--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many times, what people call 'writer's…" description: "\"Many times, what people call 'writer's block' is the confusion that happens when a writer has a great idea, but their writing skill is not up to the ta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/pearl-cleage-10395_block_many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-blo_2095494.jpg" --- # Many times, what people call 'writer's block' is the… ![“Many times, what people call 'writer's block' is the confusion that happens when a writer has a great idea, but their writing skill is not up to the task of putting that idea down on paper. I think that learning the craft of writing is critical.” quote by Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/pearl-cleage-10395_block_many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-blo_2095494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/pearl-cleage-10395_block_many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-blo_2095494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/pearl-cleage-10395_block_many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-blo_2095494.jpg) > “Many times, what people call 'writer's block' is the confusion that happens when a writer has a great idea, but their writing skill is not up to the task of putting that idea down on paper. I think that learning the craft of writing is critical.” [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writer's block often stems from a gap between ideas and skill; improving craft bridges that gap. **In simple terms:** Skill gaps cause block; practice solves it. Key Takeaway Practice writing to match ideas. Themes creativity skill development self-doubt Mood encouraging practical Type motivational educational When to use this quote - writing workshops - daily journaling - skill drills Key Concepts learning theory cognitive psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you strengthen your writing skills? - What habits help translate ideas into words? A Different Perspective Skill alone doesn't guarantee ideas; inspiration also needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) [Block Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block-confusion-4161565/) [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) [Great idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-idea/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Idea Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-writing-898686/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Tasks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tasks/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer 's block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-s-block/) [Writer Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-block/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-critical-3401703/) [Writing Skill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-skill-2039168/) [Writing skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-skills/) ## Related quotes > [My students - all adults - bring a lot of writing skill to the first class, and they and I get better as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thayer/my-students-all-adults-bring-a-lot-of-writing-skill-to-the-first/) [James Thayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thayer/) > [“Writing doesn’t get any easier with time or talent. If writing is easy for you, you’re probably still learning the craft. You haven’t perfected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/writing-doesn-t-get-any-easier-with-time-or-talent-if-writing-is-easy/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [Writers quite often starve. And I'm mainly just writing critical prose and poetry, that's a formula for starvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/writers-quite-often-starve-and-i-m-mainly-just-writing-critical-prose/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Writing is a skill, not a talent, and this difference is important because a skill can be improved by practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stacy-mccain/writing-is-a-skill-not-a-talent-and-this-difference-is-important/) [Robert Stacy McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stacy-mccain/) > [I do want to work on writing, because writing's a skill. Writing is something that you can train yourself to know better. To know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-do-want-to-work-on-writing-because-writing-s-a-skill-writing-is/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [I do want to work on writing, because writing's a skill. Writing is something that you can train yourself to know better. To know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-do-want-to-work-on-writing-because-writing-s-a-skill-writing-is-2/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [“I have this idea that writing is all about divergent thinking colliding with a hurricane of emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-ys-perez/i-have-this-idea-that-writing-is-all-about-divergent-thinking/) [R. YS Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-ys-perez/) > [People often refer to a creative ability as a 'gift', and, of course, it is, in that, if I had sat down and logically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/people-often-refer-to-a-creative-ability-as-a-gift-and-of-course-it/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I am not a politics wonk. I like the idea of my writing reflecting more about who I am or other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-am-not-a-politics-wonk-i-like-the-idea-of-my-writing-reflecting/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I've tried over the years all kinds of ways of going about writing and even just thinking about the idea of writing. There was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-wagner/i-ve-tried-over-the-years-all-kinds-of-ways-of-going-about-writing/) [Kurt Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-wagner/) > [The idea of writing, to me, was, from the beginning, was writing something which was a little different from the ordinary exchange of speech.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/the-idea-of-writing-to-me-was-from-the-beginning-was-writing/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [The idea of me writing something that I'd get to be in as well was not what I saw coming. I do think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-foster/the-idea-of-me-writing-something-that-i-d-get-to-be-in-as-well-was/) [Erin Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-foster/) > [What I'm after is something different than supplying people with the idea that I'm writing an important play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/what-i-m-after-is-something-different-than-supplying-people-with-the/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [A lot of my close friends had tolerantly washed their hands of the whole idea of me writing a book. They had said to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-harbach/a-lot-of-my-close-friends-had-tolerantly-washed-their-hands-of-the/) [Chad Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-harbach/) > [I think that the idea that I'm writing for many more people than I ever imagined has created a certain general responsibility that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-think-that-the-idea-that-i-m-writing-for-many-more-people-than-i/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) ## More by Pearl Cleage > [It is a dangerous time to be a black woman in America. It’s a time when we are not safe in the streets or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/it-is-a-dangerous-time-to-be-a-black-woman-in-america-it-s-a-time/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [“what looks like crazy on an ordinary day looks a lot like love if you catch it in the moonlight!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/what-looks-like-crazy-on-an-ordinary-day-looks-a-lot-like-love-if-you/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [Loneliness is random; solitude is ritual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/loneliness-is-random-solitude-is-ritual/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [We danced too wild, and we sang too long, and we hugged too hard, and we kissed too sweet, and howled just as loud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/we-danced-too-wild-and-we-sang-too-long-and-we-hugged-too-hard-and-we/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [I truly love the rehearsal process, those eight hours a day! I really love actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/i-truly-love-the-rehearsal-process-those-eight-hours-a-day-i-really/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [If you don't annoy your big sister for no good reason from time to time, she thinks you don't love her anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/if-you-don-t-annoy-your-big-sister-for-no-good-reason-from-time-to/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [That's why I love being a writer. My imagination can take me places I may never see except in my mind's eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/that-s-why-i-love-being-a-writer-my-imagination-can-take-me-places-i/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [“I need the words to find the music!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/i-need-the-words-to-find-the-music/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [Sometimes you have to show them what they want to see in order to get them to show you who they really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/sometimes-you-have-to-show-them-what-they-want-to-see-in-order-to-get/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [Buying flowers is not just a way to bring home beauty. It's an expression of confidence that better days are coming. It's a defiant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/buying-flowers-is-not-just-a-way-to-bring-home-beauty-it-s-an/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [“Sometimes the contradictions in their lives are so intense they seem manufactured for teaching life lessons, but it's hard to keep up with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/sometimes-the-contradictions-in-their-lives-are-so-intense-they-seem/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [“em,” she said softly. “That guy with the sexy voice told ’em to get ready”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/em-she-said-softly-that-guy-with-the-sexy-voice-told-em-to-get-ready/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [Domestic violence is the front line of the war against women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/domestic-violence-is-the-front-line-of-the-war-against-women/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [When I got to the end of this play, I realized I was trying to make Angel do something that had not been justified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/when-i-got-to-the-end-of-this-play-i-realized-i-was-trying-to-make/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [What looks like crazy on an ordinary day looks looks a lot like love if you catch it in the moonlight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/what-looks-like-crazy-on-an-ordinary-day-looks-looks-a-lot-like-love/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) [Explore all 65 Pearl Cleage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) ## More Block quotes > [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/) [Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [Stevie Wonder always smells so good... I'm like a DEA dog, I can smell people a block away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/stevie-wonder-always-smells-so-good-i-m-like-a-dea-dog-i-can-smell/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [When it comes to people I love and care about, I may condense the time, but I'm giving them every ounce of my energy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-shetty/when-it-comes-to-people-i-love-and-care-about-i-may-condense-the-time/) [Jay Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-shetty/) > [I mean family is more important than anything in life. Family is important than my crew, D-Block, my rap career anything... It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [One of those blocks (that prevent the 'Middle East from entering the mainstream of modernity') is the orthodox tenet that the Koran and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-beichman/one-of-those-blocks-that-prevent-the-middle-east-from-entering-the/) [Arnold Beichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-beichman/) > [The family is the building block for whatever solidarity there is in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ruckelshaus/the-family-is-the-building-block-for-whatever-solidarity-there-is-in/) [William Ruckelshaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ruckelshaus/) > [New York is so serious about the creation of work. Everything is happening so fast, it feels like there's another studio, another session on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/new-york-is-so-serious-about-the-creation-of-work-everything-is/) [Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I think you can train yourself to block out some of that pressure and replace it with confidence. It's about preparation, and the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rodgers/i-think-you-can-train-yourself-to-block-out-some-of-that-pressure-and/) [Aaron Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rodgers/) > [Writer's block? I've never heard of a plumber complain about plumber's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/writer-s-block-i-ve-never-heard-of-a-plumber-complain-about-plumber-s/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) [Browse all 1,755 Block quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many times, what people call 'writer's block' is the confusion that happens when a writer has a great idea, but their writing skill is not up to the task of putting that idea down on paper. I think that learning the craft of writing is critical.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pearl Cleage" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-block-is-the-confusion-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Block" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-block-is-the-confusion-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/pearl-cleage-10395_block_many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-blo_2095494.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/pearl-cleage-10395_block_many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-blo_2095494.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/pearl-cleage-10395_block_many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-blo_2095494.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many times, what people call 'writer's block' is the confusion that happens when a writer has a great idea…” — Pearl Cleage", "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": "Pearl Cleage", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Many times, what people call 'writer's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-block-is-the-confusion-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/many-times-what-people-call-writer-s-block-is-the-confusion-that/#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 } } ] } ```