--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You just have to make sure you're writing…" description: "\"You just have to make sure you're writing about something that's true. It has to be honest and it has to have a real emotion behind it, regardless of w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/teddy-thompson-18600_about_you-just-have-to-make-sure-you-re-writin_1321758.jpg" --- # You just have to make sure you're writing about something… ![“You just have to make sure you're writing about something that's true. It has to be honest and it has to have a real emotion behind it, regardless of where it's coming from.” quote by Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/teddy-thompson-18600_about_you-just-have-to-make-sure-you-re-writin_1321758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/teddy-thompson-18600_about_you-just-have-to-make-sure-you-re-writin_1321758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/teddy-thompson-18600_about_you-just-have-to-make-sure-you-re-writin_1321758.jpg) > “You just have to make sure you're writing about something that's true. It has to be honest and it has to have a real emotion behind it, regardless of where it's coming from.” [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers must focus on truth, honesty, and genuine emotion, regardless of source, to create authentic and resonant work. **In simple terms:** Write truthfully with real emotion. Key Takeaway Prioritize honesty in writing. Themes creativity authenticity emotion Mood introspective encouraging Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - journalism - fiction writing - songwriting - personal essays Key Concepts narrative truth emotional honesty Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify emotional truth? - What sources inspire authentic writing? A Different Perspective Truth can be subjective, complicating authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Real emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-emotion/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm sure that writing isn't a craft, that is, something for which you learn the skills and go on turning out. It must come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lowell/i-m-sure-that-writing-isn-t-a-craft-that-is-something-for-which-you/) [Robert Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lowell/) > [I try to make sure that, when I'm writing, I don't put too much Cody in it. But I don't want to lose it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-johnson/i-try-to-make-sure-that-when-i-m-writing-i-don-t-put-too-much-cody-in/) [Cody Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-johnson/) > [I want to make sure that my writing grips the reader from the word 'go.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/i-want-to-make-sure-that-my-writing-grips-the-reader-from-the-word-go/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [I take my spoken-word stuff extremely seriously because I feel like that's true writing, true lyricism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cannon/i-take-my-spoken-word-stuff-extremely-seriously-because-i-feel-like/) [Nick Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cannon/) > [You know, I began my life as a creative person writing true things for magazines and telling some very honest, straightforward personal essaying for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-person-writing-true-things-for/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [“story telling is not a career, it's a calling. I've been writing true and compelling news my entire professional life. My novels are packs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-carter/story-telling-is-not-a-career-it-s-a-calling-i-ve-been-writing-true/) Glen Carter > [The good thing about writing a true story is that you don't have to worry about giving an impression of realism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurent-binet/the-good-thing-about-writing-a-true-story-is-that-you-don-t-have-to/) [Laurent Binet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurent-binet/) > [“Stick to what you know and always be true to yourself. If you do that, your writing will be true, also.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-chunell/stick-to-what-you-know-and-always-be-true-to-yourself-if-you-do-that/) Ashley Chunell > [If the writing is good, then the writing is already funny. All you have to do is make this funny writing true to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/if-the-writing-is-good-then-the-writing-is-already-funny-all-you-have/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [The true art is being able to take whatever the writer's done, and if it is a bit flimsy or it is a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-howle/the-true-art-is-being-able-to-take-whatever-the-writer-s-done-and-if/) [Billy Howle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-howle/) > [Writing can come naturally to some. Still, when it comes to good writing, this is true: Easy reading is damn hard writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/writing-can-come-naturally-to-some-still-when-it-comes-to-good/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“I tell my students to write of their true subjects. How will they know when they are writing of their true subjects? By the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-tell-my-students-to-write-of-their-true-subjects-how-will-they-know/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Co-writing the 'True Blood' comic is a dream come true both as a performer on the show and as longtime comic fan. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcmillian/co-writing-the-true-blood-comic-is-a-dream-come-true-both-as-a/) [Michael McMillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcmillian/) > [Everybody was apprehensive about a documentary. When we're all dead and gone, we don't want to leave something that is not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-schock/everybody-was-apprehensive-about-a-documentary-when-we-re-all-dead/) [Gina Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-schock/) > [ \[He\] fell right into the oldest conviction in the world-- that the girl you are in love with can't possibly be anything but true… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-fell-right-into-the-oldest-conviction-in-the-world-that-the-girl/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More by Teddy Thompson > [The state of radio is not great. It's like playing the lottery. The chances of hitting are mind boggling slim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/the-state-of-radio-is-not-great-it-s-like-playing-the-lottery-the/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [People think unless you have loops and electronics and so on, you must be in your 50s. I quite like a lot of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/people-think-unless-you-have-loops-and-electronics-and-so-on-you-must/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [My career could've been anything, I just wasn't that good at other things. I'd say it was fairly easy starting out as I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/my-career-could-ve-been-anything-i-just-wasn-t-that-good-at-other/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [I went to a boarding school when I was 13, and it was a very arty school, so there was an opportunity for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-went-to-a-boarding-school-when-i-was-13-and-it-was-a-very-arty/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [I'm never worried about being upstaged. I love to have the best, most individual people come in and see if we hit on something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-m-never-worried-about-being-upstaged-i-love-to-have-the-best-most/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [Any kind of creativity is not settling down into a happy little space. I don't try to be mellow or anything. I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/any-kind-of-creativity-is-not-settling-down-into-a-happy-little-space/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [I still do lots of gigs where I'm the support act and people are chatting through my set, but I've got better at grabbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-still-do-lots-of-gigs-where-i-m-the-support-act-and-people-are/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [I remember writing 'The One I Can't Have' at the kitchen table. I was looking at a picture of Truman Capote with Marilyn Monroe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-remember-writing-the-one-i-can-t-have-at-the-kitchen-table-i-was/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [Most artists never get a chance to be Picasso, but that doesn't mean you would stop painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/most-artists-never-get-a-chance-to-be-picasso-but-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [I like England more than I did when I left. It's become a bit of a better country in the last ten years, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-like-england-more-than-i-did-when-i-left-it-s-become-a-bit-of-a/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [To say how you would react if you were really storming the charts and had people running around after you... who's to say how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/to-say-how-you-would-react-if-you-were-really-storming-the-charts-and/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [It's amazing that you can listen to any song and you can always tell when there's some substance beneath it and when there isn't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/it-s-amazing-that-you-can-listen-to-any-song-and-you-can-always-tell/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [Internet radio stations like KCRW do take you everywhere, yet that's just one of a hundred small things you have to do to succeed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/internet-radio-stations-like-kcrw-do-take-you-everywhere-yet-that-s/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [I used to listen to my dad a lot as a way of trying to be close to him, as well, because my parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-used-to-listen-to-my-dad-a-lot-as-a-way-of-trying-to-be-close-to/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [I do think it's probably true to a certain extent that you tend to sing music that fits your voice. If you're Lou Reed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-do-think-it-s-probably-true-to-a-certain-extent-that-you-tend-to/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) [Explore all 34 Teddy Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You just have to make sure you're writing about something that's true. 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