--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always got a novel under way, but if…" description: "\"I've always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always keep more than one thing going.\" — Thomas M..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/thomas-mallon-17707_always_i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if_1980375.jpg" --- # I've always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on… ![“I've always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always keep more than one thing going.” quote by Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/thomas-mallon-17707_always_i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if_1980375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/thomas-mallon-17707_always_i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if_1980375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/thomas-mallon-17707_always_i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if_1980375.jpg) > “I've always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always keep more than one thing going.” [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing multiple projects prevents burnout and maintains momentum when daily focus is hard. **In simple terms:** Working on several things avoids stagnation. Key Takeaway Keep several creative threads active. Themes productivity creativity focus Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing - daily routine - creative blocks - time management Key Concepts multitasking project management Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which project to prioritize? - What strategies keep ideas fresh? A Different Perspective May dilute depth of each project. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Falter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falter/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Ive always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/ive-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if-i-try-to-work-on-it-every-day/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [I practise law almost every day. Exclusively criminal work these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/i-practise-law-almost-every-day-exclusively-criminal-work-these-days/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [One of the most puzzling things about a novel is that "the way it really was" half the time is, and half the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/one-of-the-most-puzzling-things-about-a-novel-is-that-the-way-it/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [The story is a piece of work. The novel is a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-cade-bambara/the-story-is-a-piece-of-work-the-novel-is-a-way-of-life/) [Toni Cade Bambara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-cade-bambara/) > [Ironically, writing a novel is not a way to sort out your confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/ironically-writing-a-novel-is-not-a-way-to-sort-out-your-confusion/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [I would never, ever use a novel to do thinly disguised political information dissemination. For me, all these experiences, they sat in me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-would-never-ever-use-a-novel-to-do-thinly-disguised-political/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [A novel is a way to rethink and rewrite and re-envision the past, and also a way to speak to people who haven't been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-barton/a-novel-is-a-way-to-rethink-and-rewrite-and-re-envision-the-past-and/) [Emily Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-barton/) > [“I find so many opportunities to fall, to falter, and fail when I refuse to surrender to change. Change will come into my room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-payton/i-find-so-many-opportunities-to-fall-to-falter-and-fail-when-i-refuse/) [Stella Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-payton/) > [“Some people live disconnected, in a world of their own. Their wishful thinking represents their sole veracity. But when the mirror smashes the reflection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/some-people-live-disconnected-in-a-world-of-their-own-their-wishful/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [I will never falter, Ill stand my ground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-day-to-remember/i-will-never-falter-ill-stand-my-ground/) [A Day To Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-day-to-remember/) > [We didn't crumble after 9/11. We didn't falter after the Boston Marathon. But we're America. Americans will never, ever stand down. We endure. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/we-didn-t-crumble-after-9-11-we-didn-t-falter-after-the-boston/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“You’re my son, Jesper. I can’t protect you. Maybe I shouldn’t have tried. But I will be there even when you falter. Every time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/you-re-my-son-jesper-i-can-t-protect-you-maybe-i-shouldn-t-have-tried/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush-2/we-will-not-tire-we-will-not-falter-and-we-will-not-fail/) [George W Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush-2/) > [I have too much drive and determination to let anything falter me. Because I know that life's short and there's so much that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-kramer/i-have-too-much-drive-and-determination-to-let-anything-falter-me/) [Jana Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-kramer/) > [“You do not fear. You do not falter. You do not yield.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/you-do-not-fear-you-do-not-falter-you-do-not-yield/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) ## More by Thomas Mallon > [“he’d spent his whole life trying to make God love him—and that this didn’t matter in the slightest. All that mattered was that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/he-d-spent-his-whole-life-trying-to-make-god-love-him-and-that-this/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [Cell phones, alas, have pretty much ruined train travel, which I used to love. I could read or even sketch notes for what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/cell-phones-alas-have-pretty-much-ruined-train-travel-which-i-used-to/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [My prescription for writer's block is to face the fact that there is no such thing… Writing well is difficult, but one can always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/my-prescription-for-writer-s-block-is-to-face-the-fact-that-there-is/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [My house in Connecticut is very quiet, and when I'm trying to concentrate, I don't even allow the cat inside my second-floor study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/my-house-in-connecticut-is-very-quiet-and-when-i-m-trying-to/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [I actually think that 'Bandbox,' by far the silliest of my books, is the best constructed of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-actually-think-that-bandbox-by-far-the-silliest-of-my-books-is-the/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [Bobby Kennedy's conduct toward Lyndon Johnson was childish and despicable. As the years went on, he displayed nasty, self-pitying, and messianic qualities that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/bobby-kennedy-s-conduct-toward-lyndon-johnson-was-childish-and/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [The Czech Republic, severed from its old Slovak half, sits in apparent landlocked contentment, inside the European Union but outside the troubled Euro Zone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/the-czech-republic-severed-from-its-old-slovak-half-sits-in-apparent/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [One decision I made in writing 'Henry and Clara' was that I would keep Lincoln's appearances and any dialogue by him to an absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/one-decision-i-made-in-writing-henry-and-clara-was-that-i-would-keep/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [American secretaries of state have typically been more buttoned up than bon vivant, but John Quincy Adams's diplomatic successes - bigger than anything presidential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/american-secretaries-of-state-have-typically-been-more-buttoned-up/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [I was raised - and still consider myself to be - Catholic, though I'm non-practicing and haven't fulfilled my Easter duty since sometime during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-was-raised-and-still-consider-myself-to-be-catholic-though-i-m-non/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [I think that the worst form of naivete can be extreme cynicism. If you think that nobody comes to Washington to do any good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-think-that-the-worst-form-of-naivete-can-be-extreme-cynicism-if-you/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [I remember from my academic days, there were people who could never begin writing because they hadn't read every single thing on their subject,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-remember-from-my-academic-days-there-were-people-who-could-never/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [ “\[Voltaire\] was generally unbedeviled by any foolish consistency.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/voltaire-was-generally-unbedeviled-by-any-foolish-consistency/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [“Daisy loved all parades, especially this one, whose crush of observers, prone to impulsive kisses, made it one more piece of the mistletoe under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/daisy-loved-all-parades-especially-this-one-whose-crush-of-observers/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [Ive always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/ive-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if-i-try-to-work-on-it-every-day/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) [Explore all 36 Thomas Mallon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always keep more than one thing going.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Mallon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if-i-try-to-work-on-it-every/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if-i-try-to-work-on-it-every/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/thomas-mallon-17707_always_i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if_1980375.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/thomas-mallon-17707_always_i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if_1980375.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/thomas-mallon-17707_always_i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if_1980375.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always…” — Thomas Mallon", "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": "Thomas Mallon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always got a novel under...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if-i-try-to-work-on-it-every/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-ve-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if-i-try-to-work-on-it-every/#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 } } ] } ```