--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing you have to know about…" description: "\"The first thing you have to know about writing is that it is something you must do every day - every morning or every night, whatever time it is that y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/walter-mosley-2810_best-work_the-first-thing-you-have-to-know-about-w_2316223.png" --- # The first thing you have to know about writing is that it… ![“The first thing you have to know about writing is that it is something you must do every day - every morning or every night, whatever time it is that you have. Ideally, the time you decide on is also the time when you do your best work.” quote by Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/walter-mosley-2810_best-work_the-first-thing-you-have-to-know-about-w_2316223.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/walter-mosley-2810_best-work_the-first-thing-you-have-to-know-about-w_2316223.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/walter-mosley-2810_best-work_the-first-thing-you-have-to-know-about-w_2316223.png) > “The first thing you have to know about writing is that it is something you must do every day - every morning or every night, whatever time it is that you have. Ideally, the time you decide on is also the time when you do your best work.” [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) ## 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 stresses the necessity of daily, disciplined writing, aligning one's peak creative time with consistent practice. **In simple terms:** Write daily at your best time for consistent progress. Key Takeaway Schedule writing during your most productive period each day. Themes discipline creativity routine productivity Mood motivational practical Type creative self‑help When to use this quote - morning writing sessions - nighttime reflections - creative blocks - deadline management Key Concepts Habit formation flow state self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - When is your optimal creative window? - How can you adapt routine when life changes? A Different Perspective Rigid schedules may cause burnout; flexibility can be needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-work/) [Decide Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide-time-321095/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Every morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/) [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Know Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-writing/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Ideally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-ideally-5519791/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-day/) ## Related quotes > [The first thing you have to know about writing is that it is something you must do everyday. There are two reasons for this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/the-first-thing-you-have-to-know-about-writing-is-that-it-is-2/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [So do all who see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-do-all-who-see-such-times-but-that-is-not-for-them-to-decide-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All you need is decide what to do with the time that has been given to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-you-need-is-decide-what-to-do-with-the-time-that-has-been-given/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When there is love to be given, I will resist the impulse to decide if I have time, because I know there is always,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-macy-stafford/when-there-is-love-to-be-given-i-will-resist-the-impulse-to-decide-if/) [Rachel Macy Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-macy-stafford/) > [All you have to decide, is what to do with the time that is given to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-you-have-to-decide-is-what-to-do-with-the-time-that-is-given-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You get to decide where your time goes. You can either spend it moving forward, or you can spend it putting out fires. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-morgan/you-get-to-decide-where-your-time-goes-you-can-either-spend-it-moving/) [Tony Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-morgan/) > [So do all who live to see such times, Frodo, but it is not for us to decide. All we must decide is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-do-all-who-live-to-see-such-times-frodo-but-it-is-not-for-us-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [you will never catch up. Walk around feeling like a leaf know you could tumble at any second. Then decide what to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/you-will-never-catch-up-walk-around-feeling-like-a-leaf-know-you/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [So do all who live to see such times, but that is not them to decide. All you have to decide is what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-christensen/so-do-all-who-live-to-see-such-times-but-that-is-not-them-to-decide/) [Jacob Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-christensen/) > [All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-we-have-to-decide-is-what-to-do-with-the-time-that-is-given-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We get to decide each time whether we will lean in toward what is unfolding and say yes or back away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/we-get-to-decide-each-time-whether-we-will-lean-in-toward-what-is/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [You have to decide when it is time to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-whelan/you-have-to-decide-when-it-is-time-to-move-on/) [Wendy Whelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-whelan/) > [“When you run for your life, you will become the one deciding how you use your time. You will be the one deciding that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-you-run-for-your-life-you-will-become-the-one-deciding-how-you/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-do-all-who-live-to-see-such-times-but-that-is-not-for-them-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We decide where the time goes. There's so much freedom in that, and so much responsibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/we-decide-where-the-time-goes-there-s-so-much-freedom-in-that-and-so/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) ## More by Walter Mosley > [“It’s a continual revelation when you come to understand that the only thing you can expect in return for your own dignity is hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/it-s-a-continual-revelation-when-you-come-to-understand-that-the-only/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [I think that it's important to try to keep reality. I think that Gabriel Garcia Marquez speaks a lot about reality in his magical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-think-that-it-s-important-to-try-to-keep-reality-i-think-that/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [There's many things that I am. And all of those things come together at some point. 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"And that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/if-there-s-another-writer-like-ross-mcdonald-or-raymond-chandler-and/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [Losing my parents really set me adrift in more ways than one. It's not just losing them. It's losing the possibility of family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/losing-my-parents-really-set-me-adrift-in-more-ways-than-one-it-s-not/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [I've always loved science fiction. I think the smartest writers are science fiction writers dealing with major things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-ve-always-loved-science-fiction-i-think-the-smartest-writers-are/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [I believe that a writer has to tell what they think is the truth in a human experience. The truth of the human experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-believe-that-a-writer-has-to-tell-what-they-think-is-the-truth-in-a/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [I laugh, that there's a certain kind of cyclical nature to life and that I don't have to worry because whatever isn't there right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-laugh-that-there-s-a-certain-kind-of-cyclical-nature-to-life-and/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [When I turned 59, I looked at that as the first day of my 60th year, so I've been 60 for the last 365…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/when-i-turned-59-i-looked-at-that-as-the-first-day-of-my-60th-year-so/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [“The government isn't real," he replied. He might have been talking about Santa Claus or God. "I don't owe anything to anyone who in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/the-government-isn-t-real-he-replied-he-might-have-been-talking-about/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [Susan Straight finds LA's secret heart in Between Heaven and Here and with a sleight of hand only the masters have, she creates an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/susan-straight-finds-la-s-secret-heart-in-between-heaven-and-here-and/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [“Damn, Easy,” the intrepid sideman said. “Trouble got your name tattooed on the inside’a his eyelids. He be studyin’ you in his sleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/damn-easy-the-intrepid-sideman-said-trouble-got-your-name-tattooed-on/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) [Explore all 149 Walter Mosley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) ## More Best work quotes > [I do my best work when I am in pain and turmoil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-do-my-best-work-when-i-am-in-pain-and-turmoil/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [The only features I've done have been on the lower-budget end, for what they were. It's really all about getting the best people aboard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-garris/the-only-features-i-ve-done-have-been-on-the-lower-budget-end-for/) [Mick Garris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-garris/) > [The books we enjoy as children stay with us forever -- they have a special impact. Paragraph after paragraph and page after page, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-fleischman/the-books-we-enjoy-as-children-stay-with-us-forever-they-have-a/) [Sid Fleischman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-fleischman/) > [“One's best work comes when we are fully alive, happy, and inspired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schiffer/one-s-best-work-comes-when-we-are-fully-alive-happy-and-inspired/) [Eric Schiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schiffer/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I know some people say it's not the best to work with your family, but I have never understood that because it's always worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/i-know-some-people-say-it-s-not-the-best-to-work-with-your-family-but/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [We enjoy what we do and, for me, playing football is the best work in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joao-moutinho/we-enjoy-what-we-do-and-for-me-playing-football-is-the-best-work-in/) [Joao Moutinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joao-moutinho/) > [You and I are stymied in our own creativity. We can only create as sub-creators, and even then our best work is only sub-creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-chandler/you-and-i-are-stymied-in-our-own-creativity-we-can-only-create-as-sub/) [Matt Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-chandler/) > [There's no way a director can communicate with every single person on the set and yet they need to motivate and instill an ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kennedy/there-s-no-way-a-director-can-communicate-with-every-single-person-on/) [Kathleen Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kennedy/) > [Hope for the best and work for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/hope-for-the-best-and-work-for-it/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [All I can do is focus on doing my best work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ryder/all-i-can-do-is-focus-on-doing-my-best-work/) [Sam Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ryder/) > [I was wondering if the best was behind me, had the high point of my career already happened. Then I saw what Manolo had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cox/i-was-wondering-if-the-best-was-behind-me-had-the-high-point-of-my/) [Patrick Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cox/) > [The only thing I can do is wipe my arse, brush my teeth, turn up and do the best work I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hardy/the-only-thing-i-can-do-is-wipe-my-arse-brush-my-teeth-turn-up-and-do/) [Tom Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hardy/) > [The best work for creative folks on the team is when the problem is big and the solution escapes everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sinofsky/the-best-work-for-creative-folks-on-the-team-is-when-the-problem-is/) [Steven Sinofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-sinofsky/) > [There should always be that leeway because if you think of your character as sort of absolutely fixed, then you just try and find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-abrahamson/there-should-always-be-that-leeway-because-if-you-think-of-your/) [Lenny Abrahamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-abrahamson/) [Browse all 403 Best work quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-work/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thing you have to know about writing is that it is something you must do every day - every morning or every night, whatever time it is that you have. 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