--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always thought that writing isn't…" description: "\"I've always thought that writing isn't really that hard. It's having a good idea that's hard.\" — Lyle Lovett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/lyle-lovett-8466_always_i-ve-always-thought-that-writing-isn-t-r_2527366.jpg" --- # I've always thought that writing isn't really that hard… ![“I've always thought that writing isn't really that hard. It's having a good idea that's hard.” quote by Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/lyle-lovett-8466_always_i-ve-always-thought-that-writing-isn-t-r_2527366.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/lyle-lovett-8466_always_i-ve-always-thought-that-writing-isn-t-r_2527366.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/lyle-lovett-8466_always_i-ve-always-thought-that-writing-isn-t-r_2527366.jpg) > “I've always thought that writing isn't really that hard. It's having a good idea that's hard.” [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing is easy; generating compelling ideas is the real challenge. **In simple terms:** Ideas are harder than writing. Key Takeaway Focus on idea generation. Themes creativity writing ideas Mood reflective inquisitive Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - authoring - brainstorming Key Concepts Idea generation creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate stronger ideas? - What habits improve idea flow? A Different Perspective Ideas may still be vague or unoriginal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-idea/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-having-543795/) [Idea Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-hard-1051380/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Thought Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-writing-470061/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-isn/) ## Related quotes > [You have no idea how hard it is to force myself to stop thinking about you sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnneil-bertrand/you-have-no-idea-how-hard-it-is-to-force-myself-to-stop-thinking/) [Johnneil Bertrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnneil-bertrand/) > [It's easy to have a complicated idea. It's very hard to have a simple idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carver-mead/it-s-easy-to-have-a-complicated-idea-it-s-very-hard-to-have-a-simple/) [Carver Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carver-mead/) > [If a person has never given writing a try, they assume that a brilliant idea is hard to come by. But really, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-a-person-has-never-given-writing-a-try-they-assume-that-a/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [I was raised with this idea of hard work and keeping doors open. To be able to choose what you want to do in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-nusslein-volhard/i-was-raised-with-this-idea-of-hard-work-and-keeping-doors-open-to-be/) [Christiane Nusslein-Volhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-nusslein-volhard/) > [An original idea. That can't be too hard. The library must be full of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/an-original-idea-that-can-t-be-too-hard-the-library-must-be-full-of/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [You really have no idea how hard it is to force myself to stop thinking about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-really-have-no-idea-how-hard-it-is-to-force-myself-to-stop/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ideas are easy. I've never met a single person who didn't think they had a world class idea. The hard part is making it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/ideas-are-easy-i-ve-never-met-a-single-person-who-didn-t-think-they/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [The idea that you're hard to love is ludicrous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/the-idea-that-you-re-hard-to-love-is-ludicrous/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Spreading an idea is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/spreading-an-idea-is-hard-work/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [If we have come up with a creative decision and somebody comes up with another idea, you do have to get into the depths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-lewis/if-we-have-come-up-with-a-creative-decision-and-somebody-comes-up/) [Brad Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-lewis/) > [You have no idea how hard it is to force myself to stop thinking about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-no-idea-how-hard-it-is-to-force-myself-to-stop-thinking-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you will just start with the idea that this is a hard world, it will all be much simpler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/if-you-will-just-start-with-the-idea-that-this-is-a-hard-world-it/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [“Honey, anything can be hard - having a husband gone all the time, or underfoot all the time, or no husband, or … whatever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-woodsmall/honey-anything-can-be-hard-having-a-husband-gone-all-the-time-or/) [Cindy Woodsmall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-woodsmall/) > [“Discovering what you want out of life is hard, having the courage to full fill it is even harder!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-kingsmore/discovering-what-you-want-out-of-life-is-hard-having-the-courage-to/) [Stephanie Kingsmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-kingsmore/) > [Its hard having a boy best friend. why? because you never really know if you're in love with them or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-hard-having-a-boy-best-friend-why-because-you-never-really-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lyle Lovett > [Helen Hunt is terrific, and I got to do a couple of guest spots with Helen and Paul Reiser on 'Mad About You.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/helen-hunt-is-terrific-and-i-got-to-do-a-couple-of-guest-spots-with/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [In school, I didn't speak up often in class. I was never the person to yell out an answer. If I knew it, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/in-school-i-didn-t-speak-up-often-in-class-i-was-never-the-person-to/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [Tipping your hat to a lady is good form. If you're at a dinner table, you'd most certainly take your hat off - cowboy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/tipping-your-hat-to-a-lady-is-good-form-if-you-re-at-a-dinner-table/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [The idea that we humans are good-natured, politically correct, nonjudgmental beings is pure fantasy. We are, at the very least, judgmental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/the-idea-that-we-humans-are-good-natured-politically-correct/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [Horses teach you patience and how to do things the right way so you can get the right result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/horses-teach-you-patience-and-how-to-do-things-the-right-way-so-you/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [Somehow you can tell the difference when a song is written just to get on the radio and when what someone does is their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/somehow-you-can-tell-the-difference-when-a-song-is-written-just-to/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [She was ugly from the front, and I said ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly. Well, I could handle it behind her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/she-was-ugly-from-the-front-and-i-said-ugly-ugly-ugly-ugly-ugly-well/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [Kemo Sabe, kiss my ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/kemo-sabe-kiss-my-ass/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [When you have a solid upbringing and a strong sense of place, that sustains you. My sense of home never leaves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/when-you-have-a-solid-upbringing-and-a-strong-sense-of-place-that/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [If you forget the words to your own song, you can always claim artistic license. Forget the words to the national anthem and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/if-you-forget-the-words-to-your-own-song-you-can-always-claim/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [I married her just because she looks like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/i-married-her-just-because-she-looks-like-you/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [You're saying something with your appearance whether you mean to or not, so you may as well mean to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/you-re-saying-something-with-your-appearance-whether-you-mean-to-or/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [My parents worked for Exxon, and they gave me every chance to take part in music. I took guitar lessons, and I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/my-parents-worked-for-exxon-and-they-gave-me-every-chance-to-take/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [The first time I toured with the 'Large Band' in 1988, I got so tired. If I just stood still anywhere, I could go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/the-first-time-i-toured-with-the-large-band-in-1988-i-got-so-tired-if/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [You don't have to have anything in common with people you've known since you were five. With old friends, you've got your whole life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/you-don-t-have-to-have-anything-in-common-with-people-you-ve-known/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) [Explore all 80 Lyle Lovett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always thought that writing isn't really that hard. 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