--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have friends who write all the time…" description: "\"I have friends who write all the time, and I envy them terribly.\" — Michael McDonald" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/michael-mcdonald-6275_envy_i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-an_1716213.jpg" --- # I have friends who write all the time, and I envy them… ![“I have friends who write all the time, and I envy them terribly.” quote by Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/michael-mcdonald-6275_envy_i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-an_1716213.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/michael-mcdonald-6275_envy_i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-an_1716213.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/michael-mcdonald-6275_envy_i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-an_1716213.jpg) > “I have friends who write all the time, and I envy them terribly.” [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He admires prolific writers, feeling envy toward their constant output. **In simple terms:** He envies frequent writers. Key Takeaway Channel envy into personal writing practice. Themes creativity envy productivity Mood reflective motivational Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - daily journaling - writing challenges - creative workshops Key Concepts writing habits inspiration self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - What blocks your writing? - How can you turn admiration into action? A Different Perspective Envy may hinder rather than motivate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Envy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Often change yourself, when you see that people envy you : they will start to change themselves too, but at that time YOU will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alen-sargsyan/often-change-yourself-when-you-see-that-people-envy-you-they-will/) [Alen Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alen-sargsyan/) > [Drama is a side effect of a dull life. If you have time for it then I envy you because I'm really busy trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/drama-is-a-side-effect-of-a-dull-life-if-you-have-time-for-it-then-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Friends: Only know a few things about you. Best friends: Could write a very embarrassing biography on your life story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friends-only-know-a-few-things-about-you-best-friends-could-write-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My friends tell me that I am an intruder, that I don't really write when I attempt poetry. But those of my friends who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/my-friends-tell-me-that-i-am-an-intruder-that-i-don-t-really-write/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [At the time of writing, I don't write for my friends or myself either; I write for it, for the pleasure of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/at-the-time-of-writing-i-don-t-write-for-my-friends-or-myself-either/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [“Don’t make a story go stale by telling it to all your friends before your write it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/don-t-make-a-story-go-stale-by-telling-it-to-all-your-friends-before/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I do not write for a select minority, which means nothing to me, nor for that adulated platonic entity known as ‘The Masses’. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-do-not-write-for-a-select-minority-which-means-nothing-to-me-nor/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [There probably aren't a lot of new superheroes around, so whenever one appears, it makes a bit of noise. Really, most of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-millar/there-probably-aren-t-a-lot-of-new-superheroes-around-so-whenever-one/) [Mark Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-millar/) > [“I ask for tons of notebooks for my birthday, the ones with college ruled lines, and I carry them with me, pretend they're my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-porpora/i-ask-for-tons-of-notebooks-for-my-birthday-the-ones-with-college/) [Kenny Porpora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-porpora/) > [I am a young adult author, and so are quite a few of my friends. We all write books for the same demographic; many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-serle/i-am-a-young-adult-author-and-so-are-quite-a-few-of-my-friends-we-all/) [Rebecca Serle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-serle/) > [I think it's so scummy when 'friends' write tweets about each other, if you have a problem then be a real friend and tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-it-s-so-scummy-when-friends-write-tweets-about-each-other-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When me and my author friends who write about other difficult subject matter... when you hear from teens daily saying, 'Your book helped me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/when-me-and-my-author-friends-who-write-about-other-difficult-subject/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [My real friends never hear it from me Fake friends write the wrong answers on the mirror for me That's why I pick and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/my-real-friends-never-hear-it-from-me-fake-friends-write-the-wrong/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I've talked with friends about this: when you write about yourself, that's what people connect to. When you write a sermon or a lesson,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-ve-talked-with-friends-about-this-when-you-write-about-yourself/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [Screenplays I didn't really care about, journalism, travel books, getting my writer friends to write about their dreams or something. I just determined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/screenplays-i-didn-t-really-care-about-journalism-travel-books/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## More by Michael McDonald > [Beck is obviously a consummate musician. He plays instruments, many instruments. He can make his own record without having a fleet of computer operators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/beck-is-obviously-a-consummate-musician-he-plays-instruments-many/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [I'd say that Ray Charles is definitely the biggest influence on my singing. Also Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-d-say-that-ray-charles-is-definitely-the-biggest-influence-on-my/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [Since the '60s, we've lived so much in an age of quick fixes that the culture itself has become a quick fix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/since-the-60s-we-ve-lived-so-much-in-an-age-of-quick-fixes-that-the/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [Hey, I'd love to have a hit single, but if that doesn't happen, I'm not going to complain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/hey-i-d-love-to-have-a-hit-single-but-if-that-doesn-t-happen-i-m-not/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [I truly cherish the time and experience with friends that I have been making music with for so many years, even decades now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-truly-cherish-the-time-and-experience-with-friends-that-i-have-been/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [While making any record, you look for the opportunity to bring someone who will help generate something special in the music environments you create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/while-making-any-record-you-look-for-the-opportunity-to-bring-someone/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [I do love the Nat King Cole stuff, the classic Christmas records. There's something about putting those records on and hearing his voice at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-do-love-the-nat-king-cole-stuff-the-classic-christmas-records-there/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [I've always written short stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-ve-always-written-short-stories/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [I've always felt like the Forrest Gump of the music business. I've been fortunate to work with a lot of great people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-ve-always-felt-like-the-forrest-gump-of-the-music-business-i-ve/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [Rap is like any other genre: There are the people who are very creative with it and do remarkable things... and then there's that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/rap-is-like-any-other-genre-there-are-the-people-who-are-very/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [I wish I wrote songs like Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Don Henley, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, so many of the songwriters I admire. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-wish-i-wrote-songs-like-donald-fagen-walter-becker-don-henley/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [Most of my life is taken up with family. It takes me awhile to get a record together that I feel is worthy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/most-of-my-life-is-taken-up-with-family-it-takes-me-awhile-to-get-a/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > ['Livin' on the Fault Line' was kind of a commercial disappointment for us, although it seemed to have a certain buzz with the smaller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/livin-on-the-fault-line-was-kind-of-a-commercial-disappointment-for/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [We try to promote the Christmas season and remind people that it is a season of peace. That's what the season's real meaning is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/we-try-to-promote-the-christmas-season-and-remind-people-that-it-is-a/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [My wife is, by and large, the best thing that ever happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/my-wife-is-by-and-large-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) [Explore all 99 Michael McDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) ## More Envy quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“He often remembered his dad's admonition that envy was mental theft. If you coveted another man's possessions, Dad said, then you should be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/he-often-remembered-his-dad-s-admonition-that-envy-was-mental-theft/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Is it not strange that the more someone has, the less he feels he has? Envy can never be sated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/is-it-not-strange-that-the-more-someone-has-the-less-he-feels-he-has/) [Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/) > [I avoid envy at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-winkleman/i-avoid-envy-at-all-costs/) [Claudia Winkleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-winkleman/) > [Sometimes I envy painters, it is wonderful to remain in front of a bouquet of flowers a whole morning, or even longer. A photographer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edouard-boubat/sometimes-i-envy-painters-it-is-wonderful-to-remain-in-front-of-a/) [Edouard Boubat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edouard-boubat/) > [avarice breeds envy, a worm that is always gnawing, letting the avaricious enjoy neither their own nor anyone else's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/avarice-breeds-envy-a-worm-that-is-always-gnawing-letting-the/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [“You don’t see someone flying and you begin to bite yourself for not being able to do that. You do what you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-don-t-see-someone-flying-and-you-begin-to-bite-yourself-for-not/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“Who would have thought you had so many supporters?" she whispered. "Not mine, my love. Yours. I had not a one till you started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-sinclair/who-would-have-thought-you-had-so-many-supporters-she-whispered-not/) [Michele Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-sinclair/) > [“Treachery is always a hairy caterpillar bred of a small butterfly called envy, no matter how lofty the principles involved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazil-iskander/treachery-is-always-a-hairy-caterpillar-bred-of-a-small-butterfly/) Fazil Iskander > [Yes, Clay Matthews has a long, golden, Fabio-esque flowing mane that most women would chick-slap someone for. And yes, the shiny, beautiful, dark locks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-foudy/yes-clay-matthews-has-a-long-golden-fabio-esque-flowing-mane-that/) [Julie Foudy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-foudy/) > [“I have known many true connoisseurs, with excellent tastes that range across the humanities and the culinary arts--and they never fail to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-have-known-many-true-connoisseurs-with-excellent-tastes-that-range/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) [Browse all 2,111 Envy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have friends who write all the time, and I envy them terribly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael McDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-and-i-envy-them-terribly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Envy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-and-i-envy-them-terribly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/michael-mcdonald-6275_envy_i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-an_1716213.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/michael-mcdonald-6275_envy_i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-an_1716213.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/michael-mcdonald-6275_envy_i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-an_1716213.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have friends who write all the time, and I envy them terribly.” — Michael McDonald", "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": "Michael McDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have friends who write all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-and-i-envy-them-terribly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-have-friends-who-write-all-the-time-and-i-envy-them-terribly/#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 } } ] } ```