--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ideas are the easy part. The hard part is…" description: "\"Ideas are the easy part. The hard part is writing them down.\" — Patricia C. Wrede" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/patricia-c-wrede-7773_easy_ideas-are-the-easy-part-the-hard-part-is_1140952.jpg" --- # Ideas are the easy part. The hard part is writing them down. ![“Ideas are the easy part. The hard part is writing them down.” quote by Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/patricia-c-wrede-7773_easy_ideas-are-the-easy-part-the-hard-part-is_1140952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/patricia-c-wrede-7773_easy_ideas-are-the-easy-part-the-hard-part-is_1140952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/patricia-c-wrede-7773_easy_ideas-are-the-easy-part-the-hard-part-is_1140952.jpg) > “Ideas are the easy part. The hard part is writing them down.” [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Generating ideas is easy; the real challenge is committing them to paper. **In simple terms:** Ideas are easy; writing is hard. Key Takeaway Start writing despite difficulty. Themes creativity productivity discipline Mood practical encouraging Type creative productive When to use this quote - authoring a novel - academic writing - blogging - project planning Key Concepts writing process idea execution focus Questions to Reflect On - How can you move from thought to draft? - What routines help you write regularly? A Different Perspective Ideas can remain vague without disciplined execution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Ideas are easy. Execution is everything. It takes a team to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doerr/ideas-are-easy-execution-is-everything-it-takes-a-team-to-win/) [John Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doerr/) > [Nathaniel Hawthorne once said that easy reading is damn hard writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/nathaniel-hawthorne-once-said-that-easy-reading-is-damn-hard-writing/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Easy is hard enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-k-albert/easy-is-hard-enough/) Anne K. Albert > [One of the things everybody seems to want to ask writers is, "Where do you get your ideas?" When people ask me this, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/one-of-the-things-everybody-seems-to-want-to-ask-writers-is-where-do/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [Actually, after while, finding the ideas is the easy part. Sorting them through and turning them into stories, now, that's the hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/actually-after-while-finding-the-ideas-is-the-easy-part-sorting-them/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [Because language is the carrier of ideas, it is easy to believe that it should be very little else than such a carrier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/because-language-is-the-carrier-of-ideas-it-is-easy-to-believe-that/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [“Here are some ideas, easy ways you can create less stress in your life and business, and hopefully inspire you to explore other areas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liesha-petrovich/here-are-some-ideas-easy-ways-you-can-create-less-stress-in-your-life/) [Liesha Petrovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liesha-petrovich/) > [Ideas are easy. Implementation is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/ideas-are-easy-implementation-is-hard/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [“Well, it just goes to show you,” the inventor said as he flipped through the pages of notes and ideas, “It is easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lallo/well-it-just-goes-to-show-you-the-inventor-said-as-he-flipped-through/) [Joseph Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lallo/) > [Ideas are easy to conceive, less easy to execute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/ideas-are-easy-to-conceive-less-easy-to-execute/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Ideas are easy. It's the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/ideas-are-easy-it-s-the-execution-of-ideas-that-really-separates-the/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Hard writing makes easy reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/hard-writing-makes-easy-reading/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Ideas are easy. I've never met a single person who didn't think they had a world class idea. The hard part is making it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/ideas-are-easy-i-ve-never-met-a-single-person-who-didn-t-think-they/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [It is awfully easy to be hard-boiled about everything in the daytime, but at night it is another thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-is-awfully-easy-to-be-hard-boiled-about-everything-in-the-daytime/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Nina Dobrev makes my job easy, its hard not to melt when she looks at you with those doe eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/nina-dobrev-makes-my-job-easy-its-hard-not-to-melt-when-she-looks-at/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) ## More by Patricia C. Wrede > [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“You don’t understand,” Mairelon said dully. “Kim doesn’t want to marry a toff.” Was that what was bothering him? “Well, of all the bacon-brained,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/you-don-t-understand-mairelon-said-dully-kim-doesn-t-want-to-marry-a/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [Of course it doesn't make sense." Lady Wendall said. "The rules of society rarely do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/of-course-it-doesn-t-make-sense-lady-wendall-said-the-rules-of/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“(In reply to the question, 'Would you like some suggestions for a plot for your next book?') There are three problems with getting plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/in-reply-to-the-question-would-you-like-some-suggestions-for-a-plot/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [Well, of all the bacon-brained, sapskulled, squirish, buffle-headed nodcocks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/well-of-all-the-bacon-brained-sapskulled-squirish-buffle-headed/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“Winter was usually the slow season at the menagerie, with so many of the animals hibernating, but that year I was busier than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/winter-was-usually-the-slow-season-at-the-menagerie-with-so-many-of/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [Sometimes, though, you have to do things for family, even if you'd rather not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/sometimes-though-you-have-to-do-things-for-family-even-if-you-d/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“Mendanbar took a deep breath. “You could stay here. At the castle, I mean. With me.” This wasn’t coming out at all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/mendanbar-took-a-deep-breath-you-could-stay-here-at-the-castle-i-mean/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“If you're going to be rude, do it for a reason and get something from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/if-you-re-going-to-be-rude-do-it-for-a-reason-and-get-something-from/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [If you want to build a car, you don't slap a bunch of iron ore, some sand, a rubber tree, and a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/if-you-want-to-build-a-car-you-don-t-slap-a-bunch-of-iron-ore-some/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“If you brought me out driving just so you could insult me-" "Oh, not just to insult you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/if-you-brought-me-out-driving-just-so-you-could-insult-me-oh-not-just/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“Four of us,' said Morwen. The cats yowled. 'Yes, I know, and of course you're coming, but you can't carry a bucket of soapy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/four-of-us-said-morwen-the-cats-yowled-yes-i-know-and-of-course-you/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [How can you know it's the best, if you don't learn about anything else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/how-can-you-know-it-s-the-best-if-you-don-t-learn-about-anything-else/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“Really, Agatha, you might have told me.” "Told you what?” Mairelon said. “That my ward was once a street thief? I didn’t think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/really-agatha-you-might-have-told-me-told-you-what-mairelon-said-that/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“She lived here for a while until she couldn't stand having strangers stand outside and shout, "Rachel! Rachel, send down your chair" any longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/she-lived-here-for-a-while-until-she-couldn-t-stand-having-strangers/) [patricia c. wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) [Explore all 86 Patricia C. Wrede quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) ## More Easy quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [People think that the Club World Cup is an easy competition, but it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/people-think-that-the-club-world-cup-is-an-easy-competition-but-it-s/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Sometimes life can suck and not be fair ,but we have to deal with it,because we feel we cant do anything but,we can.We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-can-suck-and-not-be-fair-but-we-have-to-deal-with-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mortals are such fragile things. Just tender feelings walking around exposed in their delicate shells...Easy to crush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/mortals-are-such-fragile-things-just-tender-feelings-walking-around/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [I don't know why, but I'm an easy target. And I don't do anything to dispel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-mcginley/i-don-t-know-why-but-i-m-an-easy-target-and-i-don-t-do-anything-to/) [Ted McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-mcginley/) > [I know that I'm going to have to work hard, keep working hard, and not because of this victory think, "I'm back." I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/i-know-that-i-m-going-to-have-to-work-hard-keep-working-hard-and-not/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) Browse all 14,306 Easy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ideas are the easy part. 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