripts-to-publishers-this-was-not/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Do you know how you can tell a professional writer from an amateur?" "No." "An amateur worries about the work before starting. A professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi/do-you-know-how-you-can-tell-a-professional-writer-from-an-amateur-no/) [Avi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi/) > [When I first started doing stand-up back in Philadelphia, the idea of being a professional writer was completely beyond me. It didn't even occur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/when-i-first-started-doing-stand-up-back-in-philadelphia-the-idea-of/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [“Most people probably didn't think I'd make it as a professional writer. But I couldn't follow their advice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/most-people-probably-didn-t-think-i-d-make-it-as-a-professional/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [It is perfectly possible to be a professional director or a professional writer and not to be an artist: merely a sort of executor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/it-is-perfectly-possible-to-be-a-professional-director-or-a/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Here's the bottom line; writers write. Sometimes words flow easily. Sometimes it's like sloughing through mud. Either way a professional writer keeps writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-c-cast-2/here-s-the-bottom-line-writers-write-sometimes-words-flow-easily/) [P. C. Cast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-c-cast-2/) ## More by Leo Rosten > [Truth is stranger than fiction; fiction has to make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/truth-is-stranger-than-fiction-fiction-has-to-make-sense/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [There was no answer, no solution, no sop, no deliverance. What, then, did I do? I read faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/there-was-no-answer-no-solution-no-sop-no-deliverance-what-then-did-i/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [People say: idle curiosity. The one thing that curiosity cannot be is idle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/people-say-idle-curiosity-the-one-thing-that-curiosity-cannot-be-is/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Everyone, in some small sacred sanctuary of the self, is nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/everyone-in-some-small-sacred-sanctuary-of-the-self-is-nuts/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [ What's green, hangs on a wall and whistles? \[A Herring\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/what-s-green-hangs-on-a-wall-and-whistles-a-herring/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Dogs are getting bigger, according to a leading dog manufacturer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/dogs-are-getting-bigger-according-to-a-leading-dog-manufacturer/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Acting is a form of deception, and actors can mesmerize themselves almost as easily as an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/acting-is-a-form-of-deception-and-actors-can-mesmerize-themselves/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Her cooking suggested she had attended the Cordon Noir.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/her-cooking-suggested-she-had-attended-the-cordon-noir/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [“The purpose of life is not to be happy—but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-purpose-of-life-is-not-to-be-happy-but-to-matter-to-be-productive/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [For some not to be martyrs is martyrdom indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/for-some-not-to-be-martyrs-is-martyrdom-indeed/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [“Anybody who hates dogs and babies can't be all bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/anybody-who-hates-dogs-and-babies-can-t-be-all-bad/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [O, to be sure, we laugh less and play less and wear uncomfortable disguises like adults, but beneath the costume is the child we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/o-to-be-sure-we-laugh-less-and-play-less-and-wear-uncomfortable/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Where was it ever promised us that life on this earth can ever be easy, free from conflict and uncertainty, devoid of anguish and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/where-was-it-ever-promised-us-that-life-on-this-earth-can-ever-be/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [First-rate people hire first-rate people; second-rate people hire third-rate people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/first-rate-people-hire-first-rate-people-second-rate-people-hire/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [The purpose of life is not to be happy, the purpose of life is to matter..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-purpose-of-life-is-not-to-be-happy-the-purpose-of-life-is-to/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) [Explore all 69 Leo Rosten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can't help it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Rosten" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-just-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-just-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/leo-rosten-9943_inspirational_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_1458097.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/leo-rosten-9943_inspirational_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_1458097.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/leo-rosten-9943_inspirational_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_1458097.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can't help it.” — Leo Rosten", "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": "Leo Rosten", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The only reason for being a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-just-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-just-can/#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 } } ] } ```