--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether you're acting or you're writing…" description: "\"Whether you're acting or you're writing, your skin is just basically ripped off and you're putting yourself out there. At least the acting part comes w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/tama-janowitz-19512_acting_whether-you-re-acting-or-you-re-writing_3010927.png" --- # Whether you're acting or you're writing, your skin is just… ![“Whether you're acting or you're writing, your skin is just basically ripped off and you're putting yourself out there. At least the acting part comes with a bit more social interaction. And you're a bit less isolated because you are working with the director and the crew, and there's a general…” quote by Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/tama-janowitz-19512_acting_whether-you-re-acting-or-you-re-writing_3010927.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/tama-janowitz-19512_acting_whether-you-re-acting-or-you-re-writing_3010927.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/tama-janowitz-19512_acting_whether-you-re-acting-or-you-re-writing_3010927.png) > “Whether you're acting or you're writing, your skin is just basically ripped off and you're putting yourself out there. At least the acting part comes with a bit more social interaction. And you're a bit less isolated because you are working with the director and the crew, and there's a general camaraderie. Writing, you're totally isolated. You're just trying to get the words on paper.” [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contrasts acting’s collaborative nature with writing’s isolation, noting the social interaction in performance versus solitary creation. **In simple terms:** Acting offers teamwork; writing is solitary. Key Takeaway Seek community if you feel isolated. Themes creativity social interaction isolation Mood reflective insightful Type creative social When to use this quote - theatre productions - solo writing projects - creative workshops Key Concepts acting writing collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How can writers build supportive networks? - What benefits does collaboration bring to creative work? A Different Perspective Writing can also involve community support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Camaraderie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camaraderie/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Interaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interaction/) [Putting yourself out there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putting-yourself-out-there/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social interaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-interaction/) [Words on paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-on-paper/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [As a child, one of my defense mechanisms was to try to be funny. My mom tried to nurture that by putting me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gomez/as-a-child-one-of-my-defense-mechanisms-was-to-try-to-be-funny-my-mom/) [Ian Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gomez/) > [Well, putting words on paper isn't your job. Your job is to go digging around in your soul. And that's the end of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radney-foster/well-putting-words-on-paper-isn-t-your-job-your-job-is-to-go-digging/) Radney Foster > [There are certain things that words on paper can never make a crime, .. There are certain acts that by sheer common sense are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/there-are-certain-things-that-words-on-paper-can-never-make-a-crime/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [Although I always loved reading and putting words on paper, I never thought about becoming a writer until I was twelve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-willis-holt/although-i-always-loved-reading-and-putting-words-on-paper-i-never/) [Kimberly Willis Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-willis-holt/) > [I think if you have the compulsion to write, you're not going to feel whole until you start putting words on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kelly/i-think-if-you-have-the-compulsion-to-write-you-re-not-going-to-feel/) [Lee Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kelly/) > [Dreaming and hoping won't produce a piece of work; only writing, rewriting and rewriting (if necessary)- a devoted translation of thoughts and dreams into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-gellis/dreaming-and-hoping-won-t-produce-a-piece-of-work-only-writing/) Roberta Gellis > [If your values are not used as the constitution of your organization, or if they are compromised, they become just words on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-capodagli/if-your-values-are-not-used-as-the-constitution-of-your-organization/) [Bill Capodagli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-capodagli/) > [The hardest part for me during the creation stage is actually putting words on paper that make sense and tell my story the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-conrad/the-hardest-part-for-me-during-the-creation-stage-is-actually-putting/) [Linda Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-conrad/) > [I can't point to a moment or incident that made me see that this business, this putting down words on paper, was what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-can-t-point-to-a-moment-or-incident-that-made-me-see-that-this/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Writing is not about self-expression; it is about putting words on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lish/writing-is-not-about-self-expression-it-is-about-putting-words-on/) [Gordon Lish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lish/) > [Until there's a public commitment, and action to back that commitment, a policy is only words on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/until-there-s-a-public-commitment-and-action-to-back-that-commitment/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [No complaining about how hard it is to write, we are all so, so lucky to write, to sit down, inside, and write words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/no-complaining-about-how-hard-it-is-to-write-we-are-all-so-so-lucky/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [It's not enough to celebrate the ideals that we're built on, liberty and justice and equality for all. Those just can't be words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-not-enough-to-celebrate-the-ideals-that-we-re-built-on-liberty/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Smart art galleries know it's not the words on paper but the emotion in the piece that makes clients pull out the credit card…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/smart-art-galleries-know-it-s-not-the-words-on-paper-but-the-emotion/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [I often get asked, 'Is the book dead?' It hasn't happened yet. It's different than music. Music was always meant to be pure sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/i-often-get-asked-is-the-book-dead-it-hasn-t-happened-yet-it-s/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) ## More by Tama Janowitz > [Why would I want to read something about somebody that's just a really nice, decent person who overcomes terrible trials? That's not how life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/why-would-i-want-to-read-something-about-somebody-that-s-just-a/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [“I don't like him...he makes me feel like he's going to throw me in a coffin and walk around on top of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-don-t-like-him-he-makes-me-feel-like-he-s-going-to-throw-me-in-a/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [The older a woman gets, the more invisible you become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/the-older-a-woman-gets-the-more-invisible-you-become/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [Brownstein's is a fresh and jaunty voice, with a jazz snap all his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/brownstein-s-is-a-fresh-and-jaunty-voice-with-a-jazz-snap-all-his-own/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I felt my whole life was a facsimile of a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-felt-my-whole-life-was-a-facsimile-of-a-life/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I was like a social worker for lepers. My clients had a chunk of their body they wanted to give away; for a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-was-like-a-social-worker-for-lepers-my-clients-had-a-chunk-of-their/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [If you want to write about a person who isn't nice, people say, "This is a bad book. It's about somebody I couldn't stand."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/if-you-want-to-write-about-a-person-who-isn-t-nice-people-say-this-is/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I think in a lot of ways, writing, when you're really in there, is like being an actress because you're in somebody else's head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-think-in-a-lot-of-ways-writing-when-you-re-really-in-there-is-like/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I think it's true about people now being closer to their parents, since the '60s, really. The parents are no longer from a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-think-it-s-true-about-people-now-being-closer-to-their-parents/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I'm writing what I want to write. But it's almost an act of rebellion on my part. Because as a person, I've always wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-m-writing-what-i-want-to-write-but-it-s-almost-an-act-of-rebellion/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [Long after the bomb falls and you and your good deeds are gone, cockroaches will still be here, prowling the streets like armored cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/long-after-the-bomb-falls-and-you-and-your-good-deeds-are-gone/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [“I had a hunger for things I knew realistically I didn't actually care for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-had-a-hunger-for-things-i-knew-realistically-i-didn-t-actually-care/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [Whether I'm critically well received, whether or not I sell books - of course it becomes progressively harder to get them published - nevertheless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/whether-i-m-critically-well-received-whether-or-not-i-sell-books-of/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [Most of my life is just spent lying in bed. I mean, it's enough pressure to write the words. Do I need to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/most-of-my-life-is-just-spent-lying-in-bed-i-mean-it-s-enough/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I think it's more difficult writing what it's like to be a child. You can pretend you know what it's like, but you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-think-it-s-more-difficult-writing-what-it-s-like-to-be-a-child-you/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) [Explore all 32 Tama Janowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whether you're acting or you're writing, your skin is just basically ripped off and you're putting yourself out there. At least the acting part comes with a bit more social interaction. And you're a bit less isolated because you are working with the director and the crew, and there's a general camaraderie. 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