--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any writer who believes in the 'lucky…" description: "\"Any writer who believes in the 'lucky creative accident' in writing is pushing elephants on roller skates up greased ramps.\" — Leonard Bishop" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/leonard-bishop-55477_accidents_any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-cre_1472287.png" --- # Any writer who believes in the 'lucky creative accident'… ![“Any writer who believes in the 'lucky creative accident' in writing is pushing elephants on roller skates up greased ramps.” quote by Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/leonard-bishop-55477_accidents_any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-cre_1472287.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/leonard-bishop-55477_accidents_any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-cre_1472287.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/leonard-bishop-55477_accidents_any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-cre_1472287.png) > “Any writer who believes in the 'lucky creative accident' in writing is pushing elephants on roller skates up greased ramps.” [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on random luck in writing is as futile as trying to move elephants on slippery skates. **In simple terms:** Luck alone won’t create good writing. Key Takeaway Cultivate disciplined practice over hoping for accidents. Themes creativity discipline myth effort writing Mood determined realistic inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - author workshops - daily writing routines - creative brainstorming - skill development Key Concepts creative process mythbusting work ethic Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance preparation with openness to unexpected ideas? - Can disciplined effort ever fully replace inspiration? A Different Perspective The metaphor may be too extreme, ignoring serendipity’s role. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Elephants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephants/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“If a writer believes that women do nothing, then he will have to fantasize about their lives to make a good story. If a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/if-a-writer-believes-that-women-do-nothing-then-he-will-have-to/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [Science fiction is really sociological studies of the future, things that the writer believes are going to happen by putting two and two together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/science-fiction-is-really-sociological-studies-of-the-future-things/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Don't hedge your prose with little timidities. Good writing is lean and confident. . . . Every little qualifier whittles away some fraction of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/don-t-hedge-your-prose-with-little-timidities-good-writing-is-lean/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [“An old fashioned outfit is not a costume, it's a comedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-old-fashioned-outfit-is-not-a-costume-it-s-a-comedy/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Better ramp up your virtual relationships. Companies think omni channel is the correct answer. This is not enough. The information explosion for consumers makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-silverstein/better-ramp-up-your-virtual-relationships-companies-think-omni/) [Michael J. Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-silverstein/) > [ Even when you go up ramp, and you think about \[Franklin D. Roosevelt\] wheeling himself up, you know, got a little cigarette holder in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/even-when-you-go-up-ramp-and-you-think-about-franklin-d-roosevelt/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A lot of the biking sequences in the beginning, like going down the steps and over the ramp, I of course didn't do any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-d-linz/a-lot-of-the-biking-sequences-in-the-beginning-like-going-down-the/) [Alex D. Linz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-d-linz/) > [When you're a short actor you stand on apple boxes, you walk on a ramp. When you're a short star everybody else walks in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/when-you-re-a-short-actor-you-stand-on-apple-boxes-you-walk-on-a-ramp/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [I love being photographed, I love the ramp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nafisa-joseph/i-love-being-photographed-i-love-the-ramp/) [Nafisa Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nafisa-joseph/) > [Ramp skating has become the most popular televised form of skating because they can constrain it. They can judge it based on what's happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-deitch/ramp-skating-has-become-the-most-popular-televised-form-of-skating/) [Jeffrey Deitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-deitch/) > [Surrender. That's an interesting term. We tend to see all forms of surrender as negative--war, sports, highway on-ramps. You'd never hear us describing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-wisner/surrender-that-s-an-interesting-term-we-tend-to-see-all-forms-of/) [Franz Wisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-wisner/) > [I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts to domestic and defense spending. There will be no easy off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-will-veto-any-effort-to-get-rid-of-those-automatic-spending-cuts-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Best hope for what, Catman? Death? Bankruptcy? You know, my life was going along…well, rather crappily, to be honest, but at least no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/best-hope-for-what-catman-death-bankruptcy-you-know-my-life-was-going/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [ The real leadership of the opposition is never, ever gonna do anything but continue to ramp up efforts to stop \[Donald\] Trump or destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-real-leadership-of-the-opposition-is-never-ever-gonna-do-anything/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Leonard Bishop > [Great writers zealously learn the craft of their profession so they can release the power and the depth of their imagination and experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/great-writers-zealously-learn-the-craft-of-their-profession-so-they/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) > [The only valid reason to use clichés is in the speech of a character. Cliches are indications of sloppy writing. The writer does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/the-only-valid-reason-to-use-clich-s-is-in-the-speech-of-a-character/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) > [Unless a writer lives with a periodic delusion of his greatness, he will not continue writing. He must believe, against all reason and evidence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/unless-a-writer-lives-with-a-periodic-delusion-of-his-greatness-he/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) > [Insights and perceptions pass through the mind like fleet fireflies. Lit for an instant, then gone back into the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/insights-and-perceptions-pass-through-the-mind-like-fleet-fireflies/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) > [Writing is done by someone. It is not, like some mythical goddess, a skill that springs forth, full grown from the genes of inspiration...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/writing-is-done-by-someone-it-is-not-like-some-mythical-goddess-a/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) [Explore all 6 Leonard Bishop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any writer who believes in the 'lucky creative accident' in writing is pushing elephants on roller skates up greased ramps.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonard Bishop" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-creative-accident-in-writing-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accidents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-creative-accident-in-writing-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/leonard-bishop-55477_accidents_any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-cre_1472287.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/leonard-bishop-55477_accidents_any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-cre_1472287.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/leonard-bishop-55477_accidents_any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-cre_1472287.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Any writer who believes in the 'lucky creative accident' in writing is pushing elephants on roller skates up…” — Leonard Bishop", "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": "Leonard Bishop", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Any writer who believes in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-creative-accident-in-writing-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/any-writer-who-believes-in-the-lucky-creative-accident-in-writing-is/#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 } } ] } ```