--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing beats novel writing because it's…" description: "\"Nothing beats novel writing because it's complete expression of you. You just control everything. Not even a movie director has that level of control.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b66/tom-perrotta-3008_beats_nothing-beats-novel-writing-because-it-s_2778914.png" --- # Nothing beats novel writing because it's complete… ![“Nothing beats novel writing because it's complete expression of you. You just control everything. Not even a movie director has that level of control.” quote by Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b66/tom-perrotta-3008_beats_nothing-beats-novel-writing-because-it-s_2778914.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b66/tom-perrotta-3008_beats_nothing-beats-novel-writing-because-it-s_2778914.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b66/tom-perrotta-3008_beats_nothing-beats-novel-writing-because-it-s_2778914.png) > “Nothing beats novel writing because it's complete expression of you. You just control everything. Not even a movie director has that level of control.” [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing allows total control over narrative, unlike collaborative media. **In simple terms:** Writing gives full creative control. Key Takeaway Embrace writing for personal expression. Themes creativity control authorship Mood reflective confident Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - novel writing - personal journaling - screenwriting - creative projects Key Concepts narrative authority artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How does control affect your storytelling? - Can collaboration improve your work? A Different Perspective Collaboration can enrich ideas beyond solitary control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novel writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-writing/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Writing a complete novel is time consuming, frustrating, nerve wrecking, and most of the time your work is under valued, under appreciated, and taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-henegan/writing-a-complete-novel-is-time-consuming-frustrating-nerve-wrecking/) [Carl Henegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-henegan/) > [Writing is not complete when you've added everything you could, but rather, when you've taken away everything that is not needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-clark/writing-is-not-complete-when-you-ve-added-everything-you-could-but/) Anne Clark > [One of the great things about being a director as a life choice is that it can never be mastered. Every story is its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/one-of-the-great-things-about-being-a-director-as-a-life-choice-is/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [There's nobody who loves being around actors working more than David Mamet, especially actors bringing his tremendous dialogue to life. I've never seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gregg/there-s-nobody-who-loves-being-around-actors-working-more-than-david/) [Clark Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gregg/) > ['Vicky Donor' or 'Madras Caf,' John's films have been path-breaking. I have full faith in the script of my movie, and my director, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harshvardhan-rane/vicky-donor-or-madras-caf-john-s-films-have-been-path-breaking-i-have/) [Harshvardhan Rane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harshvardhan-rane/) > [There are some moments in your life and in your career when you meet a movie and the director that suddenly just turns you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-desplat/there-are-some-moments-in-your-life-and-in-your-career-when-you-meet/) [Alexandre Desplat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-desplat/) > [The Control movie is not about suicide, it's not about epilepsy, it's not about everything else, but it's about an individual who was thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orian-williams/the-control-movie-is-not-about-suicide-it-s-not-about-epilepsy-it-s/) Orian Williams > [I think it's so funny when people think they can't control a movie star. They can. We're just women, you know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-williams/i-think-it-s-so-funny-when-people-think-they-can-t-control-a-movie/) [Esther Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-williams/) > [I was usually asked to do less than I was capable of by directors who had lost control of their movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-was-usually-asked-to-do-less-than-i-was-capable-of-by-directors-who/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [I wanted to just be a filmmaker, and I thought I wanted to do all the aspects, and it seemed like as a producer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-wanted-to-just-be-a-filmmaker-and-i-thought-i-wanted-to-do-all-the-2/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [The only control you have over a movie is whether or not you decide to sell the rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/the-only-control-you-have-over-a-movie-is-whether-or-not-you-decide/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [ Adrienne \[ Shelly\] had 100 per cent control over this movie \[ Waitress\] as a director. She didn't just write it, direct it and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-russell/adrienne-shelly-had-100-per-cent-control-over-this-movie-waitress-as/) [Keri Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-russell/) > [That's the only way I can control my movie. If you shoot everything, then everything is liable to end up in the movie. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-allen/that-s-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-movie-if-you-shoot-everything/) [Debbie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-allen/) > [I wanted to just be a filmmaker, and I thought I wanted to do all the aspects, and it seemed like as a producer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-wanted-to-just-be-a-filmmaker-and-i-thought-i-wanted-to-do-all-the/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Tom Perrotta > [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [“As far as I could tell, he earned his hundred thousand a year by wandering the hallway with a Styrofoam cup of coffee, smiling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/as-far-as-i-could-tell-he-earned-his-hundred-thousand-a-year-by/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [“thinking how good it was to be free, away from the baby and from Tom, too, the two people who couldn’t help reminding her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/thinking-how-good-it-was-to-be-free-away-from-the-baby-and-from-tom/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [It's like the human race has been programmed for misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/it-s-like-the-human-race-has-been-programmed-for-misery/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [“She took care of evyone with the same no-nonsense air of friendliness and good cheer that made her seem so paradoxically wholesome, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/she-took-care-of-evyone-with-the-same-no-nonsense-air-of-friendliness/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [Back then, when everybody thought the world would last forever, nobody had time for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/back-then-when-everybody-thought-the-world-would-last-forever-nobody/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [“Stan and Rudy are grown men. It's too late to shape their minds, to teach them values and a sense of compassion. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/stan-and-rudy-are-grown-men-it-s-too-late-to-shape-their-minds-to/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I write about kids growing up, I write a lot about schools and parents, and all of my experiences with those things have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-write-about-kids-growing-up-i-write-a-lot-about-schools-and-parents/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [You could say that this book is ripped from the headlines, but that wouldn't be fair. Bret Anthony Johnston's riveting novel picks up where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/you-could-say-that-this-book-is-ripped-from-the-headlines-but-that/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [The interesting part about the writing process is that you can never see all the way to the end, not if something is happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/the-interesting-part-about-the-writing-process-is-that-you-can-never/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [“Something had happened to him ove the past couple of years, something to do with being home with Aaron, sinking into the rhythm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/something-had-happened-to-him-ove-the-past-couple-of-years-something/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [“They were good listeners, worldly yet easily shocked, hungry for details, curious and nonjudgmental at the same time, always happy to give advice, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/they-were-good-listeners-worldly-yet-easily-shocked-hungry-for/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I read 'The Great Gatsby' in high school and was hypnotized by the beauty of the sentences and moved by the story about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-read-the-great-gatsby-in-high-school-and-was-hypnotized-by-the/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I no longer believe that just about everything is funny, if viewed from the proper angle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-no-longer-believe-that-just-about-everything-is-funny-if-viewed/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [“us, Will had invited his camp counselor buddy, Dylan, and Dylan had brought along his roommate, this annoying kid named Sanjay. I mean, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/us-will-had-invited-his-camp-counselor-buddy-dylan-and-dylan-had/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) [Explore all 141 Tom Perrotta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) ## More Beats quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us… But the test a loving God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/so-many-things-beat-upon-us-in-a-lifetime-that-simply-enduring-may/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [If you don't like club beats take a HIT OF E and you will love the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/if-you-don-t-like-club-beats-take-a-hit-of-e-and-you-will-love-the/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [Every pitcher can beat you, it doesn't matter how good you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bonds/every-pitcher-can-beat-you-it-doesn-t-matter-how-good-you-are/) [Barry Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bonds/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) Chaz Brenchley > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I don't know about the rest of the world, but I know in our region everyone is gunning to beat us. We have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/i-don-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-world-but-i-know-in-our-region/) [Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/) > [Grand business plans are all very well, but nothing beats dipping your toe in the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/grand-business-plans-are-all-very-well-but-nothing-beats-dipping-your/) Baron Bilimoria Karan Bilimoria > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. 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