--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As for thinking time versus writing time…" description: "\"As for thinking time versus writing time, well, that's up to you. But - and I wish it were otherwise - books don't get written by thinking about them, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/neil-gaiman-29_accidents_as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time_1159451.jpg" --- # As for thinking time versus writing time, well, that's up… ![“As for thinking time versus writing time, well, that's up to you. But - and I wish it were otherwise - books don't get written by thinking about them, they get written by writing them. And that's when you make discoveries about what you're writing. That's when you get the happy accidents.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/neil-gaiman-29_accidents_as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time_1159451.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/neil-gaiman-29_accidents_as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time_1159451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/neil-gaiman-29_accidents_as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time_1159451.jpg) > “As for thinking time versus writing time, well, that's up to you. But - and I wish it were otherwise - books don't get written by thinking about them, they get written by writing them. And that's when you make discoveries about what you're writing. That's when you get the happy accidents.” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing is the act that turns ideas into reality; thinking alone never produces a finished work. **In simple terms:** Ideas need action to become real. Key Takeaway Write to discover. Themes creativity process discipline Mood reflective inspired Type advice process When to use this quote - authoring a novel - drafting a blog post - brainstorming sessions - academic papers Key Concepts emergent insight happy accidents Questions to Reflect On - How does writing change your original idea? - What discoveries have you made through drafting? A Different Perspective Thinking without writing yields no concrete results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Happy accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-accidents/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [ “It \[writing\] has enormous meta-cognitive implications. The power is this: That you cannot only think in ways that you could not possibly think if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-searle/it-writing-has-enormous-meta-cognitive-implications-the-power-is-this/) John R. Searle > [The actual writing time is a lot shorter than the thinking time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/the-actual-writing-time-is-a-lot-shorter-than-the-thinking-time/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [As soon as you've written it, you're thinking about how it can move into different mediums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/as-soon-as-you-ve-written-it-you-re-thinking-about-how-it-can-move/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [After reading all that has been written, and after thinking all that can be thought, on the topics of God and the soul, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/after-reading-all-that-has-been-written-and-after-thinking-all-that/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Indeed, the ratio of time spent reading versus writing is well over 10 to 1. We are constantly reading old code as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-martin/indeed-the-ratio-of-time-spent-reading-versus-writing-is-well-over-10/) [Robert C. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-martin/) > [Translation is harder, believe it or not. You do have to come up with a story, and actually I'm mystified by that process. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/translation-is-harder-believe-it-or-not-you-do-have-to-come-up-with-a/) [Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/) > [The difference when I'm writing a story versus writing a joke is that writing a joke is so much more about the structure and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/the-difference-when-i-m-writing-a-story-versus-writing-a-joke-is-that/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [Writing on my own versus co-writing kind of is the exact same thing because we don't sit in the same room when we write.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/writing-on-my-own-versus-co-writing-kind-of-is-the-exact-same-thing/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I always say that writing non-fiction versus writing fiction is a bit like architecture versus abstract painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/i-always-say-that-writing-non-fiction-versus-writing-fiction-is-a-bit/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [“I was thinking what everyone is thinking all of the time: How can I make this last just a little bit longer?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lutz/i-was-thinking-what-everyone-is-thinking-all-of-the-time-how-can-i/) [Lisa Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lutz/) > [I'm always thinking about time. That's one of themes I return to in my work, the way the past bears on the present, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-m-always-thinking-about-time-that-s-one-of-themes-i-return-to-in-my/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [“Recently I had breakfast with Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-fil-A, a fast food chain headquartered in the Atlanta area. I told him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/recently-i-had-breakfast-with-dan-cathy-the-president-of-chick-fil-a/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Time really is one big continuous cloth, no? We habitually cut out pieces of time to fit us, so we tend to fool ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/time-really-is-one-big-continuous-cloth-no-we-habitually-cut-out/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [With age, it really becomes thinking about how time has passed - that's sort of the root of age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/with-age-it-really-becomes-thinking-about-how-time-has-passed-that-s/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [Thinking of you all the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-rawat/thinking-of-you-all-the-time/) Ashish Rawat ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As for thinking time versus writing time, well, that's up to you. But - and I wish it were otherwise - books don't get written by thinking about them, they get written by writing them. And that's when you make discoveries about what you're writing. That's when you get the happy accidents.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Gaiman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time-well-that-s-up-to-you-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accidents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time-well-that-s-up-to-you-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/neil-gaiman-29_accidents_as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time_1159451.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/neil-gaiman-29_accidents_as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time_1159451.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/neil-gaiman-29_accidents_as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time_1159451.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As for thinking time versus writing time, well, that's up to you. But - and I wish it were otherwise - books…” — Neil Gaiman", "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": "Neil Gaiman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As for thinking time versus writing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time-well-that-s-up-to-you-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/as-for-thinking-time-versus-writing-time-well-that-s-up-to-you-but/#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 } } ] } ```