--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can write a short story in two hours…" description: "\"You can write a short story in two hours. Two hours a day, you have a novel in a year.\" — Ray Bradbury" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/ray-bradbury-75_books_you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours_2340656.jpg" --- # You can write a short story in two hours. Two hours a day… ![“You can write a short story in two hours. Two hours a day, you have a novel in a year.” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/ray-bradbury-75_books_you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours_2340656.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/ray-bradbury-75_books_you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours_2340656.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/ray-bradbury-75_books_you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours_2340656.jpg) > “You can write a short story in two hours. Two hours a day, you have a novel in a year.” [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement suggests that disciplined, regular writing can produce a novel within a year, emphasizing consistency over talent. **In simple terms:** Write daily to finish a novel quickly. Key Takeaway Write consistently. Themes writing productivity creativity Mood motivational practical Type creative educational When to use this quote - novel writing - short story workshops - daily journaling - creative retreats Key Concepts time management habit formation Questions to Reflect On - Can you sustain a two‑hour daily writing habit? - What obstacles might arise? A Different Perspective Life events may disrupt daily writing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novel Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-year-1181937/) [Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Story Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-hours-3082443/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-short-447488/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Write a short story every week. It's not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/write-a-short-story-every-week-it-s-not-possible-to-write-52-bad/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's a real art to telling a story in two hours, and that will always be something that people are very, very interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sparks/there-s-a-real-art-to-telling-a-story-in-two-hours-and-that-will/) [Paul Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sparks/) > [In a brilliant fusion of fact and fiction, Jayne Anne Phillips has written the novel of the year. It's the story of a serial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-a-brilliant-fusion-of-fact-and-fiction-jayne-anne-phillips-has/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I mostly write short stories. They are best written in a continuous creative process. You have a feel of immediacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/i-mostly-write-short-stories-they-are-best-written-in-a-continuous/) [Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/) > [To write a short story, you have to be able to stay up all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/to-write-a-short-story-you-have-to-be-able-to-stay-up-all-night/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Novels are so much unrulier and more stressful to write. A short story can last two pages and then it's over, and that's kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-bender/novels-are-so-much-unrulier-and-more-stressful-to-write-a-short-story/) [Aimee Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-bender/) > [I write short stories. I write every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-mustafa/i-write-short-stories-i-write-every-day/) [Isaiah Mustafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-mustafa/) > [Don’t try to write a novel. Write short stories and then figure out how to connect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/don-t-try-to-write-a-novel-write-short-stories-and-then-figure-out/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If you write a hundred short stories and they're all bad, that doesn't mean you've failed. You fail only if you stop writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-you-write-a-hundred-short-stories-and-they-re-all-bad-that-doesn-t/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I used to take my short stories to girls' homes and read them to them. Can you imagine the reaction reading a short story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-used-to-take-my-short-stories-to-girls-homes-and-read-them-to-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [At the end of the day you do have to write a short novel beforehand, called a script, before you can make a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-garrel/at-the-end-of-the-day-you-do-have-to-write-a-short-novel-beforehand/) [Louis Garrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-garrel/) > [Three of my novels and a good number of my short stories are told from the point of view of men. I was brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-toibin/three-of-my-novels-and-a-good-number-of-my-short-stories-are-told/) [Colm Toibin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-toibin/) > [Bonsai won the Chilean Critics Award for best novel of the year in 2006and it's easy to understand why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-messinger/bonsai-won-the-chilean-critics-award-for-best-novel-of-the-year-in/) [Jonathan Messinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-messinger/) > [“Write a page a day and you'll have a complete novel in year.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-whittington/write-a-page-a-day-and-you-ll-have-a-complete-novel-in-year/) [Harry Whittington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-whittington/) > [“Writing one page a day equals a 365 page novel in a year.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberlee-r-mendoza/writing-one-page-a-day-equals-a-365-page-novel-in-a-year/) [Kimberlee R. Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberlee-r-mendoza/) ## More by Ray Bradbury > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" He laughed. "That's against the law!" "Oh. Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-ever-read-any-of-the-books-you-burn-he-laughed-that-s-against/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We're going to become the martians when we land there. When we explore and build communities, we become the martians. That's a wonderful destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-re-going-to-become-the-martians-when-we-land-there-when-we-explore/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The library is the biggest cracker box factory in the world. The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-travel-for-romance-we-travel-for-architecture-and-we-travel-to-be/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If we try to deny the darkness in our souls then we'll become completely dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-we-try-to-deny-the-darkness-in-our-souls-then-we-ll-become/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Explore all 1,520 Ray Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More Books 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/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [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/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [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/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [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/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can write a short story in two hours. Two hours a day, you have a novel in a year.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ray Bradbury" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours-two-hours-a-day-you-have-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours-two-hours-a-day-you-have-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/ray-bradbury-75_books_you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours_2340656.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/ray-bradbury-75_books_you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours_2340656.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/ray-bradbury-75_books_you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours_2340656.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can write a short story in two hours. Two hours a day, you have a novel in a year.” — Ray Bradbury", "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": "Ray Bradbury", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can write a short story...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours-two-hours-a-day-you-have-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-write-a-short-story-in-two-hours-two-hours-a-day-you-have-a/#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 } } ] } ```