--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You want to be a writer, don't know how…" description: "\"You want to be a writer, don't know how or when? Find a quiet place, use a humble pen.\" — Paul Simon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/paul-simon-1703_humble_you-want-to-be-a-writer-don-t-know-how-o_2830226.png" --- # You want to be a writer, don't know how or when? Find a… ![“You want to be a writer, don't know how or when? Find a quiet place, use a humble pen.” quote by Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/paul-simon-1703_humble_you-want-to-be-a-writer-don-t-know-how-o_2830226.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/paul-simon-1703_humble_you-want-to-be-a-writer-don-t-know-how-o_2830226.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/paul-simon-1703_humble_you-want-to-be-a-writer-don-t-know-how-o_2830226.png) > “You want to be a writer, don't know how or when? Find a quiet place, use a humble pen.” [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing begins with simple tools and quiet spaces, fostering humility and focus. **In simple terms:** Start writing in a quiet, humble setting. Key Takeaway Find a calm spot and a simple pen. Themes writing humility focus Mood calm determined Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - journaling - novel drafting - songwriting Key Concepts creative process mindfulness discipline Questions to Reflect On - What environment sparks your best writing? - How do you limit interruptions? A Different Perspective Distractions can derail the process. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Quiet place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-place/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I want to keep growing as a writer. I find myself doing unexpected projects and sort of challenging my idea of where I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-want-to-keep-growing-as-a-writer-i-find-myself-doing-unexpected/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [If you want to be a writer, just write. There's no magic to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/if-you-want-to-be-a-writer-just-write-there-s-no-magic-to-it/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [When I began writing, the words that inspired me were these: A writer is someone who has written today. If you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-jance-2/when-i-began-writing-the-words-that-inspired-me-were-these-a-writer/) [J. A. Jance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-jance-2/) > [- I don't want to be a writer so I can write about my life. I want to be a writer to escape from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-writer-so-i-can-write-about-my-life-i-want-to-be/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [It didn't occur to me that I could be a writer until college. I saw all these people around me training to be doctors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/it-didn-t-occur-to-me-that-i-could-be-a-writer-until-college-i-saw/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [I don't want to be a writer where all the characters sound the same. There's a facility in that kind of writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-writer-where-all-the-characters-sound-the-same/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [Just write. If you have to make a choice, if you say, 'Oh well, I'm going to put the writing away until my children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/just-write-if-you-have-to-make-a-choice-if-you-say-oh-well-i-m-going/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [I don’t think I would ever want to be a writer of detective stories - but I would like to be a detective and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lavin/i-don-t-think-i-would-ever-want-to-be-a-writer-of-detective-stories/) Mary Lavin > [I've had so many experiences with film or musicals or books where I just walk away changed in some way. One of the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-kitt/i-ve-had-so-many-experiences-with-film-or-musicals-or-books-where-i/) [Tom Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-kitt/) > [I used to want to be a war photographer, and I used to want to be a ballerina and a comedian. I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-power/i-used-to-want-to-be-a-war-photographer-and-i-used-to-want-to-be-a/) [Cat Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-power/) > [“I want be a writer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-want-be-a-writer/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [It wasn't like I told my family, 'I want to be a singer. I want to be a writer. I want to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-peters/it-wasn-t-like-i-told-my-family-i-want-to-be-a-singer-i-want-to-be-a/) [Maisie Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-peters/) > [“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 > [If you want to be a serious writer, then you have to write what there is to write about. If you're going to pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-you-want-to-be-a-serious-writer-then-you-have-to-write-what-there/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The book that first made me want to be a writer is Flannery O'Connor's short story collection 'A Good Man Is Hard To Find.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/the-book-that-first-made-me-want-to-be-a-writer-is-flannery-o-connor/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) ## More by Paul Simon > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-stuff-once-it-s-done-i-don-t/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Medicine is magical and magical is art, the boy in the bubble, and the baby with the baboon heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/medicine-is-magical-and-magical-is-art-the-boy-in-the-bubble-and-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Two times two is twenty-two, four times four is forty-four. When numbers get serious, they leave a mark on your door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/two-times-two-is-twenty-two-four-times-four-is-forty-four-when/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [...what threatens us today in the world of computers and other invasions of privacy is not a national ID card but a number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/what-threatens-us-today-in-the-world-of-computers-and-other-invasions/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Life I love you, all is groovy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/life-i-love-you-all-is-groovy/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I would be willing to do almost anything to make Art happy. I care about our friendship. The only thing I won't do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-would-be-willing-to-do-almost-anything-to-make-art-happy-i-care/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I don't very often think I've done a good job. I don't like the majority of what I do. I shouldn't say I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-don-t-very-often-think-i-ve-done-a-good-job-i-don-t-like-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I rate each album as better than the last one. That's how I see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-rate-each-album-as-better-than-the-last-one-that-s-how-i-see-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [ I don't think \[Dylan and the Beatles\] influenced me a lot. I think it was inevitable; they were so powerful that you couldn't really… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-don-t-think-dylan-and-the-beatles-influenced-me-a-lot-i-think-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenements halls and whispered in the sounds of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/the-words-of-the-prophets-are-written-on-the-subway-walls-and/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I'm not in it for the money. I like music. I love to write music. I can't imagine myself not playing or singing or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-m-not-in-it-for-the-money-i-like-music-i-love-to-write-music-i-can/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [No one dare disturb the sound of silence...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/no-one-dare-disturb-the-sound-of-silence/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [A fundamental requirement, overriding any other for this job, is an understanding of deafness-what it is and how it affects the educational experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-fundamental-requirement-overriding-any-other-for-this-job-is-an/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) [Explore all 214 Paul Simon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## More Humble quotes > [You just have to stay humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-jackson/you-just-have-to-stay-humble/) [Lamar Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-jackson/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [The more holy, the more humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-the-more-humble/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Me, my niggas and some Madonna hoes that look just like virgins but trust they down to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/me-my-niggas-and-some-madonna-hoes-that-look-just-like-virgins-but/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I need to look like an idiot at least twice a day to keep myself humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-need-to-look-like-an-idiot-at-least-twice-a-day-to-keep-myself/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [The best route is to stay humble and stay true to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-the-kid/the-best-route-is-to-stay-humble-and-stay-true-to-yourself/) [Rich the Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-the-kid/) > [“Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you high. People who are gentle, humble and able always have a great ending no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/humble-yourself-before-the-lord-and-he-will-lift-you-high-people-who/) [israelmore ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I work hard and I'm humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nle-choppa/i-work-hard-and-i-m-humble/) [NLE Choppa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nle-choppa/) > [We have to be humble and respect our opponents who are stronger than us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/we-have-to-be-humble-and-respect-our-opponents-who-are-stronger-than/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [To seek yourself in this world is to be lost; and to be humble is to be exalted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/to-seek-yourself-in-this-world-is-to-be-lost-and-to-be-humble-is-to/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [There are not too many places I can go without someone saying, 'Hey, can I take a picture of you with my daughter,' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-not-too-many-places-i-can-go-without-someone-saying-hey-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [No I'm not saying I'm the nicest I just life like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/no-i-m-not-saying-i-m-the-nicest-i-just-life-like-it/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) [Browse all 3,056 Humble quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You want to be a writer, don't know how or when? 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