--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing a book is a brilliant thing…" description: "\"Writing a book is a brilliant thing because once you've finished it, you've done it, and there's the potential for it to go on earning you a living wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/tom-hodgkinson-2852_book_writing-a-book-is-a-brilliant-thing-beca_34507.png" --- # Writing a book is a brilliant thing because once you've… ![“Writing a book is a brilliant thing because once you've finished it, you've done it, and there's the potential for it to go on earning you a living without you doing any more work on it. It's absolutely ideal for an idler.” quote by Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/tom-hodgkinson-2852_book_writing-a-book-is-a-brilliant-thing-beca_34507.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/tom-hodgkinson-2852_book_writing-a-book-is-a-brilliant-thing-beca_34507.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/tom-hodgkinson-2852_book_writing-a-book-is-a-brilliant-thing-beca_34507.png) > “Writing a book is a brilliant thing because once you've finished it, you've done it, and there's the potential for it to go on earning you a living without you doing any more work on it. It's absolutely ideal for an idler.” [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights passive income through authorship: once a book is completed, it can generate earnings without further effort, appealing to those seeking low‑maintenance revenue. **In simple terms:** Passive income via a finished book Key Takeaway Books can become self‑sustaining assets Themes passive income creative entrepreneurship long‑term value effort vs reward financial independence Mood optimistic pragmatic aspirational Type advice observation motivational When to use this quote - author seeking side income - entrepreneur wanting scalable products - retiree looking for low‑effort earnings - content creator building a portfolio Key Concepts intellectual property royalties time investment automation Practical Applications - self‑publish a novel - write a how‑to guide for niche market Questions to Reflect On - How can you design a book to maximize its long‑term earning potential? - What risks exist in relying on a single passive‑income source? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-brilliant-436909/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Earning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earning/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [Ideal Idler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideal-idler-436908/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Idler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idler-436907/) [Idlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idlers/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Without you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-you/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing a book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-a-book/) [Writing Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-book-247372/) ## Related quotes > [Beauty, pleasure, freedom and plenty of sleep: these are the hallmarks of a successful idler's break. Travel should not be hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/beauty-pleasure-freedom-and-plenty-of-sleep-these-are-the-hallmarks/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [I suddenly realised, hey, I'm not a lazy idiot, I'm an idler! It's something to aspire to, it's part of the creative process! That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/i-suddenly-realised-hey-i-m-not-a-lazy-idiot-i-m-an-idler-it-s/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [A conclusion I’ve come to at the Idler is that it starts with retreating from work but it’s really about making work into something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/a-conclusion-i-ve-come-to-at-the-idler-is-that-it-starts-with/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [No man is so methodical as a complete idler, and none so scrupulous in measuring out his time as he whose time is worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/no-man-is-so-methodical-as-a-complete-idler-and-none-so-scrupulous-in/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [I like the idea of the idler wheel - it just sits in between things, but it makes such a big difference in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-like-the-idea-of-the-idler-wheel-it-just-sits-in-between-things-but/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [How various his employments whom the world Calls idle; and who justly in return Esteems that busy world an idler too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/how-various-his-employments-whom-the-world-calls-idle-and-who-justly/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Every man is, or hopes to be, an idler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-man-is-or-hopes-to-be-an-idler/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [A learned man is an idler who kills time by study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-learned-man-is-an-idler-who-kills-time-by-study/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [If I were to imagine myself as an idler wheel inside some big mix of gears, then I would be connected to everything. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/if-i-were-to-imagine-myself-as-an-idler-wheel-inside-some-big-mix-of/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [An idler is a watch that wants both hands; As useless if it goes as when it stands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/an-idler-is-a-watch-that-wants-both-hands-as-useless-if-it-goes-as/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [The faster you go, the idler you get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferreira-gullar/the-faster-you-go-the-idler-you-get/) [Ferreira Gullar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferreira-gullar/) > [“Idleness as a waste of time is a damaging notion put about by its spiritually vacant enemies. The fact that idling can be enormously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/idleness-as-a-waste-of-time-is-a-damaging-notion-put-about-by-its/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [All poets are idlers, even if all idlers are not poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/all-poets-are-idlers-even-if-all-idlers-are-not-poets/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The idea of a government is to create an ordered, willing work force where there's no trouble. I think idlers are generally seen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/the-idea-of-a-government-is-to-create-an-ordered-willing-work-force/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/truly-the-bench-is-a-boon-to-idlers-whoever-first-came-up-with-the/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) ## More by Tom Hodgkinson > [By taking out a loan, I am committing myself to years of interest repayments, and therefore to years of wage slavery. And the UK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/by-taking-out-a-loan-i-am-committing-myself-to-years-of-interest/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/truly-the-bench-is-a-boon-to-idlers-whoever-first-came-up-with-the/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Beauty, pleasure, freedom and plenty of sleep: these are the hallmarks of a successful idler's break. Travel should not be hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/beauty-pleasure-freedom-and-plenty-of-sleep-these-are-the-hallmarks/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [These days we seem more bound to our bosses than ever before. We even identify our own selves with the jobs we do: 'What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/these-days-we-seem-more-bound-to-our-bosses-than-ever-before-we-even/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The way to stop feeling guilty is to read stuff - I'm not saying my book, but works by Bertrand Russell or Oscar Wilde,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/the-way-to-stop-feeling-guilty-is-to-read-stuff-i-m-not-saying-my/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The phrase 'work/life balance' encapsulates a depressing outlook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/the-phrase-work-life-balance-encapsulates-a-depressing-outlook/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The idea of a government is to create an ordered, willing work force where there's no trouble. I think idlers are generally seen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/the-idea-of-a-government-is-to-create-an-ordered-willing-work-force/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [When stuck years ago in a job I hated, my only friend was the public bench. As the tedious mornings dragged on, how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/when-stuck-years-ago-in-a-job-i-hated-my-only-friend-was-the-public/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [All poets are idlers, even if all idlers are not poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/all-poets-are-idlers-even-if-all-idlers-are-not-poets/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Pain will never leave us. Instead of putting energy into destroying pain, we need to put energy into creating pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/pain-will-never-leave-us-instead-of-putting-energy-into-destroying/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Sensible people advise against drinking on an empty stomach, but to my mind it is the best sort of drinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/sensible-people-advise-against-drinking-on-an-empty-stomach-but-to-my/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Paradoxically, to be truly idle, you also have to be efficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/paradoxically-to-be-truly-idle-you-also-have-to-be-efficient/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Am I the only person in the world who is shocked and amazed at the ongoing flattery of uebergeek Mark Zuckerberg?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/am-i-the-only-person-in-the-world-who-is-shocked-and-amazed-at-the/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [I would like to propose slow cycling. Commute by bike. At a stroke, you remove the need for and absurd cost of public transport.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/i-would-like-to-propose-slow-cycling-commute-by-bike-at-a-stroke-you/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [In the West, we have become addicted to work. Americans now work the longest hours in the world. And the result is not health,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/in-the-west-we-have-become-addicted-to-work-americans-now-work-the/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) [Explore all 144 Tom Hodgkinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing a book is a brilliant thing because once you've finished it, you've done it, and there's the potential for it to go on earning you a living without you doing any more work on it. 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