--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas…" description: "\"I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form when I'm doing stand-up and stuff. It's vivid that way. I can't type it into an iPad - I think..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/robin-williams-682_big_i-write-on-big-yellow-legal-pads-ideas-i_328898.jpg" --- # I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form… ![“I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form when I'm doing stand-up and stuff. It's vivid that way. I can't type it into an iPad - I think that would put a filter into the process.” quote by Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/robin-williams-682_big_i-write-on-big-yellow-legal-pads-ideas-i_328898.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/robin-williams-682_big_i-write-on-big-yellow-legal-pads-ideas-i_328898.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/robin-williams-682_big_i-write-on-big-yellow-legal-pads-ideas-i_328898.jpg) > “I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form when I'm doing stand-up and stuff. It's vivid that way. I can't type it into an iPad - I think that would put a filter into the process.” [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The performer prefers handwritten notes for spontaneous ideas, believing digital tools dampen creativity. **In simple terms:** Handwriting keeps ideas raw and unfiltered. Key Takeaway Write by hand for fresh concepts. Themes creativity spontaneity process Mood playful introspective Type humorous inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up writing - brainstorming - creative workshops Key Concepts cognitive flow analog thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does your medium affect idea quality? - When might typing be beneficial? A Different Perspective Digital tools can also aid organization if used wisely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Vivid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivid/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow/) ## Related quotes > [I really like the iPad. I think that's pretty cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-verlander/i-really-like-the-ipad-i-think-that-s-pretty-cool/) [Justin Verlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-verlander/) > [That brings us to iPad. We think the iPad is the poster-child of the post-PC world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/that-brings-us-to-ipad-we-think-the-ipad-is-the-poster-child-of-the/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I write with pen and paper, my first draft, on legal pads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-write-with-pen-and-paper-my-first-draft-on-legal-pads/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I write in the morning at a table, longhand on yellow legal pads, just like Nixon, when I’m doing fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-write-in-the-morning-at-a-table-longhand-on-yellow-legal-pads-just/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I write longhand on legal pads, about half at home and half in cafes. I drink a lot of water and eat a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/i-write-longhand-on-legal-pads-about-half-at-home-and-half-in-cafes-i/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [I write in longhand on yellow legal pads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-write-in-longhand-on-yellow-legal-pads/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I have more than 100 legal pads filled with handwriting. Eight novels, two books for children, countless stories and essays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-straight/i-have-more-than-100-legal-pads-filled-with-handwriting-eight-novels/) [Susan Straight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-straight/) > [I want to write for big names like Whitney Houston and The Backstreet Boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/i-want-to-write-for-big-names-like-whitney-houston-and-the-backstreet/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [I write the big scenes first, that is, the scenes that carry the meaning of the book, the emotional experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/i-write-the-big-scenes-first-that-is-the-scenes-that-carry-the/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [I don't therefore know how to write for the big papers. It must be kids - students - and retired people. And the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gimlette/i-don-t-therefore-know-how-to-write-for-the-big-papers-it-must-be/) [John Gimlette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gimlette/) > [It makes more sense to write one big book - a novel or nonfiction narrative - than to write many stories or essays. Into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/it-makes-more-sense-to-write-one-big-book-a-novel-or-nonfiction/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [I do find that I tend to write about big questions. Why are we here? What are we doing? How do we relate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fallon/i-do-find-that-i-tend-to-write-about-big-questions-why-are-we-here/) [Brian Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fallon/) > [There's a side to this industry that nurtures divas who can't write. It's a big business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/there-s-a-side-to-this-industry-that-nurtures-divas-who-can-t-write/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [I wanted to write a big novel, something epic in scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/i-wanted-to-write-a-big-novel-something-epic-in-scale/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [I think shorter books are going to become more and more of the trend. So I don't think you have to write big, big,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-winget/i-think-shorter-books-are-going-to-become-more-and-more-of-the-trend/) [Larry Winget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-winget/) ## More by Robin Williams > [On stage you're free. You can say and do things that if you said and did any place else, you'd be arrested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/on-stage-you-re-free-you-can-say-and-do-things-that-if-you-said-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Humor is a great defense, and an offense too. Usually the recipient isn't too happy about it, but the people around are laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/humor-is-a-great-defense-and-an-offense-too-usually-the-recipient-isn/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [What's wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/what-s-wrong-with-death-sir-what-are-we-so-mortally-afraid-of-why-can/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/spring-is-nature-s-way-of-saying-let-s-party/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I had sex with a prostitute when I was 21, I was so bad, she gave me a refund.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-had-sex-with-a-prostitute-when-i-was-21-i-was-so-bad-she-gave-me-a/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [We were talking briefly about cocaine... yeah. Anything that makes you paranoid and impotent, give me more of that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/we-were-talking-briefly-about-cocaine-yeah-anything-that-makes-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [In America they really do mythologise people when they die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/in-america-they-really-do-mythologise-people-when-they-die/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-always-thought-the-idea-of-education-was-to-learn-to-think-for/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I was a serious method actor until I visited this site.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-was-a-serious-method-actor-until-i-visited-this-site/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I'm history! No, I'm mythology! Nah, I don't care what I am, I'm free!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-m-history-no-i-m-mythology-nah-i-don-t-care-what-i-am-i-m-free/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [But only in their dreams can men be truly free. It was always thus and always thus will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/but-only-in-their-dreams-can-men-be-truly-free-it-was-always-thus-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [People say satire is dead. It's not dead; it's alive and living in the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/people-say-satire-is-dead-it-s-not-dead-it-s-alive-and-living-in-the/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [For me, comedy starts as a spew, a kind of explosion, and then you sculpt it from there, if at all. It comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/for-me-comedy-starts-as-a-spew-a-kind-of-explosion-and-then-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Carpe per diem - seize the check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/carpe-per-diem-seize-the-check/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Cable is not bound because people pay for it. It's literally a choice, that's the operative word. If you don't like the language, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/cable-is-not-bound-because-people-pay-for-it-it-s-literally-a-choice/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) [Explore all 413 Robin Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? 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