--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing happened to me. I didn't decide…" description: "\"Writing happened to me. I didn't decide to start writing or to be a writer. I never wanted to be a writer.\" — Robert Gottlieb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/robert-gottlieb-2761_decide_writing-happened-to-me-i-didn-t-decide-t_510790.png" --- # Writing happened to me. I didn't decide to start writing… ![“Writing happened to me. I didn't decide to start writing or to be a writer. I never wanted to be a writer.” quote by Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/robert-gottlieb-2761_decide_writing-happened-to-me-i-didn-t-decide-t_510790.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/robert-gottlieb-2761_decide_writing-happened-to-me-i-didn-t-decide-t_510790.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/robert-gottlieb-2761_decide_writing-happened-to-me-i-didn-t-decide-t_510790.png) > “Writing happened to me. I didn't decide to start writing or to be a writer. I never wanted to be a writer.” [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing often arrives unbidden, driven by circumstance rather than deliberate choice. **In simple terms:** Writing can happen without planning. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected creative impulses. Themes creativity serendipity career inspiration writing process Mood inspirational thoughtful Type creative motivational When to use this quote - career shifts - personal journaling - academic publishing - content creation Key Concepts spontaneity agency Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your spontaneous writing? - How can you cultivate discipline after the spark? A Different Perspective One may lack discipline to nurture the gift. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [When you're writing about something that happened, it helps you transition to the present. Ironically enough, by focusing on your presidency, it helps you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/when-you-re-writing-about-something-that-happened-it-helps-you/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“If writers stopped writing about what happened to them, then there would be a lot of empty pages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-liner/if-writers-stopped-writing-about-what-happened-to-them-then-there/) Elaine Liner > [I think writing would have happened to me anyway, somehow. 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Writing is ninety-eight percent work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-you-re-writing-you-re-a-writer-if-you-re-talking-about-it-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Where there is writing- there is a writer Where there is planning- there is a planner Where there is a building- there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bliss-carman/where-there-is-writing-there-is-a-writer-where-there-is-planning/) [Bliss Carman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bliss-carman/) > [There's less skill and more plain hard work to writing than anyone except a writer thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel-seeley/there-s-less-skill-and-more-plain-hard-work-to-writing-than-anyone/) [Mabel Seeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mabel-seeley/) > [writing about a writer's block is better than not writing at all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/writing-about-a-writer-s-block-is-better-than-not-writing-at-all/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [If you do everything in your power to avoid writing and still can't, then you must be a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/if-you-do-everything-in-your-power-to-avoid-writing-and-still-can-t/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [Perhaps basketball and poetry have just a few things in common, but the most important is the possibility of transcendence. 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It doesn't leave you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/when-you-are-not-writing-you-are-a-writer-too-it-doesn-t-leave-you/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) ## More by Robert Gottlieb > [Paul Taylor's 'Offenbach Overtures' has lots of zip and charm, and its pair of dueling soldiers in red, who end up starry-eyed about each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/paul-taylor-s-offenbach-overtures-has-lots-of-zip-and-charm-and-its/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Jodi Melnick is hotly self-absorbed. Her onstage musicians are much too loud, and like so many narcissistic performers, she goes on much too long:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/jodi-melnick-is-hotly-self-absorbed-her-onstage-musicians-are-much/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Increasingly, editing means going to lunch. It means editing with a credit card, not with a pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/increasingly-editing-means-going-to-lunch-it-means-editing-with-a/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > ['Porgy and Bess' has never been thought of as a dance show, and yet it's filled with dance. It uses dance to punctuate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/porgy-and-bess-has-never-been-thought-of-as-a-dance-show-and-yet-it-s/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Blood is the leitmotif of 'Black Swan.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/blood-is-the-leitmotif-of-black-swan/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [We know how Merce Cunningham works and how he thinks - we've been told, over and over again, by him and by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/we-know-how-merce-cunningham-works-and-how-he-thinks-we-ve-been-told/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [When I was at Cambridge in the early fifties, there was a school nearby for training Army officers in Russian, and some imaginative genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/when-i-was-at-cambridge-in-the-early-fifties-there-was-a-school/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Acting has changed since the nineteen-forties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/acting-has-changed-since-the-nineteen-forties/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Many people say to me, particularly about my dance writing, 'It sounds just like you.' 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So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [LOOK before you pick,DECIDE WELL before you choose,because these two things are very important in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/look-before-you-pick-decide-well-before-you-choose-because-these-two/) [Oluwatayo Oluwatoyosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/) > [Decisions decide destiny, there is no action without decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/decisions-decide-destiny-there-is-no-action-without-decision/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Do you keep pace with those around you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? The truth is...only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/do-you-keep-pace-with-those-around-you-or-do-you-decide-yourself-just/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [All the people ought to decide, but now most states are tossed on the scrap heap and ignored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-anderson/all-the-people-ought-to-decide-but-now-most-states-are-tossed-on-the/) [John Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-anderson/) > [Fear is going to be a player in your life, but you get to decide how much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/fear-is-going-to-be-a-player-in-your-life-but-you-get-to-decide-how/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [We cant choose our lives, but we can decide what to do with the joys or griefs were given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-cant-choose-our-lives-but-we-can-decide-what-to-do-with-the-joys/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It’s as easy as we choose to make it,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to mine. “At least, this decision is. Nothing’s truly easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-s-as-easy-as-we-choose-to-make-it-he-murmured-pressing-his/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [What you believe in, is the life you decide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keshia-chante/what-you-believe-in-is-the-life-you-decide/) [Keshia Chante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keshia-chante/) > [Heart is decide u want in ur life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raajni/heart-is-decide-u-want-in-ur-life/) Raajni > [I think hopefully we've got enough brain cells left to decide if our music is really worth something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-champion/i-think-hopefully-we-ve-got-enough-brain-cells-left-to-decide-if-our/) [Will Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-champion/) Browse all 1,644 Decide quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing happened to me. 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