--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I actually think it's helped me as a…" description: "\"I actually think it's helped me as a writer to have to act. It's only when you actually start putting yourself out that you appreciate the anxiety that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/mike-white-9925_anxiety_i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-wri_2254075.png" --- # I actually think it's helped me as a writer to have to… ![“I actually think it's helped me as a writer to have to act. It's only when you actually start putting yourself out that you appreciate the anxiety that comes with having to try to sell a line, or with trying to own a character.” quote by Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/mike-white-9925_anxiety_i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-wri_2254075.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/mike-white-9925_anxiety_i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-wri_2254075.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/mike-white-9925_anxiety_i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-wri_2254075.png) > “I actually think it's helped me as a writer to have to act. It's only when you actually start putting yourself out that you appreciate the anxiety that comes with having to try to sell a line, or with trying to own a character.” [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing improves through acting; confronting anxiety of self‑promotion deepens craft. **In simple terms:** Acting helps writers face fear. Key Takeaway Embrace anxiety, create. Themes creativity writing performance Mood encouraging reflective Type creative motivational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - auditions - workshops - personal branding Key Concepts psychology self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to share your work? - How does performance inform your writing? A Different Perspective Anxiety may paralyze without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a writer. The more I act, the more resistance I have to it. If you accept work in a movie, you accept to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-m-a-writer-the-more-i-act-the-more-resistance-i-have-to-it-if-you/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [It really helped me as a writer to understand how other writers think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-young/it-really-helped-me-as-a-writer-to-understand-how-other-writers-think/) [Ace Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-young/) > [I think having a great range of experiences in my life had helped me as a writer, particularly a writer of fiction. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/i-think-having-a-great-range-of-experiences-in-my-life-had-helped-me/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [I don't know why, but people tend to look at stand-ups and think they can act, which actually isn't the case. But never mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-tate/i-don-t-know-why-but-people-tend-to-look-at-stand-ups-and-think-they/) [Catherine Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-tate/) > [The narcissist act is not an act. I actually am a narcissist, very much so. My world revolves around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/the-narcissist-act-is-not-an-act-i-actually-am-a-narcissist-very-much/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [I didn't become an actor because I wanted to act. Actually, I wanted to become a marine biologist. But most of all, I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-aames/i-didn-t-become-an-actor-because-i-wanted-to-act-actually-i-wanted-to/) [Willie Aames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-aames/) > [KMC not only teaches you how to act, they actually go down to the basics. We've even swept the auditorium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargun-mehta/kmc-not-only-teaches-you-how-to-act-they-actually-go-down-to-the/) [Sargun Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargun-mehta/) > [“I'm trying to give my character voice but he won't speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-andrews/i-m-trying-to-give-my-character-voice-but-he-won-t-speak/) [Buffy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-andrews/) > [I think that when you're first shaping the play and trying to find a character, the initial actors that develop it end up imprinting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-nottage/i-think-that-when-you-re-first-shaping-the-play-and-trying-to-find-a/) [Lynn Nottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-nottage/) > [I think half the battle is just being comfortable in front of the camera - and I already am, doing so many videos and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludacris/i-think-half-the-battle-is-just-being-comfortable-in-front-of-the/) [Ludacris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludacris/) > [I'm trying to find a character that's my age and I can sustain week after week. I'd like to do a series.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-devane/i-m-trying-to-find-a-character-that-s-my-age-and-i-can-sustain-week/) [William Devane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-devane/) > [I'm an actor. I'm trying to be the character and do what they're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-m-an-actor-i-m-trying-to-be-the-character-and-do-what-they-re-doing/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [People probably have different philosophies about this, but I think that when you're first shaping the play and trying to find a character, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-nottage/people-probably-have-different-philosophies-about-this-but-i-think/) [Lynn Nottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-nottage/) > [When you're trying to do character work that's different from what people expect from you, you're sort of in territory that is uncharted, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/when-you-re-trying-to-do-character-work-that-s-different-from-what/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [I basically enjoy doing films that are about something, that have complex roles that I can sink my teeth into. Basically, I gravitate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-basically-enjoy-doing-films-that-are-about-something-that-have/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) ## More by Mike White > [I believe, in general, that even people that are self-pitying, you can feel for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-believe-in-general-that-even-people-that-are-self-pitying-you-can/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I started out writing when I was young; stuff about exposing the truth about how people are not what they appear, about how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-started-out-writing-when-i-was-young-stuff-about-exposing-the-truth/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I grew up in a religious family, and we weren't allowed to listen to rock music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-grew-up-in-a-religious-family-and-we-weren-t-allowed-to-listen-to/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I started as a writer; I started writing when I was little. The acting and directing was an outgrowth of my desire to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-started-as-a-writer-i-started-writing-when-i-was-little-the-acting/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I don't feel the breath of a thousand people over my shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-don-t-feel-the-breath-of-a-thousand-people-over-my-shoulder/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I can be really annoying, but I also feel like I'm a nice person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-can-be-really-annoying-but-i-also-feel-like-i-m-a-nice-person/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I'm not really a director or producer for hire. There's lots of big gigs out there, but I'm not looking to do that. Usually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-m-not-really-a-director-or-producer-for-hire-there-s-lots-of-big/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [As a director or writer, you have to be so controlling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/as-a-director-or-writer-you-have-to-be-so-controlling/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I find as a viewer, when I go to see comedies, the strain to be funny throughout the whole thing. I start to lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-find-as-a-viewer-when-i-go-to-see-comedies-the-strain-to-be-funny/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [From my experience, meditating can bring up the most stressful thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/from-my-experience-meditating-can-bring-up-the-most-stressful-thoughts/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [As you get older, you realize just figuring out how to be nice to the people in your personal sphere is almost more challenging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/as-you-get-older-you-realize-just-figuring-out-how-to-be-nice-to-the/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I guess I'm trying to write stuff that I, as a viewer, would connect to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-guess-i-m-trying-to-write-stuff-that-i-as-a-viewer-would-connect-to/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [People kind of stumble their way through life a lot of times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/people-kind-of-stumble-their-way-through-life-a-lot-of-times/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [The things that drive me crazy are coming from this place of people suffering because of people polluting into rivers or whatever. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/the-things-that-drive-me-crazy-are-coming-from-this-place-of-people/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [The purpose of making people feel uncomfortable is to play with their preconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/the-purpose-of-making-people-feel-uncomfortable-is-to-play-with-their/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) [Explore all 69 Mike White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I actually think it's helped me as a writer to have to act. It's only when you actually start putting yourself out that you appreciate the anxiety that comes with having to try to sell a line, or with trying to own a character.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike White" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-writer-to-have-to-act-it-s-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-writer-to-have-to-act-it-s-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/mike-white-9925_anxiety_i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-wri_2254075.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/mike-white-9925_anxiety_i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-wri_2254075.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/mike-white-9925_anxiety_i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-wri_2254075.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I actually think it's helped me as a writer to have to act. It's only when you actually start putting…” — Mike White", "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": "Mike White", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I actually think it's helped me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-writer-to-have-to-act-it-s-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-actually-think-it-s-helped-me-as-a-writer-to-have-to-act-it-s-only/#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 } } ] } ```