--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reading is like breathing in, writing is…" description: "\"Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.\" — Pam Allyn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/pam-allyn-58346_breathing_reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is_2215677.jpg" --- # Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out. ![“Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.” quote by Pam Allyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/pam-allyn-58346_breathing_reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is_2215677.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/pam-allyn-58346_breathing_reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is_2215677.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/pam-allyn-58346_breathing_reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is_2215677.jpg) > “Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.” [Pam Allyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-allyn/) ## 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 outward expression of internal thoughts, just as breathing releases air from the lungs. **In simple terms:** Writing expresses thoughts like breathing out. Key Takeaway Write to release inner ideas. Themes creativity expression breathing writing mindfulness Mood calm inspired thoughtful Type inspirational metaphorical reflective When to use this quote - journaling - author workshops - daily writing practice - mindful meditation Key Concepts metaphor creative process communication Questions to Reflect On - How does writing help you process emotions? - Can breathing techniques improve writing flow? A Different Perspective Writing may feel forced if not authentic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Breathing Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing-writing-3781121/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Like Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-breathing/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-like/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-like/) ## Related quotes > [“If reading is like breathing then writing is like the beat of a heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-holford-green/if-reading-is-like-breathing-then-writing-is-like-the-beat-of-a-heart/) [Laura Holford-Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-holford-green/) > [Reading is like breathing in and writing is like breathing out, and storytelling is what links both: it is the soul of literacy. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/reading-is-like-breathing-in-and-writing-is-like-breathing-out-and/) [Pam Allyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-allyn/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [Writing is like breathing, it's possible to learn to do it well, but the point is to do it no matter what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/writing-is-like-breathing-it-s-possible-to-learn-to-do-it-well-but/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“Reading, for me, was like breathing. It was probably akin to masturbation for my brain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/reading-for-me-was-like-breathing-it-was-probably-akin-to/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [Reading is like breathing. If you take it away, first I become antsy, then violent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/reading-is-like-breathing-if-you-take-it-away-first-i-become-antsy/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [“Reading is like breathing. Reading the classics is like breathing highly oxygenated air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-greensmith/reading-is-like-breathing-reading-the-classics-is-like-breathing/) [Jane Greensmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-greensmith/) > [“Asking me if I like reading is like asking me if I like breathing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymus/asking-me-if-i-like-reading-is-like-asking-me-if-i-like-breathing/) [Anonymus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymus/) > [“reading is like drugs, once u addicted of it u cant stay away ofurself from it n Writing is like sex, the very First…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amg/reading-is-like-drugs-once-u-addicted-of-it-u-cant-stay-away-ofurself/) [AMG](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amg/) > [“But writing is like breathing--I do it because I have to. Actually, writing might be more like reading--I do it because I can't imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-frost/but-writing-is-like-breathing-i-do-it-because-i-have-to-actually/) [Heather Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-frost/) > [“Writing is like breathing underwater. It's really hard to do unless you can imagine yourself a nice set of gills.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alane-adams/writing-is-like-breathing-underwater-it-s-really-hard-to-do-unless/) [Alane Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alane-adams/) > [“writing was like breathing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/writing-was-like-breathing/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Writing is like breathing -- it is necessary for my survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-c-hillstrom/writing-is-like-breathing-it-is-necessary-for-my-survival/) [Michelle C. Hillstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-c-hillstrom/) > [Eating and sleeping are not like loving and breathing. Washing is not like eating and sleeping. Believing is like breathing and loving. Religion can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/eating-and-sleeping-are-not-like-loving-and-breathing-washing-is-not/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Anyone else feel like that? Like your life's a big act. Like you're trying to be a man when you're just a scared kid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-flinn/anyone-else-feel-like-that-like-your-life-s-a-big-act-like-you-re/) [Alex Flinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-flinn/) ## More by Pam Allyn > [Literacy is the tool we use as humans to find one another, so it must belong to everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/literacy-is-the-tool-we-use-as-humans-to-find-one-another-so-it-must/) [Pam Allyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-allyn/) > [Children live in a way that is very generous. They learn from a young age what you value; they watch your every move. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/children-live-in-a-way-that-is-very-generous-they-learn-from-a-young/) [Pam Allyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-allyn/) > [Reading for pleasure isn’t separate from learning to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/reading-for-pleasure-isn-t-separate-from-learning-to-read/) [Pam Allyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-allyn/) > [Reading is like breathing in and writing is like breathing out, and storytelling is what links both: it is the soul of literacy. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/reading-is-like-breathing-in-and-writing-is-like-breathing-out-and/) [Pam Allyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-allyn/) [Explore all 5 Pam Allyn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-allyn/) ## More Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) [Marcel Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-williams/) > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pam Allyn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is-like-breathing-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breathing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is-like-breathing-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/pam-allyn-58346_breathing_reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is_2215677.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/pam-allyn-58346_breathing_reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is_2215677.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/pam-allyn-58346_breathing_reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is_2215677.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.” — Pam Allyn", "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": "Pam Allyn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-allyn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Reading is like breathing in, writing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is-like-breathing-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-allyn/reading-is-like-breathing-in-writing-is-like-breathing-out/#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 } } ] } ```