--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't want to write for pay. I wanted…" description: "\"I didn't want to write for pay. I wanted to be paid for what I write.\" — Leonard Cohen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/leonard-cohen-448_i-write_i-didn-t-want-to-write-for-pay-i-wanted_430749.jpg" --- # I didn't want to write for pay. I wanted to be paid for… ![“I didn't want to write for pay. I wanted to be paid for what I write.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/leonard-cohen-448_i-write_i-didn-t-want-to-write-for-pay-i-wanted_430749.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/leonard-cohen-448_i-write_i-didn-t-want-to-write-for-pay-i-wanted_430749.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/leonard-cohen-448_i-write_i-didn-t-want-to-write-for-pay-i-wanted_430749.jpg) > “I didn't want to write for pay. I wanted to be paid for what I write.” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desires compensation based on the value of one's creative output rather than the act of writing itself. **In simple terms:** Earn for what you produce. Key Takeaway Seek payment tied to impact. Themes creativity value compensation integrity artistic pride Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - freelance writing - contract negotiations - royalty agreements - content creation - publishing contracts Key Concepts economic theory creative labor self-worth Questions to Reflect On - What defines the worth of your writing? - How can you negotiate fair pay? A Different Perspective Market forces may undervalue artistic work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I never wanted to get paid by the hour. If I was going to do more work than another guy, I wanted to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-blum/i-never-wanted-to-get-paid-by-the-hour-if-i-was-going-to-do-more-work/) [Jason Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-blum/) > [\*\*\* wanted to be paid with the only currency that has a surname. PoundsSterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/efiosiugbore-adebayo/wanted-to-be-paid-with-the-only-currency-that-has-a-surname/) [Efiosiugbore Adebayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/efiosiugbore-adebayo/) > [I wanted to get paid to sharpen pencils originally just because I thought it would be fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-wanted-to-get-paid-to-sharpen-pencils-originally-just-because-i/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [To write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers pay within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/to-write-without-pay-until-somebody-offers-pay-if-nobody-offers-pay/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Write without pay until somebody offers to pay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/write-without-pay-until-somebody-offers-to-pay/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Write without pay until someone offers pay. 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Who gets paid to write? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/i-wrote-all-the-time-but-the-idea-of-doing-it-professionally-seemed/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [ I hated the culture \[working in the bank\], I hated the work. I very quickly realized that this wasn't what I wanted to do.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharif-abdel-kouddous/i-hated-the-culture-working-in-the-bank-i-hated-the-work-i-very/) [Sharif Abdel Kouddous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharif-abdel-kouddous/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. 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She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More I write quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [I write about presidents. 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I feel like the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langhorne-slim/some-people-don-t-like-my-songs-because-they-think-they-re-too-simple/) [Langhorne Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langhorne-slim/) > [I'm interested in the eternal soul. That's what I write about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/i-m-interested-in-the-eternal-soul-that-s-what-i-write-about/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [Recently a study proved that working from a larger, less cluttered computer screen increases concentration. I could have told them that. And yes, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/recently-a-study-proved-that-working-from-a-larger-less-cluttered/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [I write at a desk. I have a room of my own where I can have my computer. 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