--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a writer, children make life…" description: "\"For a writer, children make life needlessly hard. I've muddled through a lot of things, but I have not muddled through my writing life. I work absolute..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/richard-ford-2097_absolutely_for-a-writer-children-make-life-needless_795795.png" --- # For a writer, children make life needlessly hard. I've… ![“For a writer, children make life needlessly hard. I've muddled through a lot of things, but I have not muddled through my writing life. I work absolutely flat out, giving it my all.” quote by Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/richard-ford-2097_absolutely_for-a-writer-children-make-life-needless_795795.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/richard-ford-2097_absolutely_for-a-writer-children-make-life-needless_795795.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/richard-ford-2097_absolutely_for-a-writer-children-make-life-needless_795795.png) > “For a writer, children make life needlessly hard. I've muddled through a lot of things, but I have not muddled through my writing life. I work absolutely flat out, giving it my all.” [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers face constant pressure from family and daily life, making creative work harder but also more authentic. **In simple terms:** Family makes writing harder. Key Takeaway Embrace the challenge and keep writing. Themes creativity family discipline Mood reflective determined Type advice personal When to use this quote - parenting - daily routines - creative deadlines - balancing work and life Key Concepts writer's block authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your writing time? - What boundaries help you stay focused? A Different Perspective Family obligations can drain creative energy if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A very important part of writing for children is appearing at book festivals, and in libraries and schools. An important part of becoming a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/a-very-important-part-of-writing-for-children-is-appearing-at-book/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [You may be surprised to know that growing up, I wanted to be a writer of children's books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/you-may-be-surprised-to-know-that-growing-up-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [When people ask me what qualifies me to be a writer for children, I say I was once a child. But I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/when-people-ask-me-what-qualifies-me-to-be-a-writer-for-children-i/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [You write not for children but for yourself. And if by good fortune children enjoy what you enjoy, why then you are a writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ransome/you-write-not-for-children-but-for-yourself-and-if-by-good-fortune/) [Arthur Ransome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ransome/) > [My motto is to do everything absolutely flat out and to the best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-mcnish/my-motto-is-to-do-everything-absolutely-flat-out-and-to-the-best-of/) [Allan McNish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-mcnish/) > [There's very little about being in a functional-M.R.I. scanner that is natural: you are flat on your back, absolutely still, with your head immobilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/there-s-very-little-about-being-in-a-functional-m-r-i-scanner-that-is/) [Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/) > [It is much easier to fight through this thing called life with someone, as opposed to fighting alone. I absolutely want to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisaraye-mccoy-misick/it-is-much-easier-to-fight-through-this-thing-called-life-with/) [LisaRaye McCoy-Misick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisaraye-mccoy-misick/) > [I would make a genuinely terrible guide. I can't remember things. I would get half way through telling a story or explaining something and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/i-would-make-a-genuinely-terrible-guide-i-can-t-remember-things-i/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [A flat black bug, that is London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-verlaine/a-flat-black-bug-that-is-london/) [Paul Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-verlaine/) > [If I'm outside, I want something flat on my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/if-i-m-outside-i-want-something-flat-on-my-feet/) [Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/) > [Now, I am not saying that the world is flat, but it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/now-i-am-not-saying-that-the-world-is-flat-but-it-could-be/) [Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/) > [In spring they lie flat at the first warmth, they ruin my summer and in autumn they smell of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-claus/in-spring-they-lie-flat-at-the-first-warmth-they-ruin-my-summer-and/) [Hugo Claus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-claus/) > [I've always been interested in DIY and home renovation - even from my first student flat. I've always left places better than when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-mclean/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-diy-and-home-renovation-even-from-my/) [Andrea McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-mclean/) > [I remember my own life as a small boy, son of Jewish immigrants, in a janitor's flat on Orchard and Stanton streets on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-k-javits/i-remember-my-own-life-as-a-small-boy-son-of-jewish-immigrants-in-a/) [Jacob K. Javits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-k-javits/) > [I'm all about a flat shoe. It takes a lot to get me into a heel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-taylor/i-m-all-about-a-flat-shoe-it-takes-a-lot-to-get-me-into-a-heel/) [Rachael Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-taylor/) ## More by Richard Ford > [Something will be there when the flood recedes. We know that. It will be those people now standing in the water, and on those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/something-will-be-there-when-the-flood-recedes-we-know-that-it-will/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [If you lose all hope, you can always find it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/if-you-lose-all-hope-you-can-always-find-it-again/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I started reading literature at 17 or 18, and I felt this extra beat to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-started-reading-literature-at-17-or-18-and-i-felt-this-extra-beat/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I don't hate children. My wife and I just didn't think we would be good parents, and also by the time we got married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-don-t-hate-children-my-wife-and-i-just-didn-t-think-we-would-be/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Writing never came naturally and I still have to force my hand to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/writing-never-came-naturally-and-i-still-have-to-force-my-hand-to-do/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“Conversations with adults other than a person's parents had more of an outcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/conversations-with-adults-other-than-a-person-s-parents-had-more-of/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Some people want to be bank presidents. Other people want to rob banks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/some-people-want-to-be-bank-presidents-other-people-want-to-rob-banks/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [In order to write novels for a living - it's not pathological, but I do think and worry and brood and fidget about stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/in-order-to-write-novels-for-a-living-it-s-not-pathological-but-i-do/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [There are more people in America that love guns and want guns for themselves and everyone else than there are not. It is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/there-are-more-people-in-america-that-love-guns-and-want-guns-for/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [That said, being dyslexic, I wasn't a great reader when I was kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/that-said-being-dyslexic-i-wasn-t-a-great-reader-when-i-was-kid/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I'm an equal opportunity reader - although I don't much read plays. And since I was raised a Presbyterian, pretty much all pleasures are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-m-an-equal-opportunity-reader-although-i-don-t-much-read-plays-and/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [The pace of life feels morally dangerous to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/the-pace-of-life-feels-morally-dangerous-to-me/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“to sit in the empty stands of a Florida ball park and hear the sounds of glove leather and chatter;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/to-sit-in-the-empty-stands-of-a-florida-ball-park-and-hear-the-sounds/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“And what there is to learn from almost any human experience is that your own interests usually do not come first where other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/and-what-there-is-to-learn-from-almost-any-human-experience-is-that/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“It was on such a night as this that the unhappy things came about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/it-was-on-such-a-night-as-this-that-the-unhappy-things-came-about/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) [Explore all 184 Richard Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) ## More Absolutely quotes > [I am absolutely my own biggest critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/i-am-absolutely-my-own-biggest-critic/) [Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/) > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/) > [I was brought up by the English side of my family, who are very repressed and working class. Absolutely lovely, but very English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-was-brought-up-by-the-english-side-of-my-family-who-are-very/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [Nobody ever wins by the cavalry coming to rescue you. It isn't a question of you're happy if you get married, or you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/nobody-ever-wins-by-the-cavalry-coming-to-rescue-you-it-isn-t-a/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [“None is absolutely true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-z-lavine/none-is-absolutely-true/) [T.Z. Lavine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-z-lavine/) > [The game business arose from computer programs that were written by and for young men in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-laurel/the-game-business-arose-from-computer-programs-that-were-written-by/) [Brenda Laurel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-laurel/) > [If I was a man, I would be a drag queen. Honestly, I would. I absolutely love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/if-i-was-a-man-i-would-be-a-drag-queen-honestly-i-would-i-absolutely/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [There's very little about being in a functional-M.R.I. scanner that is natural: you are flat on your back, absolutely still, with your head immobilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/there-s-very-little-about-being-in-a-functional-m-r-i-scanner-that-is/) [Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/) > [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/) [Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/) > [I'm absolutely an Elizabeth Taylor fan!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/i-m-absolutely-an-elizabeth-taylor-fan/) [Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/) > [You can absolutely be what you can't see! That's what innovators and disruptors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/you-can-absolutely-be-what-you-can-t-see-that-s-what-innovators-and/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [There were a lot of clubs interested in me - a lot, really. But Manchester United appeared and didn't go away. They absolutely wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-di-maria/there-were-a-lot-of-clubs-interested-in-me-a-lot-really-but/) [Angel Di Maria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-di-maria/) > [People look at the same passage, and one person will say this is the best thing he's ever read, and another person will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/people-look-at-the-same-passage-and-one-person-will-say-this-is-the/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [I absolutely love 'TOWIE.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-collins/i-absolutely-love-towie/) [Gemma Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-collins/) > [Chucky is absolutely still a puppet. He will remain to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-dourif/chucky-is-absolutely-still-a-puppet-he-will-remain-to-be/) [Fiona Dourif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-dourif/) Browse all 1,136 Absolutely quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a writer, children make life needlessly hard. I've muddled through a lot of things, but I have not muddled through my writing life. I work absolutely flat out, giving it my all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Ford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/for-a-writer-children-make-life-needlessly-hard-i-ve-muddled-through/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absolutely" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/for-a-writer-children-make-life-needlessly-hard-i-ve-muddled-through/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/richard-ford-2097_absolutely_for-a-writer-children-make-life-needless_795795.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/richard-ford-2097_absolutely_for-a-writer-children-make-life-needless_795795.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/richard-ford-2097_absolutely_for-a-writer-children-make-life-needless_795795.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For a writer, children make life needlessly hard. I've muddled through a lot of things, but I have not…” — Richard Ford", "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": "Richard Ford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For a writer, children make life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/for-a-writer-children-make-life-needlessly-hard-i-ve-muddled-through/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/for-a-writer-children-make-life-needlessly-hard-i-ve-muddled-through/#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 } } ] } ```