--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing a novel— actually picking the…" description: "\"“Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/steve-hely-66966_accounts_writing-a-novel-actually-picking-the-wor_1748348.jpg" --- # Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in… ![“Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles…” quote by Steve Hely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/steve-hely-66966_accounts_writing-a-novel-actually-picking-the-wor_1748348.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/steve-hely-66966_accounts_writing-a-novel-actually-picking-the-wor_1748348.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/steve-hely-66966_accounts_writing-a-novel-actually-picking-the-wor_1748348.jpg) > ““Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.”” Steve Hely ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a novel is extremely difficult in a distraction‑filled era, so historical authors should be judged with context. **In simple terms:** Novel writing is hard today, so past writers need context. Key Takeaway Consider context when judging literary greatness. Themes literature distraction historical context creative work Mood frustrated reflective Type critical analytical When to use this quote - author interviews - writing workshops - literary criticism - media studies Key Concepts creative process cultural criticism media saturation Questions to Reflect On - How does technology affect creative effort? - Should we adjust literary rankings for era? A Different Perspective Modern distractions make writing harder, but discipline still matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction/) [Forests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forests/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [ \[The Utopia of Rules\] should offer a challenge to us all. Should we just accept this bureaucracy as inevitable? Or is there a way… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-tett/the-utopia-of-rules-should-offer-a-challenge-to-us-all-should-we-just/) [Gillian Tett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-tett/) > [Whatever you can think, you can create; just have a very clear vision... 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