--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing a novel, when it's all going…" description: "\"Writing a novel, when it's all going well, it's wonderful. You're lost in the world, and you have a relationship with your own mind. Also, as a novelis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/sarah-dunn-15457_books_writing-a-novel-when-it-s-all-going-well_730092.jpg" --- # Writing a novel, when it's all going well, it's wonderful… ![“Writing a novel, when it's all going well, it's wonderful. You're lost in the world, and you have a relationship with your own mind. Also, as a novelist, you don't have to yell at anyone. But being an executive producer of a TV show, all you have is people coming at you with questions, and you're…” quote by Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/sarah-dunn-15457_books_writing-a-novel-when-it-s-all-going-well_730092.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/sarah-dunn-15457_books_writing-a-novel-when-it-s-all-going-well_730092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/sarah-dunn-15457_books_writing-a-novel-when-it-s-all-going-well_730092.jpg) > “Writing a novel, when it's all going well, it's wonderful. You're lost in the world, and you have a relationship with your own mind. Also, as a novelist, you don't have to yell at anyone. But being an executive producer of a TV show, all you have is people coming at you with questions, and you're making decisions, decisions, decisions.” [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing immerses you in imagination and self‑reflection, while producing demands constant decision‑making amid external pressures. **In simple terms:** Writing is introspective; producing is external and fast‑paced. Key Takeaway Balance creative solitude with collaborative leadership. Themes creativity leadership decision‑making balance Mood reflective determined Type advice process When to use this quote - authoring a novel - running a TV production - team meetings - creative blocks Key Concepts imagination responsibility stress management Questions to Reflect On - How do you preserve personal voice in a collaborative environment? - What strategies help you transition between introspection and action? A Different Perspective Creative solitude can limit exposure to diverse ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Decisions Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions-decisions/) [Executive producer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executive-producer/) [Making decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-decisions/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist/) [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The biggest downside to being a novelist is writing the novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-barnett/the-biggest-downside-to-being-a-novelist-is-writing-the-novel/) [Jill Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-barnett/) > [“The novel is a hybrid genre and a large part of its charm arises from the alluvial nature of its materials. 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So always believe in ur ability & efforts...:)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/i-dont-believe-in-taking-right-decisions-i-take-decisions-then-make/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [I dont believe in taking RIGHT DECISIONS, I TAKE decisions and I MAKE them right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhoni-czhang/i-dont-believe-in-taking-right-decisions-i-take-decisions-and-i-make/) [JHONI (Czhang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhoni-czhang/) > [Sometimes life is unpredictable. It dictates things that you do not want to pursue, nor do you wish to listen to. But no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-is-unpredictable-it-dictates-things-that-you-do-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a very good decision maker because I have core set of principles and so I can make decisions. 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It deals with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-next-thing-to-be-said-about-what-long-range-planning-is-not-is/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [I try to make good decisions as decisions come up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-try-to-make-good-decisions-as-decisions-come-up/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [I don't believe in taking right decisions.Take decisions and make them right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-believe-in-taking-right-decisions-take-decisions-and-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Strictly speaking, we do not make decisions. Decisions make us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/strictly-speaking-we-do-not-make-decisions-decisions-make-us/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [We all make decisions, and within those decisions, we have consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlyn-harris/we-all-make-decisions-and-within-those-decisions-we-have-consequences/) [Ashlyn Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlyn-harris/) > [I don't take right decisions, I take decisions and make them right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali-jinnah/i-don-t-take-right-decisions-i-take-decisions-and-make-them-right/) [Muhammad Ali Jinnah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali-jinnah/) > [“After so many months lost in the wilderness, he deserved a treat: A going-away present. But which was it going to be? The willowy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-stone/after-so-many-months-lost-in-the-wilderness-he-deserved-a-treat-a/) Jacob Stone > [“We make our decisions, and then our decisions turn around and make us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-make-our-decisions-and-then-our-decisions-turn-around-and-make-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sarah Dunn > [I really don't think you need to be 40 and have three kids and have a body of an 18-year-old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/i-really-don-t-think-you-need-to-be-40-and-have-three-kids-and-have-a/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [“We all have a strong preference that life should be easy, comfortable, and pain-free, but that doesn't mean there's something wrong with life when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/we-all-have-a-strong-preference-that-life-should-be-easy-comfortable/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [“Betsy hadn't had sex, actual; sex-sex, full sex, in two hundred and fifty-three days. 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Life isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/just-because-i-d-spent-so-many-years-coloring-inside-the-lines-it/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [“I'm too busy being the bad guy.” It was one of those things that get said in a marriage, something that starts out as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/i-m-too-busy-being-the-bad-guy-it-was-one-of-those-things-that-get/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [“A woman wearing saggy old workout clothes that she never worked out in, that had somehow become her pajamas and the clothes she went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/a-woman-wearing-saggy-old-workout-clothes-that-she-never-worked-out/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [I really tried to avoid living in L.A. for as long as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/i-really-tried-to-avoid-living-in-l-a-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [If you're going to be married for a long time, I think you'll have a fair number of moments where you question things, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/if-you-re-going-to-be-married-for-a-long-time-i-think-you-ll-have-a/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [“It's interesting said Jack. "What is?" "You believe in God." he said. You just don't believe that God is good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/it-s-interesting-said-jack-what-is-you-believe-in-god-he-said-you/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [I am really bad at being a mom. I think it's hard for me to be a mom. I do my best. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/i-am-really-bad-at-being-a-mom-i-think-it-s-hard-for-me-to-be-a-mom-i/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [A show is like it's own thing... it's a creation from so many people's talent and so much energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/a-show-is-like-it-s-own-thing-it-s-a-creation-from-so-many-people-s/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [You've got to let people be just, you know, people. Everyone does bad things sometimes, for all sorts of reasons. You've got to at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/you-ve-got-to-let-people-be-just-you-know-people-everyone-does-bad/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [“(on fading passion) Sex was like the can of baking powder she kept on a high shelf in her pantry, something she didn’t need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/on-fading-passion-sex-was-like-the-can-of-baking-powder-she-kept-on-a/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [“Life is long. And it’s getting longer for most of us. 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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 > [“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 > [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": "Writing a novel, when it's all going well, it's wonderful. You're lost in the world, and you have a relationship with your own mind. Also, as a novelist, you don't have to yell at anyone. 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