--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Really, becoming a writer sounds more…" description: "\"Really, becoming a writer sounds more like a mental illness than a professional choice.\" — Shannon Hale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/shannon-hale-827_becoming_really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-lik_3075868.png" --- # Really, becoming a writer sounds more like a mental… ![“Really, becoming a writer sounds more like a mental illness than a professional choice.” quote by Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/shannon-hale-827_becoming_really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-lik_3075868.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/shannon-hale-827_becoming_really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-lik_3075868.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/shannon-hale-827_becoming_really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-lik_3075868.png) > “Really, becoming a writer sounds more like a mental illness than a professional choice.” [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously suggests that writing demands intense mental focus and can feel obsessive, blurring the line between passion and compulsion. **In simple terms:** Writing feels like an obsession, not just a job. Key Takeaway Embrace the intensity, but guard your mental health. Themes creativity mental health career choices Mood reflective wry Type humorous cautionary When to use this quote - authoring a novel - daily writing routine - creative burnout - seeking publication Key Concepts obsession identity professionalism Questions to Reflect On - Do you find your creative work draining or energizing? - How can you set healthy boundaries? A Different Perspective The intensity can lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illness/) [Like Mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-mental-409803/) [Mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental/) [Mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-illness/) [Really Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-writer-542151/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Sounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-sounds-5224043/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [In some ways, I don’t feel as if I had a choice. Looking back at my childhood, even before I could read and write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/in-some-ways-i-don-t-feel-as-if-i-had-a-choice-looking-back-at-my/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [I haven't really worked with, like, a mental coach or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-isner/i-haven-t-really-worked-with-like-a-mental-coach-or-anything/) [John Isner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-isner/) > [It's like a mental day care for the human mind...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-ray/it-s-like-a-mental-day-care-for-the-human-mind/) [Bobby Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-ray/) > [I have spent most of my life working with mental illness. I have been president of the world's largest association of mental-illness workers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-working-with-mental-illness-i-have-been/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I didn't want to do a zoo show. I didn't want to do a study of someone with mental illness. I just wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-craig/i-didn-t-want-to-do-a-zoo-show-i-didn-t-want-to-do-a-study-of-someone/) [Daniel Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-craig/) > [I think that people do things for a reason - that we have mental illness, that we have genetic wiring that can get triggered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-think-that-people-do-things-for-a-reason-that-we-have-mental/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I know that if I could really understand mental illness, then it would be appropriate to make a big career shift. I would become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-that-if-i-could-really-understand-mental-illness-then-it-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Physically, I'm healthy as a horse, always held up. But in the mental illness department, I got my share. It's just what I got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/physically-i-m-healthy-as-a-horse-always-held-up-but-in-the-mental/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [Finding a calm place inside myself through meditation kind of helped me to get over a lot of mental illness ... it's just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/finding-a-calm-place-inside-myself-through-meditation-kind-of-helped/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [Mental illness is real, and I got them. I don't know if it's the multiple concussions or the lifestyle choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hall/mental-illness-is-real-and-i-got-them-i-don-t-know-if-it-s-the/) [Scott Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hall/) > [It seemed to me the basic definition of mental illness, this persistent, painful inability to simply be with someone else. It might be lifelong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-thompson/it-seemed-to-me-the-basic-definition-of-mental-illness-this/) [Tracy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-thompson/) > [I was hoping that I could say stuff about mental illness that maybe people didn't know. You know, speak up for bipolar disorder and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-millegan/i-was-hoping-that-i-could-say-stuff-about-mental-illness-that-maybe/) [Eric Millegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-millegan/) > [My father's very public life as Famous Amos was the opposite of that of his ex-wife, my mother Shirley, who was fighting a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-amos/my-father-s-very-public-life-as-famous-amos-was-the-opposite-of-that/) [Shawn Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-amos/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) ## More by Shannon Hale > [“Well, write me into the list of Those Who Don’t Mind a Bit,” said Cupid, eyeing his perfectly toned arms and chest. “My, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/well-write-me-into-the-list-of-those-who-don-t-mind-a-bit-said-cupid/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [“Sometimes instinct isn't fancy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/sometimes-instinct-isn-t-fancy/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Enna leaned back her head and laughed at the sky. 'Of course he wasn't! Who could kill Razo?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/enna-leaned-back-her-head-and-laughed-at-the-sky-of-course-he-wasn-t/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [“Um… I guess that’s that,” said Cerise. “That?” said Maddie. “That is never that. This is that. Or else that is this. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/um-i-guess-that-s-that-said-cerise-that-said-maddie-that-is-never/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [The book smelled dusty and old but also carried a sweet tang, a hint of something inviting. She opened to the first page and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/the-book-smelled-dusty-and-old-but-also-carried-a-sweet-tang-a-hint/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Geric," she called. He turned back around. "What kind of flowers were they?" "I don't rightly know," he said. He made faltering gestures with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/geric-she-called-he-turned-back-around-what-kind-of-flowers-were-they/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [How I keep trying to force our story into a fairy tale, but from the beginning, it's been more like a nursery rhyme." "Bizarre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/how-i-keep-trying-to-force-our-story-into-a-fairy-tale-but-from-the/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [“He wildly combed his hair with his fingers. “I can’t bear to be out there with you right now, all those indifferent people watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/he-wildly-combed-his-hair-with-his-fingers-i-can-t-bear-to-be-out/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [But, how do you know if an ending is truly good for the characters unless you've traveled with them through every page?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/but-how-do-you-know-if-an-ending-is-truly-good-for-the-characters/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [“Sometimes it seems my identity’s a matter of opinion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/sometimes-it-seems-my-identity-s-a-matter-of-opinion/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [The snow was too light to stay, the ground too warm to keep it. And the strange spring snow fell only in that golden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/the-snow-was-too-light-to-stay-the-ground-too-warm-to-keep-it-and-the/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Even the jerks earn some of our affection. We can be glad they're gone and yet still mourn the good parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/even-the-jerks-earn-some-of-our-affection-we-can-be-glad-they-re-gone/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Smell is the voice of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/smell-is-the-voice-of-the-soul/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [“It was my jewelry!” Briar shouted after his father because he’d forgotten to ask what was stolen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/it-was-my-jewelry-briar-shouted-after-his-father-because-he-d/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Oh, but I like my geese. Like cats, they can't be told what to do, and like dogs, they're loyal, and like people, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/oh-but-i-like-my-geese-like-cats-they-can-t-be-told-what-to-do-and/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) [Explore all 358 Shannon Hale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) ## More Becoming quotes > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [I'm getting to a point where everything is becoming streamlined in my life. I'm learning how to stand onstage for two hours and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-getting-to-a-point-where-everything-is-becoming-streamlined-in-my/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [The term 'Pre-Raphaelite' is in danger of becoming one of the most misused tags in art history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wood/the-term-pre-raphaelite-is-in-danger-of-becoming-one-of-the-most/) [Christopher Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wood/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [In a personal way, to do with family and the father-son relationship, in a kind of artistic way with regard to him being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/in-a-personal-way-to-do-with-family-and-the-father-son-relationship/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Trying to be perfect may be inevitable for people who are smart and ambitious and interested in the world and its good opinion...What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/trying-to-be-perfect-may-be-inevitable-for-people-who-are-smart-and/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) [Browse all 4,715 Becoming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Really, becoming a writer sounds more like a mental illness than a professional choice.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shannon Hale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-like-a-mental-illness-than-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Becoming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-like-a-mental-illness-than-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/shannon-hale-827_becoming_really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-lik_3075868.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/shannon-hale-827_becoming_really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-lik_3075868.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd5/shannon-hale-827_becoming_really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-lik_3075868.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Really, becoming a writer sounds more like a mental illness than a professional choice.” — Shannon Hale", "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": "Shannon Hale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Really, becoming a writer sounds more...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-like-a-mental-illness-than-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/really-becoming-a-writer-sounds-more-like-a-mental-illness-than-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 } } ] } ```