---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A writer never finds the time to write. A…"
description: "\"A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it. If you don't have the drive, the discipline, and the desire, then you can have all the talen..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/nora-roberts-128_book_a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a_2228232.jpg"
---

#  A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it…

![“A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it. If you don't have the drive, the discipline, and the desire, then you can have all the talent in the world, and you aren't going to finish a book.” quote by Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/nora-roberts-128_book_a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a_2228232.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/nora-roberts-128_book_a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a_2228232.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/nora-roberts-128_book_a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a_2228232.jpg)

> “A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it. If you don't have the drive, the discipline, and the desire, then you can have all the talent in the world, and you aren't going to finish a book.”

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Writing requires discipline and drive; talent alone won’t ensure completion without effort.

**In simple terms:** Discipline and motivation are essential to finish writing.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate daily writing habits and self‑discipline.

Themes

creativity discipline motivation

Mood

inspirational practical

Type

creative self‑help

When to use this quote

- novel drafting
- short story creation
- blog posting
- academic writing

Key Concepts

habit formation self‑regulation goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

- What routines can boost your writing discipline?
- How do you overcome creative blocks?

A Different Perspective

Even with talent, lack of drive leads to unfinished projects.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-write/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-writer-310715/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Finds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-finds-2320380/) [Writer Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-makes-999712/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [But novels are never about what they are about; that is, there is always deeper, or more general, significance. The author may not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-johnson/but-novels-are-never-about-what-they-are-about-that-is-there-is-2/)

[Diane Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-johnson/)

> [My trouble is I'm the sort of writer who only finds out what he's getting at by the time he's got to the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/my-trouble-is-i-m-the-sort-of-writer-who-only-finds-out-what-he-s/)

[Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/)

> [“They get the same rush from a well-executed trade that a writer finds in a well-turned paragraph—not because there’s money in it, necessarily, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-get-the-same-rush-from-a-well-executed-trade-that-a-writer-finds/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A novel's whole pattern is rarely apparent at the outset of writing, or even at the end; that is when the writer finds out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-johnson/a-novel-s-whole-pattern-is-rarely-apparent-at-the-outset-of-writing/)

[Diane Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-johnson/)

> [The great writer finds style as the mystic finds God, in his own soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/the-great-writer-finds-style-as-the-mystic-finds-god-in-his-own-soul/)

[Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/)

> [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/)

[David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/)

> [You don't find time to write. You make time. It's my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-don-t-find-time-to-write-you-make-time-it-s-my-job/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“A writer who makes serious money is never taken seriously. Writers and artists are expected to suffer poverty and privation for their art; it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/a-writer-who-makes-serious-money-is-never-taken-seriously-writers-and/)

[Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/)

> [“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature. If a writer can make people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/when-writing-a-novel-a-writer-should-create-living-people-people-not/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [I am a loner by nature, and then I'm a writer, which makes me twice a loner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-perez-firmat/i-am-a-loner-by-nature-and-then-i-m-a-writer-which-makes-me-twice-a/)

[Gustavo Perez Firmat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-perez-firmat/)

> [Constant work, constant writing and constant revision. The real writer learns nothing from life. He is more like an oyster or a sponge. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/constant-work-constant-writing-and-constant-revision-the-real-writer/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [“He is a writer. He makes the rest of them nervous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/he-is-a-writer-he-makes-the-rest-of-them-nervous/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [Essentially, I'm, most of all, a writer. So, what makes people tick interests me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/essentially-i-m-most-of-all-a-writer-so-what-makes-people-tick/)

[Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/)

> [“A Book I Can Put Down I’m halfway through and I’ve gotten used to the way it wants to be read. This writer wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-clark/a-book-i-can-put-down-i-m-halfway-through-and-i-ve-gotten-used-to-the/)

[Antonia Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-clark/)

> [What has a writer to be bombastic about? Whatever good a man may write is the consequence of accident, luck, or surprise, and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dahlberg/what-has-a-writer-to-be-bombastic-about-whatever-good-a-man-may-write/)

[Edward Dahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dahlberg/)

## More by Nora Roberts

> [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“He's back in Maine now.She did say he badgered her with questions. Of course, she didn't have the answer until she spoke to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/he-s-back-in-maine-now-she-did-say-he-badgered-her-with-questions-of/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“Every professor worth his PhD should have a fireplace in his study.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/every-professor-worth-his-phd-should-have-a-fireplace-in-his-study/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“Sorry, bad wing." When Theo kissed him, surprise and pleasure flustered him. He couldn't remember the last time this boy, this young man, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/sorry-bad-wing-when-theo-kissed-him-surprise-and-pleasure-flustered/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“Because it's hard not to matter, even to someone you dislike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/because-it-s-hard-not-to-matter-even-to-someone-you-dislike/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“No point in wishing for what you can't have. - Blair What's the point in wishing for what you can and do? - Larken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/no-point-in-wishing-for-what-you-can-t-have-blair-what-s-the-point-in/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“Grayson: Fiction is just a lie anyway. Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“I was going to make a confession. Then I remembered I don't make them very well. We still need to see the monkeys." "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-was-going-to-make-a-confession-then-i-remembered-i-don-t-make-them/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [I've wanted to be with you when I didn't have the right to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-ve-wanted-to-be-with-you-when-i-didn-t-have-the-right-to/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [You can't write well what you don't read for pleasure. If it doesn't entertain you, it's not going to entertain anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-write-well-what-you-don-t-read-for-pleasure-if-it-doesn-t/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [You can't edit a blank page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-edit-a-blank-page/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“There was a boy down at the stables." She laughed suddenly with her back comfortably nestled against Grant's chest. "Oh,Lord,he was a bit like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/there-was-a-boy-down-at-the-stables-she-laughed-suddenly-with-her/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“Some people refuse to take the next step. You could refuse to take what you wanted most, because you're afraid someday you might lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/some-people-refuse-to-take-the-next-step-you-could-refuse-to-take/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“Oh, i'm going to kick his ass, and when i'm done, i'm going to squeeze his balls blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/oh-i-m-going-to-kick-his-ass-and-when-i-m-done-i-m-going-to-squeeze/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

[Explore all 1,138 Nora Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

## More Book quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/)

[Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/)

[Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/)

[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/)

> [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/)

[Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/)

> [“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/)

> [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/)

[Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/)

> [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/)

[Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/)

[Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it. If you don't have the drive, the discipline, and the desire, then you can have all the talent in the world, and you aren't going to finish a book.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nora Roberts"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a-writer-makes-it-if-you-don-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Book"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a-writer-makes-it-if-you-don-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/nora-roberts-128_book_a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a_2228232.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/nora-roberts-128_book_a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a_2228232.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/nora-roberts-128_book_a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a_2228232.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A writer never finds the time to write. A writer makes it. If you don't have the drive, the discipline, and…” — Nora Roberts",
                "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": "Nora Roberts",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A writer never finds the time...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a-writer-makes-it-if-you-don-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/a-writer-never-finds-the-time-to-write-a-writer-makes-it-if-you-don-t/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
