--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a terrible sentence finisher. I think…" description: "\"I'm a terrible sentence finisher. I think that's why I'm a songwriter. When you write a song, there are no rules, and I think that I talk as if there a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9d/mirah-22758_finishers_i-m-a-terrible-sentence-finisher-i-think_1188924.jpg" --- # I'm a terrible sentence finisher. I think that's why I'm a… ![“I'm a terrible sentence finisher. I think that's why I'm a songwriter. When you write a song, there are no rules, and I think that I talk as if there are no rules. But then I run this great risk of no one understanding me at all.” quote by Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9d/mirah-22758_finishers_i-m-a-terrible-sentence-finisher-i-think_1188924.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9d/mirah-22758_finishers_i-m-a-terrible-sentence-finisher-i-think_1188924.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9d/mirah-22758_finishers_i-m-a-terrible-sentence-finisher-i-think_1188924.jpg) > “I'm a terrible sentence finisher. I think that's why I'm a songwriter. When you write a song, there are no rules, and I think that I talk as if there are no rules. But then I run this great risk of no one understanding me at all.” [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She feels her songwriting defies conventional structure, risking incomprehension **In simple terms:** Her songs ignore rules, which may confuse listeners Key Takeaway Embrace unconventional expression while seeking clarity Themes creativity risk communication Mood introspective experimental Type artistic confessional When to use this quote - songwriting - performance - public speaking Key Concepts artistic freedom listener perception Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer clarity or mystery? - How do you test if listeners understand? A Different Perspective Unclear messages can alienate audience ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishers/) [Great risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-risk/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriter/) [Songwriters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriters/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I was one of those guys, you know, playing and singing, and there was no reason for me to write a song, because there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-was-one-of-those-guys-you-know-playing-and-singing-and-there-was-no/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [It feels like your subconscious can be way ahead of you, as a songwriter. You can write a song that you think is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/it-feels-like-your-subconscious-can-be-way-ahead-of-you-as-a/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [As a singer-songwriter, what I do is write about how the human feels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/as-a-singer-songwriter-what-i-do-is-write-about-how-the-human-feels/) [Bjork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/) > [It's the meanest thing to abuse your power as a songwriter. To write pointedly about someone... it's kind of unfair to use them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/it-s-the-meanest-thing-to-abuse-your-power-as-a-songwriter-to-write/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I think that's an interesting point of being a songwriter, is to write songs that make people think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-james-alphonse-franceschi/i-think-that-s-an-interesting-point-of-being-a-songwriter-is-to-write/) [Joshua James Alphonse Franceschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-james-alphonse-franceschi/) > [I don't actually think that I'm a great songwriter - I'm just a really prolific songwriter, and I write so much that some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-rodrigo/i-don-t-actually-think-that-i-m-a-great-songwriter-i-m-just-a-really/) [Olivia Rodrigo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-rodrigo/) > [The hack songwriter will write the absolute truth every single word, whether it makes a great song or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/the-hack-songwriter-will-write-the-absolute-truth-every-single-word/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [I like myself better when I'm writing regularly. ... I was influenced a lot by those around me-there was a lot of singing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/i-like-myself-better-when-i-m-writing-regularly-i-was-influenced-a/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [As a songwriter, you might write every day and throughout the course of a year you might get four songs that are really special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dierks-bentley/as-a-songwriter-you-might-write-every-day-and-throughout-the-course/) [Dierks Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dierks-bentley/) > [My job as a songwriter is to write good songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-brown/my-job-as-a-songwriter-is-to-write-good-songs/) [Greg Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-brown/) > [I think that any songwriter - and I think that Bob Dylan knows this more than all of us - you don't write the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-think-that-any-songwriter-and-i-think-that-bob-dylan-knows-this/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I think of myself as a songwriter, a weaver of story and imagination in a way that a novelist might write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-think-of-myself-as-a-songwriter-a-weaver-of-story-and-imagination/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I think I'm a songwriter. I grab an instrument to make my body a song, but I'm not a player as such, maybe a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-harvey/i-think-i-m-a-songwriter-i-grab-an-instrument-to-make-my-body-a-song/) [P. J. Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-harvey/) > [I don't think any songwriter who comes up through playing clubs can really claim to have independently developed their art. All along the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-don-t-think-any-songwriter-who-comes-up-through-playing-clubs-can/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [I think with any songwriter the first 1,000 songs are always terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-russell/i-think-with-any-songwriter-the-first-1-000-songs-are-always-terrible/) [Graham Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-russell/) ## More by Mirah > [You're born and then you're on your own, you start having relationships, you're developing relationships to the world and your wider community, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/you-re-born-and-then-you-re-on-your-own-you-start-having/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [What I try to communicate is that there's a lot of crossover between that feeling of romantic heartbreak and this devastating feeling of knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/what-i-try-to-communicate-is-that-there-s-a-lot-of-crossover-between/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [Writing a song is almost like cheating-writing because you don't have to finish your sentences, you don't have to use any punctuation, no one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/writing-a-song-is-almost-like-cheating-writing-because-you-don-t-have/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [I don't feel like I have a lot of reference to sexual innuendo on my songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-a-lot-of-reference-to-sexual-innuendo-on-my/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [I just write about what comes up. Sometimes you're thinking about Palestine, and sometimes you're thinking about sex. People have a lot going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/i-just-write-about-what-comes-up-sometimes-you-re-thinking-about/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [I think that I have come at it backwards in a way because a lot of what I'm doing as a songwriter is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/i-think-that-i-have-come-at-it-backwards-in-a-way-because-a-lot-of/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [I think that there is a purity aesthetic, like "I just make art because I'm an artist and I can't help it. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/i-think-that-there-is-a-purity-aesthetic-like-i-just-make-art-because/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [My identity is mostly as a songwriter and lyricist and singer. I also have a lot of production ideas but I have my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/my-identity-is-mostly-as-a-songwriter-and-lyricist-and-singer-i-also/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [Sometimes I joke around that if I weren't a musician, I would be a power lifter. I don't think people expect it from me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/sometimes-i-joke-around-that-if-i-weren-t-a-musician-i-would-be-a/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [I definitely enjoy working within different contexts, with different collaborators, and in different locations. I need to keep feeding myself as an artist by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/i-definitely-enjoy-working-within-different-contexts-with-different/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [Sex is fun to sing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/sex-is-fun-to-sing-about/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [That's my goal, is to stay in a truthful place. And sometimes that means writing a silly song, or singing about sex or singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/that-s-my-goal-is-to-stay-in-a-truthful-place-and-sometimes-that/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [So when you're talking about lyrics in the context of music, it's not just about what the words mean, and what you were thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/so-when-you-re-talking-about-lyrics-in-the-context-of-music-it-s-not/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [I identify as being an independent artist. I think people often forget that Indie is actually short for independent. For me, the word has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/i-identify-as-being-an-independent-artist-i-think-people-often-forget/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [The music goes into people in a totally different way than words. There's air, there's the sound of words, there's touch, there's music. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/the-music-goes-into-people-in-a-totally-different-way-than-words/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) [Explore all 27 Mirah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) ## More Finishers quotes > [I welcome opposing viewpoints, but I should warn you that you'll be facing off against the 2nd-place finisher at the 1981 Charleston County High-School…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/i-welcome-opposing-viewpoints-but-i-should-warn-you-that-you-ll-be/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [I am not a finisher, I am a starter. And I am always thinking, what is the next project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-eisenman/i-am-not-a-finisher-i-am-a-starter-and-i-am-always-thinking-what-is/) [Peter Eisenman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-eisenman/) > [I'm one of the best finishers in the business, so I went for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joe-saunders/i-m-one-of-the-best-finishers-in-the-business-so-i-went-for-it/) [Billy Joe Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joe-saunders/) > [I believe people run marathons every day of their lives in one way or another, and we need to remember to give ourselves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-koplowitz/i-believe-people-run-marathons-every-day-of-their-lives-in-one-way-or/) [Zoe Koplowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-koplowitz/) > [All endeavour calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-endeavour-calls-for-the-ability-to-tramp-the-last-mile-shape-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I love finishers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gruden/i-love-finishers/) [Jon Gruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gruden/) > [That race was so hard and I am very happy with the result in the end. Michelin did a great job with the tyres…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-biaggi/that-race-was-so-hard-and-i-am-very-happy-with-the-result-in-the-end/) Max Biaggi > [I hired finishers because I'm a good starter and a poor finisher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/i-hired-finishers-because-i-m-a-good-starter-and-a-poor-finisher/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I led by three or four feet, with Biggy (John Biglow) surging closer on each stroke. I hated him in those last few seconds;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/i-led-by-three-or-four-feet-with-biggy-john-biglow-surging-closer-on/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [How you start is important, very important, but in the end it is how you finish that counts. It is easier to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/how-you-start-is-important-very-important-but-in-the-end-it-is-how/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Diego Costa and Loic Remy are excellent finishers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radamel-falcao/diego-costa-and-loic-remy-are-excellent-finishers/) [Radamel Falcao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radamel-falcao/) > [When you're a great finisher, you'll become popular. Joe Louis was a great finisher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/when-you-re-a-great-finisher-you-ll-become-popular-joe-louis-was-a/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Life is a positive-sum game. Everyone from the gold medallist to the last finisher can rejoice in a personal victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/life-is-a-positive-sum-game-everyone-from-the-gold-medallist-to-the/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [I'm not looking for starters, I'm looking for finishers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-townsend/i-m-not-looking-for-starters-i-m-looking-for-finishers/) [John Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-townsend/) > [First, I charge a retainer; then I charge a reminder; next I charge a refresher; and then I charge a finisher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-p-benjamin/first-i-charge-a-retainer-then-i-charge-a-reminder-next-i-charge-a/) Judah P. Benjamin [Browse all 24 Finishers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a terrible sentence finisher. I think that's why I'm a songwriter. When you write a song, there are no rules, and I think that I talk as if there are no rules. 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