--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just sit down and write. I never know…" description: "\"I just sit down and write. I never know when. The most recent one is 'Sarah Still,' which is about our life, Sarah and me. It's my favorite of all my p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/353/shelley-berman-19973_life_i-just-sit-down-and-write-i-never-know-w_1720918.jpg" --- # I just sit down and write. I never know when. The most… ![“I just sit down and write. I never know when. The most recent one is 'Sarah Still,' which is about our life, Sarah and me. It's my favorite of all my poems.” quote by Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/353/shelley-berman-19973_life_i-just-sit-down-and-write-i-never-know-w_1720918.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/353/shelley-berman-19973_life_i-just-sit-down-and-write-i-never-know-w_1720918.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/353/shelley-berman-19973_life_i-just-sit-down-and-write-i-never-know-w_1720918.jpg) > “I just sit down and write. I never know when. The most recent one is 'Sarah Still,' which is about our life, Sarah and me. It's my favorite of all my poems.” [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet writes spontaneously, allowing life experiences to shape his work, and values personal connection to his poems. **In simple terms:** He writes spontaneously, drawing from life, and loves his poems. Key Takeaway Embrace spontaneous writing and personal truth. Themes creativity spontaneity personal expression writing process intimacy Mood intimate conversational Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - daily journaling - creative workshops - personal memoirs - poetry readings Key Concepts spontaneous creation personal narrative artistic authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What moments inspire your writing? - How do you balance spontaneity with craft? A Different Perspective Spontaneous writing can lack structure and may be hard to edit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Favorite Poems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favorite-poems-1338403/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Sarah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-sarah-1338404/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Poems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poems/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Recent Sarah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recent-sarah-1338405/) [Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit/) [Sit Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-write/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Favorite poems are like favorite children. We definitely have them but we never tell as the others would have their feelings hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-giovanni/favorite-poems-are-like-favorite-children-we-definitely-have-them-but/) [Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-giovanni/) > [Some of my favorite poems are "confessional" poems written in the voices of aliens ("Southbound on the Freeway" by May Swenson" and "Report from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthea-harvey/some-of-my-favorite-poems-are-confessional-poems-written-in-the/) [Matthea Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthea-harvey/) > [Life is the same as it was before Sarah and I got married. We put enough information out to the public to keep everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-prinze-jr-2/life-is-the-same-as-it-was-before-sarah-and-i-got-married-we-put/) [Freddie Prinze Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-prinze-jr-2/) > [“My wife of more than forty-years shot herself yesterday afternoon. 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I have more favorite poems than favorite poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/my-favorite-poets-may-not-be-your-bread-and-butter-i-have-more/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [Years ago I used to set my alarm for 4 am, so that I could wake up in the middle of a dream and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-arthur/years-ago-i-used-to-set-my-alarm-for-4-am-so-that-i-could-wake-up-in/) [James Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-arthur/) > [When lockdown happened, and I didn't have that focus to sit down and write a novel, which is what I was supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-o-porter/when-lockdown-happened-and-i-didn-t-have-that-focus-to-sit-down-and/) [Dawn O'Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-o-porter/) > [When I sit down to write, I don't think, 'OK, what is the next David O. Russell film I can write, or what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/when-i-sit-down-to-write-i-don-t-think-ok-what-is-the-next-david-o/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [When I'm writing a novel, which is what I like to write, I get up early, sit zazen, make a pot of green tea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/when-i-m-writing-a-novel-which-is-what-i-like-to-write-i-get-up-early/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [Every time I sit down to write, I need to commit to a word count goal, otherwise I waste too much time editing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/every-time-i-sit-down-to-write-i-need-to-commit-to-a-word-count-goal/) [Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/) > [I don't sit down to write a funny story. Every single thing I sit down to write is meant to be sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-funny-story-every-single-thing-i-sit-down/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Sometimes, you sit down to write a song, you don't realize what it's going to mean to somebody other than yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-combs/sometimes-you-sit-down-to-write-a-song-you-don-t-realize-what-it-s/) [Luke Combs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-combs/) > [You can't sit down and write 300 compositions in a three-month period and think that you're doing it all by yourself. Obviously, there's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zorn/you-can-t-sit-down-and-write-300-compositions-in-a-three-month-period/) [John Zorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zorn/) > [Nowadays it seems as though people sit down to write what they know is going to be a trilogy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/nowadays-it-seems-as-though-people-sit-down-to-write-what-they-know/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) ## More by Shelley Berman > [A hotel is a place that keeps the manufacturers of 25-watt bulbs in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/a-hotel-is-a-place-that-keeps-the-manufacturers-of-25-watt-bulbs-in/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [I quit smoking well over twenty years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/i-quit-smoking-well-over-twenty-years-ago/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [I am careful with my material and presentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/i-am-careful-with-my-material-and-presentation/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [Unquestionably, standup comedy is and has always been an art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/unquestionably-standup-comedy-is-and-has-always-been-an-art-form/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [I am presently in my thirteenth year of teaching a graduate course at the University of Southern California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/i-am-presently-in-my-thirteenth-year-of-teaching-a-graduate-course-at/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [Incidentally, I'm still looking for acting work, my first love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/incidentally-i-m-still-looking-for-acting-work-my-first-love/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [My whole act is confession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/my-whole-act-is-confession/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [Outside came in '60. The Edge in '61. All three made Gold, but the biggest seller was Inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/outside-came-in-60-the-edge-in-61-all-three-made-gold-but-the-biggest/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [So that this thing that aired in 1963 would result a few years later in personal bankruptcy, would result in having people be on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/so-that-this-thing-that-aired-in-1963-would-result-a-few-years-later/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [I developed several comedy phone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/i-developed-several-comedy-phone-calls/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [I will always love to perform standup comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/i-will-always-love-to-perform-standup-comedy/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [Inside was the second LP album of a comedian's performance before an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/inside-was-the-second-lp-album-of-a-comedian-s-performance-before-an/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [Though it sold very well, I hated The Edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/though-it-sold-very-well-i-hated-the-edge/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [My first job was at a Chicago night club called Mr. Kelly's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/my-first-job-was-at-a-chicago-night-club-called-mr-kelly-s/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [I don't know the accident of still being married. I was the worst human being. But we were, I guess, in love. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/i-don-t-know-the-accident-of-still-being-married-i-was-the-worst/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) [Explore all 31 Shelley Berman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I just sit down and write. 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