--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes I watch a scene I've written…" description: "\"Sometimes I watch a scene I've written, and occasionally I think, \"Oh, for God's sake, shut up.\"\" — Tom Stoppard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tom-stoppard-437_occasionally_sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-a_2561743.png" --- # Sometimes I watch a scene I've written, and occasionally I… ![“Sometimes I watch a scene I've written, and occasionally I think, "Oh, for God's sake, shut up."” quote by Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tom-stoppard-437_occasionally_sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-a_2561743.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tom-stoppard-437_occasionally_sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-a_2561743.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tom-stoppard-437_occasionally_sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-a_2561743.png) > “Sometimes I watch a scene I've written, and occasionally I think, "Oh, for God's sake, shut up."” [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer often critiques his own work, feeling frustration and self‑censorship during creation. **In simple terms:** Writers can be their own harshest critics. Key Takeaway Accept self‑critique but keep the voice alive. Themes creativity self‑criticism artistic process Mood reflective determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing drafts - script revisions - performance rehearsals - editing sessions Key Concepts authorial voice inner dialogue creative block Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance honesty with confidence? - When does self‑editing become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism may stifle spontaneity if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [My scripts are possibly too talkative. Sometimes I watch a scene I've written, and occasionally I think, 'Oh, for God's sake, shut up.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/my-scripts-are-possibly-too-talkative-sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“We all need to withdraw from the world, occasionally. I think there are many ways people lose themselves into something they love to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-donahue/we-all-need-to-withdraw-from-the-world-occasionally-i-think-there-are/) Karen Donahue > [I have written occasionally on links between my scientific work and political thinking, but not much, because the links seem to me abstract and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-have-written-occasionally-on-links-between-my-scientific-work-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [As for being the best goalkeeper in the world, it's been written occasionally, but I'd never say it myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-neuer/as-for-being-the-best-goalkeeper-in-the-world-it-s-been-written/) [Manuel Neuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-neuer/) > [I think of a movie as a human body. You can feel the pump of the heart and the blood going through the veins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-braga/i-think-of-a-movie-as-a-human-body-you-can-feel-the-pump-of-the-heart/) [Sonia Braga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-braga/) > [“If you can, I implore you to watch this scene. It’s seven seconds long. Three hours. Thirty-two takes. And it was only the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-sestero/if-you-can-i-implore-you-to-watch-this-scene-it-s-seven-seconds-long/) [Greg Sestero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-sestero/) > [It's always funny to watch the scene that you know took a thousand takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-murphy/it-s-always-funny-to-watch-the-scene-that-you-know-took-a-thousand/) [Annie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-murphy/) > [I struggle to watch myself in any scene, to be honest. What's done is done. I wish I was able to watch myself, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-green/i-struggle-to-watch-myself-in-any-scene-to-be-honest-what-s-done-is/) [Eva Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-green/) > [I really don't like watching myself and for the most part I will never watch myself. I worked with Kevin Smith on Yoga Hosers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-butler/i-really-don-t-like-watching-myself-and-for-the-most-part-i-will/) [Austin Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-butler/) > [“I occasionally think how quickly our differences worldwide would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-occasionally-think-how-quickly-our-differences-worldwide-would/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I think "waste of your brain" is something that my mother would say to me occasionally - I think it's usually when I'm telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/i-think-waste-of-your-brain-is-something-that-my-mother-would-say-to/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [“Sometimes this book stays in the present, other times I try to cut myself in half and count the rings. Occasionally I think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/sometimes-this-book-stays-in-the-present-other-times-i-try-to-cut/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Sometimes my whole life seems like a dream; occasionally I think that someone else has lived it for me. The events and the sensations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-faulks/sometimes-my-whole-life-seems-like-a-dream-occasionally-i-think-that/) [Sebastian Faulks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-faulks/) > [Occasionally, I have to think like myself to remember where I put something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-l-taylor/occasionally-i-have-to-think-like-myself-to-remember-where-i-put/) [Susan L. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-l-taylor/) > [I'm aware of my old plays and occasionally think about them, but I'm much more anxious about finding the next play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-aware-of-my-old-plays-and-occasionally-think-about-them-but-i-m/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## More by Tom Stoppard > [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [After all these years, I definitely associate having a pen in my hand with having an ashtray just out of eye line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/after-all-these-years-i-definitely-associate-having-a-pen-in-my-hand/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [The universe is deterministic all right, just like Newton said, I mean it's trying to be, but the only thing going wrong is people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-universe-is-deterministic-all-right-just-like-newton-said-i-mean/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-me-human-rights-simply-endorse-a-view-of-life-and-a-set-of-moral/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“What is an artist? For every thousand people there's nine hundred doing the work, ninety doing well, nine doing good, and one lucky bastard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/what-is-an-artist-for-every-thousand-people-there-s-nine-hundred/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over... Death is not anything... death is not... It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/dying-is-not-romantic-and-death-is-not-a-game-which-will-soon-be-over/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I'm not interested in clothes; I just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-not-interested-in-clothes-i-just-like-them/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For 10 years of my life, 3 times a day, I thanked the Lord for what I was about to receive and thanked him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-10-years-of-my-life-3-times-a-day-i-thanked-the-lord-for-what-i/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [You should not translate for more than two hours at a time. After that, you lose your edge, the language becomes clumsy, rigid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/you-should-not-translate-for-more-than-two-hours-at-a-time-after-that/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [No matter how imperfect things are, if you've got a free press everything is correctable, and without it everything is concealable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/no-matter-how-imperfect-things-are-if-you-ve-got-a-free-press/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [We must be born with an intuition of mortality. Before we know the word for it. Before we know that there are words. Out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-must-be-born-with-an-intuition-of-mortality-before-we-know-the/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/eternity-s-a-terrible-thought-i-mean-where-s-it-all-going-to-end/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [There is truth and falsehood in a comma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-truth-and-falsehood-in-a-comma/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) [Explore all 559 Tom Stoppard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## More Occasionally quotes > [I really can't live without my In-N-Out burgers. Honestly, I can't. Even when I'm doing the whole no-carb thing occasionally, I make an exception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-really-can-t-live-without-my-in-n-out-burgers-honestly-i-can-t-even/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most times he will pick himself up and carry on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/man-will-occasionally-stumble-over-the-truth-but-most-times-he-will/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You have to accept gifts occasionally, because there are some things you can’t give yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-marshall-smith/you-have-to-accept-gifts-occasionally-because-there-are-some-things/) [Michael Marshall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-marshall-smith/) > [I have the ability, occasionally, of being able to step out and see who you think I could end up being. And I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-have-the-ability-occasionally-of-being-able-to-step-out-and-see-who/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [Occasionally I'll have a slip, and I might watch 'RuPaul's Drag Race' or something. But for the most part, I am out on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/occasionally-i-ll-have-a-slip-and-i-might-watch-rupaul-s-drag-race-or/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [“defend women’s right to be wrong, at least occasionally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/defend-women-s-right-to-be-wrong-at-least-occasionally/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [Occasionally and all-too-infrequently a song comes along that jolts you and you prick up your ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/occasionally-and-all-too-infrequently-a-song-comes-along-that-jolts/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/success-doesn-t-come-from-what-you-do-occasionally-it-comes-from-what/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [I've never really suffered complete and utter writer's block, really. I equate it with sex: in the beginning of my career, I was writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/i-ve-never-really-suffered-complete-and-utter-writer-s-block-really-i/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [I'd occasionally do some exercises at home, but I never cared for gyms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/i-d-occasionally-do-some-exercises-at-home-but-i-never-cared-for-gyms/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [“Where there’s a winner, there’s a loser, and always at the same time. Occasionally even in the same person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/where-there-s-a-winner-there-s-a-loser-and-always-at-the-same-time/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [My target audience is anyone who finds the world interesting and human behavior fascinating, terrible, inspiring, funny, and occasionally, mysterious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/my-target-audience-is-anyone-who-finds-the-world-interesting-and/) [Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/) > [We look at life from the back side of the tapestry. And most of the time, what we see is loose threads, tangled knots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/we-look-at-life-from-the-back-side-of-the-tapestry-and-most-of-the/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [I occasionally experience the discomfort of people assuming my work is autobiographical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/i-occasionally-experience-the-discomfort-of-people-assuming-my-work/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [I know I'm being judged, and anyone who works in the public eye will get some negativity at some point. It can be tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborra-lee-furness/i-know-i-m-being-judged-and-anyone-who-works-in-the-public-eye-will/) [Deborra-Lee Furness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborra-lee-furness/) Browse all 310 Occasionally quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes I watch a scene I've written, and occasionally I think, \"Oh, for God's sake, shut up.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Stoppard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-and-occasionally-i-think-oh/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Occasionally" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-and-occasionally-i-think-oh/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tom-stoppard-437_occasionally_sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-a_2561743.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tom-stoppard-437_occasionally_sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-a_2561743.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tom-stoppard-437_occasionally_sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-a_2561743.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes I watch a scene I've written, and occasionally I think, \"Oh, for God's sake, shut up.\"” — Tom Stoppard", "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": "Tom Stoppard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes I watch a scene I've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-and-occasionally-i-think-oh/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/sometimes-i-watch-a-scene-i-ve-written-and-occasionally-i-think-oh/#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 } } ] } ```