--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You get ideas from daydreaming. You get…" description: "\"You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/neil-gaiman-29_daydreaming_you-get-ideas-from-daydreaming-you-get-i_2642524.jpg" --- # You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being… ![“You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we're doing it.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/neil-gaiman-29_daydreaming_you-get-ideas-from-daydreaming-you-get-i_2642524.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/neil-gaiman-29_daydreaming_you-get-ideas-from-daydreaming-you-get-i_2642524.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/neil-gaiman-29_daydreaming_you-get-ideas-from-daydreaming-you-get-i_2642524.jpg) > “You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we're doing it.” [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. Creativity arises from idle moments; noticing thoughts turns them into ideas. **In simple terms:** Daydreams and boredom spark ideas when we pay attention. Key Takeaway Cultivate awareness of wandering thoughts. Themes creativity mindfulness observation Mood reflective inspired Type advice motivational When to use this quote - writing sessions - commuting - waiting rooms - quiet evenings Key Concepts psychology flow attention Questions to Reflect On - How can you capture fleeting thoughts? - What habits help you notice creative moments? A Different Perspective Ideas may remain vague without deliberate refinement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Daydreaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daydreaming/) [Daydreaming Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daydreaming-ideas-2280689/) [Difference Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-writers-416044/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Daydreaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-daydreaming-2280688/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writers People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-people-549335/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Where do you get your ideas?” And I realized I owed them an answer. They weren’t old enough to know any better. And it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/where-do-you-get-your-ideas-and-i-realized-i-owed-them-an-answer-they/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we're doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-ideas-all-the-time-the-only-difference-between-writers-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Start telling the stories that only you can tell, because there’ll always be better writers than you and there’ll always be smarter writers than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/start-telling-the-stories-that-only-you-can-tell-because-there-ll-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Start telling the stories that only you can tell, because there'll always be better writers than you and there'll always be smarter writers than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/start-telling-the-stories-that-only-you-can-tell-because-there-ll/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“It's a difficult path that we tread, us Indie self-publishers, but we're not alone. How many bands practicing in their dad’s garage have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wiggins/it-s-a-difficult-path-that-we-tread-us-indie-self-publishers-but-we/) [Karl Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wiggins/) > [“The difference between writers and readers is similar to the difference between expressionism and impressionism. Writers want to express themselves and readers want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-amber/the-difference-between-writers-and-readers-is-similar-to-the/) [Claire Amber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-amber/) > [The myth stems from the belief that writing is some mystical process. That it's magical. That it abides by its own set of rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/the-myth-stems-from-the-belief-that-writing-is-some-mystical-process/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“The Difference between Writers and Editors. Writers are creative using one end of a pencil. Editors are more adept using the opposite end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-a-higgins/the-difference-between-writers-and-editors-writers-are-creative-using/) [Roy A Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-a-higgins/) > [People seem to think that they can't come up with ideas, and they're wrong. They can and they do, but they just think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-seem-to-think-that-they-can-t-come-up-with-ideas-and-they-re/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There was something about being in the vicinity of Grahame Coats that always made Fat Charlie (a) speak in cliches and (b) begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-was-something-about-being-in-the-vicinity-of-grahame-coats-that/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Writer advice... Write. Finish things. Go for walks. Read a lot & outside your comfort zone. Stay interested. Daydream. Write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/writer-advice-write-finish-things-go-for-walks-read-a-lot-outside/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Until I was about 7, I thought books were just there, like trees. When I learned that people actually wrote them, I wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/until-i-was-about-7-i-thought-books-were-just-there-like-trees-when-i/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I'm overwhelmed by writers. Most people aren't impressed by writers, but if you can draw a cartoon or a picture, they think you're magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gilliam/i-m-overwhelmed-by-writers-most-people-aren-t-impressed-by-writers/) [Terry Gilliam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gilliam/) > [Actors can be good, say all these beautiful, wonderful things - but where does it come from? It comes from the writers, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-marie-saint/actors-can-be-good-say-all-these-beautiful-wonderful-things-but-where/) [Eva Marie Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-marie-saint/) > [With due apologies to Shakespeare, some people are born writers, some people achieve it after a lot of hard work, some people have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/with-due-apologies-to-shakespeare-some-people-are-born-writers-some/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) ## 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 Daydreaming quotes > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [An excessive preponderance of an idealistic mood is harmful to society: it creates daydreaming, political Don Quixotism, hope for heavenly intervention. This is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henryk-sienkiewicz/an-excessive-preponderance-of-an-idealistic-mood-is-harmful-to/) [Henryk Sienkiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henryk-sienkiewicz/) > [Sometimes the worst thing that can happen is, 'Oh, I'm on stage playing a song,' because you're daydreaming about something else, you're on autopilot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/sometimes-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-is-oh-i-m-on-stage-playing/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [“... stability prevents daydreaming about 'what if...' and inserts us totally into what we are doing, causing us to live with a new intensity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wilkes/stability-prevents-daydreaming-about-what-if-and-inserts-us-totally/) [Paul Wilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wilkes/) > [Do not confuse fantasy with imagination; the former consumes itself in daydreaming, the latter stimulates creativity in the arts and in the sciences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fausto-cercignani/do-not-confuse-fantasy-with-imagination-the-former-consumes-itself-in/) [Fausto Cercignani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fausto-cercignani/) > [He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/he-is-a-great-enough-magician-to-tap-our-most-common-nightmares/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [When the writing is really working, I think there is something like dreaming going on. I don't know how to draw the line between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hersey/when-the-writing-is-really-working-i-think-there-is-something-like/) [John Hersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hersey/) > [The only big ideas I've ever had came from daydreaming, but modern life keeps people from daydreaming. Every moment of the day your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-maccready/the-only-big-ideas-i-ve-ever-had-came-from-daydreaming-but-modern/) [Paul MacCready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-maccready/) > [“Kids are naturally curious about the world around them. Everything is fascinating and holds their attention as they explore their new surroundings. Adults however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-murphy/kids-are-naturally-curious-about-the-world-around-them-everything-is/) [James A. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-murphy/) > [A writer, or at least a poet, is always being asked by people who should know better: “Whom do you write for?” The question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-writer-or-at-least-a-poet-is-always-being-asked-by-people-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'll listen to a song so much that ideas start to form out of daydreaming. It's as if I'm reverse-scoring the track and building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiro-murai/i-ll-listen-to-a-song-so-much-that-ideas-start-to-form-out-of/) [Hiro Murai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiro-murai/) > [If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-duritz/if-you-ve-never-stared-off-in-the-distance-then-your-life-is-a-shame/) [Adam Duritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-duritz/) > [Without its daydreams, the self is apt to shrink down to the size and shape of the estimation of others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/without-its-daydreams-the-self-is-apt-to-shrink-down-to-the-size-and/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“Daydreaming had started me on the way; but story writing, once I was truly in its grip, took me and shook me awake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/daydreaming-had-started-me-on-the-way-but-story-writing-once-i-was/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [The real thing, when done right , is always better than a daydream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/the-real-thing-when-done-right-is-always-better-than-a-daydream/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) [Browse all 333 Daydreaming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daydreaming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You get ideas from daydreaming. 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