--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot write a speech. The pen is an…" description: "\"I cannot write a speech. The pen is an extinguisher upon my mind and a torture to my nerves. I am the most habitual extemporaneous speaker that I have ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lam_am_i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-ex_1164225.jpg" --- # I cannot write a speech. The pen is an extinguisher upon… ![“I cannot write a speech. The pen is an extinguisher upon my mind and a torture to my nerves. I am the most habitual extemporaneous speaker that I have ever known.” quote by Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lam_am_i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-ex_1164225.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lam_am_i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-ex_1164225.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lam_am_i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-ex_1164225.jpg) > “I cannot write a speech. The pen is an extinguisher upon my mind and a torture to my nerves. I am the most habitual extemporaneous speaker that I have ever known.” [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author feels writing is a mental block, causing anxiety and making spontaneous speaking their default. **In simple terms:** Writing feels like mental torture; speaking feels natural. Key Takeaway Embrace spontaneous speaking, seek low‑pressure writing methods. Themes anxiety creativity spontaneity Mood frustrated reflective Type personal confessional When to use this quote - public speaking - writing projects - creative brainstorming Key Concepts mental block self‑criticism habit formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you reduce anxiety when writing? - What low‑pressure writing habits could you try? A Different Perspective Writing may still be essential for complex ideas despite discomfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/am/) [Cannot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannot/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ever/) [Extemporaneous Speaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extemporaneous-speaker-3346047/) [Habitual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitual/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Nerves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerves/) [Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pen/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Speaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaker/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speech Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech-pen-3346046/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-speech-1653962/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You never write a speech in advance because if you don't get to use it, you'll be heartbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/you-never-write-a-speech-in-advance-because-if-you-don-t-get-to-use/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [Events don't happen because I write a speech. I am allowed to write a speech because events are going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/events-don-t-happen-because-i-write-a-speech-i-am-allowed-to-write-a/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Wilson was once asked how long it took him to write a speech. He answered, 'That depends. If I am to speak 10 minutes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wilson-was-once-asked-how-long-it-took-him-to-write-a-speech-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A leader whose speech is prepared by others is not a leader; he is just an empty and stupid bottle! Use your own ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-leader-whose-speech-is-prepared-by-others-is-not-a-leader-he-is/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I've discovered I prefer to prepare a few notes or actually write the speech so I can really hone it down to hopefully be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-rush/i-ve-discovered-i-prefer-to-prepare-a-few-notes-or-actually-write-the/) [Geoffrey Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-rush/) > [I didn't write my speech until the night before, and even then I refused to write it out like I would say it, preferring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-didn-t-write-my-speech-until-the-night-before-and-even-then-i/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [When I can find a story that explores something that I don't know what I think, I've got a play. If I knew the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bartlett/when-i-can-find-a-story-that-explores-something-that-i-don-t-know/) [Mike Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bartlett/) > [Every writer has to write his speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/every-writer-has-to-write-his-speech/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I have learned that it is far easier to write a speech about good advertising than it is to write a good ad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/i-have-learned-that-it-is-far-easier-to-write-a-speech-about-good/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [“I would rather live short and right then long and wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-warren/i-would-rather-live-short-and-right-then-long-and-wrong/) [John Paul Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-warren/) > [Obama's a great speaker. Because of his speaking ability and his appearance, a lot of guys got on board. Being the first African American,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/obama-s-a-great-speaker-because-of-his-speaking-ability-and-his/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [Most men are blinded by the words Bad Bitches and end up settling for less!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surgeo-bell/most-men-are-blinded-by-the-words-bad-bitches-and-end-up-settling-for/) [Surgeo Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surgeo-bell/) > [Paul Ryan needs to step down as Speaker of the House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanine-pirro/paul-ryan-needs-to-step-down-as-speaker-of-the-house/) [Jeanine Pirro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanine-pirro/) > [Mr. Speaker, for the last 5 years I have been working with a bipartisan group of my colleagues to make it illegal to continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-blumenauer/mr-speaker-for-the-last-5-years-i-have-been-working-with-a-bipartisan/) [Earl Blumenauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-blumenauer/) > [Free speech has a very small constituency on the modern campus, particularly if the speaker under attack is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/free-speech-has-a-very-small-constituency-on-the-modern-campus/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) ## More by Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II > [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [The center of all my enjoyments is the home wherein are my wife and children, and I have no wish to wander out from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/the-center-of-all-my-enjoyments-is-the-home-wherein-are-my-wife-and/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [I think it eminently proper that a president should retire from active politics, and equally proper that he should be able to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-think-it-eminently-proper-that-a-president-should-retire-from/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [I formed, in early life, two purposes to which I have inflexibly adhered, under some very strong pressure from warm personal friends. They were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-formed-in-early-life-two-purposes-to-which-i-have-inflexibly/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [The very first act of the Confederate Government was to send commissioners to Washington to make terms of peace, and to establish relations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/the-very-first-act-of-the-confederate-government-was-to-send/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [The nations of Europe constitute a federative league, a commonwealth of nations which, though it has no central head, is so intimate and elaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/the-nations-of-europe-constitute-a-federative-league-a-commonwealth/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [It is a law woven into the nature of man, attested by history, by science, by literature and art, and by dally experience, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/it-is-a-law-woven-into-the-nature-of-man-attested-by-history-by/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [When a nation has just emerged from the throes of a great civil warfare, where section was arrayed against section, class against class, two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/when-a-nation-has-just-emerged-from-the-throes-of-a-great-civil/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) [Explore all 9 Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) ## More Am quotes > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [I am strongly opposed to any form of amnesty, including, especially, executive amnesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/i-am-strongly-opposed-to-any-form-of-amnesty-including-especially/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [I won't be managing the Mets. I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [I know who I am. I know what I represent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cora/i-know-who-i-am-i-know-what-i-represent/) [Alex Cora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cora/) > [I am fortunate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-am-fortunate/) [Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Acting is what I do with who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-walter/acting-is-what-i-do-with-who-i-am/) [Harriet Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-walter/) > [I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-am-a-big-outliner-for-my-adult-book-the-visibles-i-did-not-outline/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) [Browse all 9,589 Am quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/am/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I cannot write a speech. The pen is an extinguisher upon my mind and a torture to my nerves. I am the most habitual extemporaneous speaker that I have ever known.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-extinguisher-upon-my-mind-and-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Am" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-extinguisher-upon-my-mind-and-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lam_am_i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-ex_1164225.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lam_am_i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-ex_1164225.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lam_am_i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-ex_1164225.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I cannot write a speech. The pen is an extinguisher upon my mind and a torture to my nerves. I am the most…” — Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II", "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": "Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I cannot write a speech. The...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-extinguisher-upon-my-mind-and-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-cannot-write-a-speech-the-pen-is-an-extinguisher-upon-my-mind-and-a/#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 } } ] } ```