--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing can't change the world overnight…" description: "\"Writing can't change the world overnight, but writing may have an enormous effect over time, over the long haul.\" — Leslie Marmon Silko" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/leslie-marmon-silko-14967_change_writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight_956526.png" --- # Writing can't change the world overnight, but writing may… ![“Writing can't change the world overnight, but writing may have an enormous effect over time, over the long haul.” quote by Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/leslie-marmon-silko-14967_change_writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight_956526.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/leslie-marmon-silko-14967_change_writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight_956526.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/leslie-marmon-silko-14967_change_writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight_956526.png) > “Writing can't change the world overnight, but writing may have an enormous effect over time, over the long haul.” [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing may not transform society instantly, but its cumulative impact can be profound over time. **In simple terms:** Writing has long‑term influence. Key Takeaway Write consistently for impact. Themes writing patience social change cumulative effect long‑term Mood hopeful determined reflective Type advice inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - activism - education - personal memoir - community projects Key Concepts Narrative power cultural influence slow change Questions to Reflect On - What small writing habits can you start? - How does storytelling affect social change? A Different Perspective Immediate results are rare, requiring perseverance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Effect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effect/) [Enormous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enormous/) [Enormous Effect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enormous-effect-1740419/) [Haul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haul/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long haul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-haul/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over/) [Overnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overnight/) [Overnight Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overnight-writing-1740418/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-change-1740416/) [Writing Enormous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-enormous-1740417/) ## Related quotes > [Writing cant change the world overnight, but writing may have an enormous effect over time, over the long haul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/writing-cant-change-the-world-overnight-but-writing-may-have-an/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [I do identify with Olympic athletes quite a lot because they have to push to reach a certain plateau and some of them go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jordan/i-do-identify-with-olympic-athletes-quite-a-lot-because-they-have-to/) [Lawrence Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jordan/) > [A lot of bands that are great disappear a little bit faster than they used to. They don't get as much support for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/a-lot-of-bands-that-are-great-disappear-a-little-bit-faster-than-they/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [Long-haul trucking. Just roaming the country, alone, with audiobooks and podcasts, sleeping in the back of the cab, showering at gas stations at 4…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-johnson/long-haul-trucking-just-roaming-the-country-alone-with-audiobooks-and/) [Mat Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-johnson/) > [You're either in it for the long haul or you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-gayle/you-re-either-in-it-for-the-long-haul-or-you-re-not/) [Crystal Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-gayle/) > [“It's a long haul bringing up our children to be good; you have to keep doing that — bring them up — and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-erikson/it-s-a-long-haul-bringing-up-our-children-to-be-good-you-have-to-keep/) [Erik Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-erikson/) > [Surveys show that many talented and committed young people are reluctant to enter teaching for the long haul because they think the profession is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/surveys-show-that-many-talented-and-committed-young-people-are/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [No matter how skillful the trading scheme, over the long haul, abnormal returns are sustained only through abnormal exposure to risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/no-matter-how-skillful-the-trading-scheme-over-the-long-haul-abnormal/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [There's a lot of games played, a lot of snaps played over the long haul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-peppers/there-s-a-lot-of-games-played-a-lot-of-snaps-played-over-the-long-haul/) [Julius Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-peppers/) > [Over the long haul I'd say that most directors I've worked with have been pretty sensitive to the quality of the interpreted scenes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/over-the-long-haul-i-d-say-that-most-directors-i-ve-worked-with-have/) [Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/) > [I think when you're a fan of music - at least the way I've been a fan to artists that have really touched me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-when-you-re-a-fan-of-music-at-least-the-way-i-ve-been-a-fan/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [The media wants overnight successes (so they have someone to tear down). Ignore them. Ignore the early adopter critics that never have enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-media-wants-overnight-successes-so-they-have-someone-to-tear-down/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [As you give to fund God's needs, are you forced to trust Him to provide for yours? That's what a growing faith is about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/as-you-give-to-fund-god-s-needs-are-you-forced-to-trust-him-to/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Dieting is long-haul. Many rapid weight loss programs actually only squeeze the water out of you. Just like a wet sponge. But a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/dieting-is-long-haul-many-rapid-weight-loss-programs-actually-only/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) > [We said from the very beginning that we're in this for the long haul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-hanson/we-said-from-the-very-beginning-that-we-re-in-this-for-the-long-haul/) [Isaac Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-hanson/) ## More by Leslie Marmon Silko > [To be able to make up stories has been a great gift to me from my ancestors and from the storytellers who were so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/to-be-able-to-make-up-stories-has-been-a-great-gift-to-me-from-my/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [“rip the tongue from the darkness shake the earth with your breathing and explode gray ice dreams of eternity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/rip-the-tongue-from-the-darkness-shake-the-earth-with-your-breathing/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [He made a story for all of them, a story to give them strength. The words of the story poured out of his mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/he-made-a-story-for-all-of-them-a-story-to-give-them-strength-the/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [The truth of course was otherwise, but Lecha had never felt she owed anyone the truth, unless it was truth about their own lives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/the-truth-of-course-was-otherwise-but-lecha-had-never-felt-she-owed/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [“He could get no rest as long as the memories were tangled with the present”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/he-could-get-no-rest-as-long-as-the-memories-were-tangled-with-the/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [The story was the important thing and little changes here and there were really part of the story. There were even stories about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/the-story-was-the-important-thing-and-little-changes-here-and-there/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [You don't have anything if you don't have the stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/you-don-t-have-anything-if-you-don-t-have-the-stories/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [Being alive was all right then: he had not breathed like that for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/being-alive-was-all-right-then-he-had-not-breathed-like-that-for-a/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [I don't make outlines or plans because whenever I do, they turn out to be useless. It is as if I am compelled to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/i-don-t-make-outlines-or-plans-because-whenever-i-do-they-turn-out-to/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [What is it about us human beings that we can’t let go of lost things?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/what-is-it-about-us-human-beings-that-we-can-t-let-go-of-lost-things/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [The only way to get change is not through the courts or — heaven forbid — the politicians, but through a change of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/the-only-way-to-get-change-is-not-through-the-courts-or-heaven-forbid/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [Night. Heavenly delicious sweet night of the desert that calls all of us to love her. The night is our comfort with her coolness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/night-heavenly-delicious-sweet-night-of-the-desert-that-calls-all-of/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [Writing cant change the world overnight, but writing may have an enormous effect over time, over the long haul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/writing-cant-change-the-world-overnight-but-writing-may-have-an/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [Things which don't shift and grow are dead things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/things-which-don-t-shift-and-grow-are-dead-things/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [“I will tell you something about stories. They aren't just entertainment. They are all we have to fight off illness and death. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/i-will-tell-you-something-about-stories-they-aren-t-just/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) [Explore all 44 Leslie Marmon Silko quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [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/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing can't change the world overnight, but writing may have an enormous effect over time, over the long haul.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leslie Marmon Silko" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight-but-writing-may-have-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight-but-writing-may-have-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/leslie-marmon-silko-14967_change_writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight_956526.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/leslie-marmon-silko-14967_change_writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight_956526.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/leslie-marmon-silko-14967_change_writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight_956526.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Writing can't change the world overnight, but writing may have an enormous effect over time, over the long…” — Leslie Marmon Silko", "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": "Leslie Marmon Silko", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Writing can't change the world overnight,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight-but-writing-may-have-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/writing-can-t-change-the-world-overnight-but-writing-may-have-an/#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 } } ] } ```