--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Teaching other people to write is not…" description: "\"Teaching other people to write is not something I can do. The only kind of advice I can give them will be trite by its nature. Of course, read a lot, w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/margaret-atwood-40_advice_teaching-other-people-to-write-is-not-so_1870238.jpg" --- # Teaching other people to write is not something I can do… ![“Teaching other people to write is not something I can do. The only kind of advice I can give them will be trite by its nature. Of course, read a lot, write a lot. The kind of advice I wish I had been given is all of a practical nature, having to do with publishers and agents.” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/margaret-atwood-40_advice_teaching-other-people-to-write-is-not-so_1870238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/margaret-atwood-40_advice_teaching-other-people-to-write-is-not-so_1870238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/margaret-atwood-40_advice_teaching-other-people-to-write-is-not-so_1870238.jpg) > “Teaching other people to write is not something I can do. The only kind of advice I can give them will be trite by its nature. Of course, read a lot, write a lot. The kind of advice I wish I had been given is all of a practical nature, having to do with publishers and agents.” [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Teaching writing is limited by lack of practical publishing advice; advice often feels generic. **In simple terms:** Writing advice is often generic, lacking real publishing tips. Key Takeaway Seek concrete publishing guidance. Themes writing publishing mentorship Mood reflective inquisitive Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - author workshops - self‑publishing - agent outreach - literary conferences Key Concepts practical advice industry insight Questions to Reflect On - What practical publishing steps could you share? - How can mentors provide actionable industry advice? A Different Perspective Advice may be too generic without specific industry context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Advice Trite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice-trite-2575475/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Having Publishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-publishers-2575476/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-write/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Teaching People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-people-1139521/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If everybody can author their own story, if media is democratizing because everybody can make a really good-looking website... that's the way we learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/if-everybody-can-author-their-own-story-if-media-is-democratizing/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I believe in teaching people to be individuals, and to understand other individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-in-teaching-people-to-be-individuals-and-to-understand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Teaching people to draw is teaching people to look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/teaching-people-to-draw-is-teaching-people-to-look/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [People really need to just love themselves because no one is teaching people that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-mclaughlin/people-really-need-to-just-love-themselves-because-no-one-is-teaching/) [Caleb McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-mclaughlin/) > [I love teaching people how to handle their money and I've built a brand on that skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/i-love-teaching-people-how-to-handle-their-money-and-i-ve-built-a/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [Teaching people to become like Jesus, outside of the power of Jesus, dishonors Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-stetzer/teaching-people-to-become-like-jesus-outside-of-the-power-of-jesus/) [Ed Stetzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-stetzer/) > [“Some people write letters, in the library.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/some-people-write-letters-in-the-library/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Jesus was a teacher, in a way. 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I am forgetting too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-my-fault-i-am-forgetting-too-much/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/all-fiction-is-about-people-unless-it-s-about-rabbits-pretending-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Simon walks back to the house alone. 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And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. 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