--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The creative act is like writing a…" description: "\"The creative act is like writing a letter. A letter is a project; you don't sit down to write a letter unless you know what you want to say and to whom..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/lukas-foss-18490_creative_the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-lette_3018752.png" --- # The creative act is like writing a letter. A letter is a… ![“The creative act is like writing a letter. A letter is a project; you don't sit down to write a letter unless you know what you want to say and to whom you want to say it.” quote by Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/lukas-foss-18490_creative_the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-lette_3018752.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/lukas-foss-18490_creative_the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-lette_3018752.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/lukas-foss-18490_creative_the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-lette_3018752.png) > “The creative act is like writing a letter. A letter is a project; you don't sit down to write a letter unless you know what you want to say and to whom you want to say it.” [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a letter requires clear purpose and audience, mirroring the disciplined nature of creation. **In simple terms:** Creative work needs intent and recipient. Key Takeaway Define purpose before creating. Themes creativity purpose audience Mood thoughtful instructive Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - authoring books - marketing campaigns - personal letters Key Concepts writing artistic discipline communication Questions to Reflect On - Who is your intended audience? - What message must you convey? A Different Perspective Lack of clarity can waste effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-act/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing A Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-a-letter/) ## Related quotes > [To me, making a tape is like writing a letter – there's a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again, and I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/to-me-making-a-tape-is-like-writing-a-letter-there-s-a-lot-of-erasing/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [I wouldn't underestimate the power of writing a letter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-alison/i-wouldn-t-underestimate-the-power-of-writing-a-letter/) [Jane Alison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-alison/) > [I have always been a letter writer, and I found when my numbers got over half a million, I couldn't think about how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/i-have-always-been-a-letter-writer-and-i-found-when-my-numbers-got/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [“Does it help?” he asks. “The e-mailing.” She nods. “A tiny bit. It’s strange. You’re writing a letter to someone who’s never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/does-it-help-he-asks-the-e-mailing-she-nods-a-tiny-bit-it-s-strange/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [It's been said that happiness writes white. It doesn't show up on the page. When you're on holiday and writing a letter home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/it-s-been-said-that-happiness-writes-white-it-doesn-t-show-up-on-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [When I'm really involved or getting towards the end of a novel, I can write for up to ten hours a day. At those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/when-i-m-really-involved-or-getting-towards-the-end-of-a-novel-i-can/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [When one is writing a letter, he should think that the recipient will make it into a hanging scroll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/when-one-is-writing-a-letter-he-should-think-that-the-recipient-will/) [Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/) > [A man writing a letter is a man in the act of thinking, and it was an exercise Reagan obviously enjoyed. After his first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/a-man-writing-a-letter-is-a-man-in-the-act-of-thinking-and-it-was-an/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [I think e-mail is kind of a cheap way to communicate. It's a lazy way of writing a letter, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-manning/i-think-e-mail-is-kind-of-a-cheap-way-to-communicate-it-s-a-lazy-way/) [Peyton Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-manning/) > [Darling, You asked me to write you a letter, so I am writing you a letter. I do not know why I am writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/darling-you-asked-me-to-write-you-a-letter-so-i-am-writing-you-a/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Reading, like writing, is a creative act. If readers only bring a narrow range of themselves to the book, then they'll only see their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/reading-like-writing-is-a-creative-act-if-readers-only-bring-a-narrow/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [And here I am, instead of there. I'm sitting in this library, thousands of miles from my life, writing another letter I know I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/and-here-i-am-instead-of-there-i-m-sitting-in-this-library-thousands/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I care what my reader thinks. There is no fancy recommendation you can give me that would matter to me as much as Mary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/i-care-what-my-reader-thinks-there-is-no-fancy-recommendation-you-can/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) > [“Writing this letter is like putting a note in a bottle— And hoping It will reach Japan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/writing-this-letter-is-like-putting-a-note-in-a-bottle-and-hoping-it/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“...but for the Girl Writing A Letter these things don't matter, she's got a beer in her free hand, she's on the road, she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carpenter/but-for-the-girl-writing-a-letter-these-things-don-t-matter-she-s-got/) William Carpenter ## More by Lukas Foss > [It is the element I miss in electronic music - no performance, no loving immersion. Maybe that is why I was never particularly drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/it-is-the-element-i-miss-in-electronic-music-no-performance-no-loving/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [That is why the analogy of stealing does not work. With a thief, we want to know how much money he or she stole,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/that-is-why-the-analogy-of-stealing-does-not-work-with-a-thief-we/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [Since age seven, I've been composing and have never stopped composing, yet, the creative process is as elusive to me as it has ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/since-age-seven-i-ve-been-composing-and-have-never-stopped-composing/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [In the nineteenth century the more grandiose word inspiration began to replace the word idea in the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/in-the-nineteenth-century-the-more-grandiose-word-inspiration-began/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [If one uses music that one does not really love, then one will not succeed in making it one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/if-one-uses-music-that-one-does-not-really-love-then-one-will-not/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [I still do not know where the notes will come from when I accept a commission for a new work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/i-still-do-not-know-where-the-notes-will-come-from-when-i-accept-a/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [Yes, influences are enriching, and they can be found in every work of art, even the most original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/yes-influences-are-enriching-and-they-can-be-found-in-every-work-of/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [Boulez's only concern is with power. He lost the leadership of the avant-guard more than ten years ago to Stockhausen. Now others have moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/boulez-s-only-concern-is-with-power-he-lost-the-leadership-of-the/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [My students frequently ask what their next project should be. My advice: immerse yourself in the music you love and you will find what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/my-students-frequently-ask-what-their-next-project-should-be-my/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [As I sit down and start to work, I often panic. I stare at the empty piece of music paper. How can I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/as-i-sit-down-and-start-to-work-i-often-panic-i-stare-at-the-empty/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [To understand Mozart's contradictory qualities would indeed be to understand genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/to-understand-mozart-s-contradictory-qualities-would-indeed-be-to/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [To come to grips with creativity, I must ask creative, adventurous questions - the kind which, in all likelihood, cannot be answered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/to-come-to-grips-with-creativity-i-must-ask-creative-adventurous/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [Composing is like making love to the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/composing-is-like-making-love-to-the-future/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [Most people think an artist tries to be original, but originality is the last thing that develops in the artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/most-people-think-an-artist-tries-to-be-original-but-originality-is/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [I don't dare postulate about science, but I know that it takes both emotion and intellect in order for art to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/i-don-t-dare-postulate-about-science-but-i-know-that-it-takes-both/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) [Explore all 34 Lukas Foss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The creative act is like writing a letter. A letter is a project; you don't sit down to write a letter unless you know what you want to say and to whom you want to say it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lukas Foss" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-letter-a-letter-is-a-project-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-letter-a-letter-is-a-project-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/lukas-foss-18490_creative_the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-lette_3018752.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/lukas-foss-18490_creative_the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-lette_3018752.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/lukas-foss-18490_creative_the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-lette_3018752.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The creative act is like writing a letter. A letter is a project; you don't sit down to write a letter…” — Lukas Foss", "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": "Lukas Foss", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The creative act is like writing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-letter-a-letter-is-a-project-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/the-creative-act-is-like-writing-a-letter-a-letter-is-a-project-you/#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 } } ] } ```