--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At the beginning of the project, I wasn't…" description: "\"At the beginning of the project, I wasn't certain that I could come up with an engaging storyline and cast of characters in this world, so I had a stro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/neal-stephenson-362_bias_at-the-beginning-of-the-project-i-wasn-t_412926.jpg" --- # At the beginning of the project, I wasn't certain that I… ![“At the beginning of the project, I wasn't certain that I could come up with an engaging storyline and cast of characters in this world, so I had a strong bias toward actually writing, and worrying about research later. In other words, I was afraid that I'd devote a year or two of my life to…” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/neal-stephenson-362_bias_at-the-beginning-of-the-project-i-wasn-t_412926.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/neal-stephenson-362_bias_at-the-beginning-of-the-project-i-wasn-t_412926.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/neal-stephenson-362_bias_at-the-beginning-of-the-project-i-wasn-t_412926.jpg) > “At the beginning of the project, I wasn't certain that I could come up with an engaging storyline and cast of characters in this world, so I had a strong bias toward actually writing, and worrying about research later. In other words, I was afraid that I'd devote a year or two of my life to grinding through Kant and Husserl, then discover that there simply was no novel to be written here.” [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing narrative creation with research can cause fear of wasted effort; prioritizing writing can guide research later. **In simple terms:** Worry about research delaying writing. Key Takeaway Write first, research as needed. Themes writing research creative process Mood reflective determined Type strategic practical When to use this quote - novel planning - screenwriting - academic projects Key Concepts narrative development philosophical grounding Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to research? - What strategies keep writing momentum? A Different Perspective Research may reveal fundamental flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I've done a few movies where I really liked the project, but I wasn't sure about the director, and I still did it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-liotta/i-ve-done-a-few-movies-where-i-really-liked-the-project-but-i-wasn-t/) [Ray Liotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-liotta/) > [It has happened many a times where I have taken a project and wasn't happy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/it-has-happened-many-a-times-where-i-have-taken-a-project-and-wasn-t/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [As the old saying went, the Manhattan Project wasn't built in a day. Or was that Rome? Something to do with Earth, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/as-the-old-saying-went-the-manhattan-project-wasn-t-built-in-a-day-or/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [No one knows how to write a novel until it's been written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/no-one-knows-how-to-write-a-novel-until-it-s-been-written/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [If God is an author and the universe is the biggest novel ever written, I may feel as if I'm the lead character in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/if-god-is-an-author-and-the-universe-is-the-biggest-novel-ever/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [My first published novel was written for teenagers, and there were rules laid down by the publisher: no sex, no smoking, no swearing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bova/my-first-published-novel-was-written-for-teenagers-and-there-were/) [Ben Bova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bova/) > [If a novel is written in a certain language with certain characters from a particular community and the story is very good or illuminating,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ngugi-wa-thiong-o/if-a-novel-is-written-in-a-certain-language-with-certain-characters/) [Ngugi wa Thiong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ngugi-wa-thiong-o/) > [TV does a thing that film can never do. It takes you to a place that no novel written after the late 19th century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/tv-does-a-thing-that-film-can-never-do-it-takes-you-to-a-place-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“I have often been mildly amused when I think that the great American novel was not written about New England or Chicago. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/i-have-often-been-mildly-amused-when-i-think-that-the-great-american/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [ \[The Yellow Birds\] is based on a novel written by Kevin Powers, who is an Iraq War vet. I play a soldier who promises… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/the-yellow-birds-is-based-on-a-novel-written-by-kevin-powers-who-is/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [“My most recent novel is written wholly in numbers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-holloway/my-most-recent-novel-is-written-wholly-in-numbers/) Dan Holloway > [“I guess life is like a novel. Some of it is written by fate, some of it is written by God... but the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-johnson/i-guess-life-is-like-a-novel-some-of-it-is-written-by-fate-some-of-it/) Lynn Johnson > [ And it \[Fight Club novel\] was written so general that my father thought I was writing about his father, and my boss thought I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/and-it-fight-club-novel-was-written-so-general-that-my-father-thought/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I have never read a really good novel written by a man where women are portrayed as they truly are. They can be portrayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/i-have-never-read-a-really-good-novel-written-by-a-man-where-women/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [What I'm definitely against is the plodding, paint-by-numbers 19th-century-style novel that's still being written today. I just don't understand why you'd read or write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shields/what-i-m-definitely-against-is-the-plodding-paint-by-numbers-19th/) [David Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shields/) ## More by Neal Stephenson > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-insects-here-see-you-as-a-big-slab-of-animated-but-not-very-well/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/space-and-time-two-minor-omissions-that-no-one-is-likely-to-notice/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) [Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More Bias quotes > [The print is devised so that I can cut the dresses on the bias, so they work around the body. It's not like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/the-print-is-devised-so-that-i-can-cut-the-dresses-on-the-bias-so/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [Fortunately for serious minds, a bias recognized is a bias sterilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/fortunately-for-serious-minds-a-bias-recognized-is-a-bias-sterilized/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [I can say this very clearly: I have come into this Congress with an antiwar bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-frankel/i-can-say-this-very-clearly-i-have-come-into-this-congress-with-an/) [Lois Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-frankel/) > [The legal bias for special protection for women has begun to wreak havoc with the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-legal-bias-for-special-protection-for-women-has-begun-to-wreak/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [That's awesome. There's no bias in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-edwards/that-s-awesome-there-s-no-bias-in-the-media/) [Carl Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-edwards/) > [“The most disgusting human trait is bias, because it typically leads to propaganda, hate and violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lifsey/the-most-disgusting-human-trait-is-bias-because-it-typically-leads-to/) [Lori Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lifsey/) > [I'm speaking out against social media bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/i-m-speaking-out-against-social-media-bias/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [“I pick up a copy of Newsweek on the plane and immediately notice how biased, slanted, and opinionated all the U.S. newsmagazine articles are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-pick-up-a-copy-of-newsweek-on-the-plane-and-immediately-notice-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“Hundreds of studies confirm that human forecasts are flawed and biased. Human decision making is not so great either. Again to take just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/hundreds-of-studies-confirm-that-human-forecasts-are-flawed-and/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Many journalists now are no more than channelers and echoers of what George Orwell called the 'official truth'. They simply cipher and transmit lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/many-journalists-now-are-no-more-than-channelers-and-echoers-of-what/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The stance I took was there is no room for racial bias anywhere in sports. I believe that was basically all I said about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-larkin/the-stance-i-took-was-there-is-no-room-for-racial-bias-anywhere-in/) [Barry Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-larkin/) > [First and foremost, if you want to be a good writer, you need to be a good eater. You need to be fearless when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/first-and-foremost-if-you-want-to-be-a-good-writer-you-need-to-be-a/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) [Browse all 667 Bias quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At the beginning of the project, I wasn't certain that I could come up with an engaging storyline and cast of characters in this world, so I had a strong bias toward actually writing, and worrying about research later. 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