--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're going to be a writer, the first…" description: "\"If you're going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and the ideas will come. You hav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/louis-l-amour-876_essentials_if-you-re-going-to-be-a-writer-the-first_2779613.jpg" --- # If you're going to be a writer, the first essential is… ![“If you're going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and the ideas will come. You have to turn the faucet on before the water starts to flow.” quote by Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/louis-l-amour-876_essentials_if-you-re-going-to-be-a-writer-the-first_2779613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/louis-l-amour-876_essentials_if-you-re-going-to-be-a-writer-the-first_2779613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/louis-l-amour-876_essentials_if-you-re-going-to-be-a-writer-the-first_2779613.jpg) > “If you're going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and the ideas will come. You have to turn the faucet on before the water starts to flow.” [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing regularly sparks ideas; action precedes inspiration. **In simple terms:** Write first, ideas follow. Key Takeaway Start writing now. Themes creativity discipline productivity Mood motivational practical Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - novel drafting - blog posts - screenplays Key Concepts Writing process Idea generation Questions to Reflect On - What small writing habit can you adopt? - How does daily writing improve skill? A Different Perspective Ideas may still stall without quality effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Stand-up isn't something I just sit down and start writing - it's ideas you come up with in the shower, while you're driving, waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/stand-up-isn-t-something-i-just-sit-down-and-start-writing-it-s-ideas/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [Learn a lot about the world and finish things, even if it is just a short story. Finish it before you start something else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tad-williams/learn-a-lot-about-the-world-and-finish-things-even-if-it-is-just-a/) [Tad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tad-williams/) > [Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/start-writing-no-matter-what-the-water-does-not-flow-until-the-faucet/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [I was always writing - whether it's ideas, poems, whatever - because we spent so much time in the car traveling from city to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickie-james/i-was-always-writing-whether-it-s-ideas-poems-whatever-because-we/) [Mickie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickie-james/) > [Style matters, but the real force of writing is ideas, not style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brunt/style-matters-but-the-real-force-of-writing-is-ideas-not-style/) [Douglas Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brunt/) > [There's so much writing I could have done and so many ideas that I had and so many things I wanted to work on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/there-s-so-much-writing-i-could-have-done-and-so-many-ideas-that-i/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [I'm always writing ideas down and then I stick em in my pocket and put em in that folder so I don't lose them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-williams/i-m-always-writing-ideas-down-and-then-i-stick-em-in-my-pocket-and/) [Lucinda Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-williams/) > [The hardest part of writing is not to get the ideas but to remember, why it is important to get them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/the-hardest-part-of-writing-is-not-to-get-the-ideas-but-to-remember/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [If you look around at the news industry, there are more and more sites clamoring for that kind of writing, whether it's an Ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-carmody/if-you-look-around-at-the-news-industry-there-are-more-and-more-sites/) Tim Carmody > [I was constantly in the studio at my home writing ideas that would later become 'Hotel California' or 'Victim of Love.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-felder/i-was-constantly-in-the-studio-at-my-home-writing-ideas-that-would/) [Don Felder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-felder/) > [Writing is for stories to be read, books to be published, poems to be recited, plays to be acted, songs to be sung, newspapers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/writing-is-for-stories-to-be-read-books-to-be-published-poems-to-be/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [Ideas mostly come from the work itself. Often when I'm drawing, the words will be bouncing around in my head, and when I'm writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-rae-perkins/ideas-mostly-come-from-the-work-itself-often-when-i-m-drawing-the/) [Lynne Rae Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-rae-perkins/) > [I draw inspiration from many different places - my own life and other media that I absorb - TV, films, books, and other songs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-peters/i-draw-inspiration-from-many-different-places-my-own-life-and-other/) [Maisie Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-peters/) > [In fiction writing ideas have to be handled extremely carefully. You can't let your characters just be mouthpieces for your ideas. They have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-fiction-writing-ideas-have-to-be-handled-extremely-carefully-you/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [When I'm writing, those ideas are seldom inspired by music itself. I won't often listen to an artist and come up with an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/when-i-m-writing-those-ideas-are-seldom-inspired-by-music-itself-i/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) ## More by Louis L'Amour > [“If you play games with men,” he replied, “you’ll play by men’s rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/if-you-play-games-with-men-he-replied-you-ll-play-by-men-s-rules/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [He never knew when he was whipped ... So he never was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/he-never-knew-when-he-was-whipped-so-he-never-was/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“It is through wonder that we come to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/it-is-through-wonder-that-we-come-to-know/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [We are, finally, all wanderers in search of knowledge. Most of us hold the dream of becoming something better than we are, something larger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-are-finally-all-wanderers-in-search-of-knowledge-most-of-us-hold/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Much of command is the ability to take command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/much-of-command-is-the-ability-to-take-command/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Out here you better have a gun, and a gun in the wagon ain't good for nothin'. I believe what the old Quaker said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/out-here-you-better-have-a-gun-and-a-gun-in-the-wagon-ain-t-good-for/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“he had been so right, and she hated him for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/he-had-been-so-right-and-she-hated-him-for-it/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“I will go with you, and when you make your camp, I will cook your meat, and when you wish to sleep, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/i-will-go-with-you-and-when-you-make-your-camp-i-will-cook-your-meat/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Men strive for peace, but it is their enemies that give them strength, and I think if man no longer had enemies, he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/men-strive-for-peace-but-it-is-their-enemies-that-give-them-strength/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. Yet that will be the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/there-will-come-a-time-when-you-believe-everything-is-finished-yet/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Destarte! How musical! What does it mean?” “You can’t say it except in Mescalero. It means Morning, but that isn’t what it means, either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/destarte-how-musical-what-does-it-mean-you-can-t-say-it-except-in/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [You can't fight the desert... you have to ride with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/you-can-t-fight-the-desert-you-have-to-ride-with-it/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Must one seek something? I seek to be seeking, as I learn to be learning. Each book is an adventure as is each day’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/must-one-seek-something-i-seek-to-be-seeking-as-i-learn-to-be/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [A man in his life may have many teachers, some most unexpected. The question lies with the man himself: Will he learn from them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/a-man-in-his-life-may-have-many-teachers-some-most-unexpected-the/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Like I say, I killed a man or two but I'm no thief. My ma raised me better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/like-i-say-i-killed-a-man-or-two-but-i-m-no-thief-my-ma-raised-me/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) [Explore all 337 Louis L'Amour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) ## More Essentials quotes > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [History is, in its essentials, the science of change. 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Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The rights essential to happiness. . . . We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings and Lord of all the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-rights-essential-to-happiness-we-claim-them-from-a-higher-source/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [They are the gateway for our modern esthetic development, the prophets of the new time. They are most of all, the primitives of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/they-are-the-gateway-for-our-modern-esthetic-development-the-prophets/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [Intellectual methods-study and reason-are essential to our progress toward eternal life, but they are not sufficient. They can prepare the way. They can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/intellectual-methods-study-and-reason-are-essential-to-our-progress/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [It is essential for world peace that the world religions make peace with each other. If they don't, we can hardly expect the nations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/it-is-essential-for-world-peace-that-the-world-religions-make-peace/) [Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/) > [ I don't think anybody can be a success who doesn't like what they do. \[But it's\] no job if it has no challenge; there's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-be-a-success-who-doesn-t-like-what-they-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [I believe it is essential for our planetary future to develop tools that can change the consciousness which has created the crisis that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislav-grof/i-believe-it-is-essential-for-our-planetary-future-to-develop-tools/) [Stanislav Grof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislav-grof/) > [It's essential that we learn how to defend the Bible and the Christian faith for our sake and our children's. If we don't, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/it-s-essential-that-we-learn-how-to-defend-the-bible-and-the/) [Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/) Browse all 3,407 Essentials quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you're going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and the ideas will come. 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