--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing was like digging coal. I sweat…" description: "\"Writing was like digging coal. I sweat blood. The spell is on me.\" — Zane Grey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/zane-grey-8315_blood_writing-was-like-digging-coal-i-sweat-bl_1934500.jpg" --- # Writing was like digging coal. I sweat blood. The spell is… ![“Writing was like digging coal. I sweat blood. The spell is on me.” quote by Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/zane-grey-8315_blood_writing-was-like-digging-coal-i-sweat-bl_1934500.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/zane-grey-8315_blood_writing-was-like-digging-coal-i-sweat-bl_1934500.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8c/zane-grey-8315_blood_writing-was-like-digging-coal-i-sweat-bl_1934500.jpg) > “Writing was like digging coal. I sweat blood. The spell is on me.” [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing demands intense, often painful effort, akin to laboring deep underground for valuable fuel. **In simple terms:** Writing is hard and exhausting. Key Takeaway Embrace the grind for creative reward. Themes creativity hard work artistic struggle Mood determined reflective Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - personal journaling Key Concepts creative process sacrificial labor self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What parts of your craft feel most taxing? - How do you sustain energy during tough phases? A Different Perspective Not all writing feels like mining; some flow naturally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood/) [Blood Spell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood-spell-1575979/) [Coal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coal/) [Coal Sweat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coal-sweat-3046901/) [Digging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digging/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Spell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spell/) [Sweat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweat/) [Sweat Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweat-blood-294887/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-like/) ## Related quotes > [“This is the simplest of spells, and foundation to all others. Magic seeks to better understand, and eventually to build on, the connection between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruthanna-emrys/this-is-the-simplest-of-spells-and-foundation-to-all-others-magic/) [Ruthanna Emrys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruthanna-emrys/) > [I can't spell or do grammar, but I'm smarter and more serious than people think. I'm no featherweight when it comes to digging deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher/i-can-t-spell-or-do-grammar-but-i-m-smarter-and-more-serious-than/) [Cher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher/) > [In every team, you have to win the respect of your team-mates, working a lot and really sweat blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-tevez/in-every-team-you-have-to-win-the-respect-of-your-team-mates-working/) [Carlos Tevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-tevez/) > [“If the sweat and blood of all faiths seeped into the same soil, then a synthesis must take root”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-husain/if-the-sweat-and-blood-of-all-faiths-seeped-into-the-same-soil-then-a/) [Shahrukh Husain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-husain/) > [“You shall gain but you shall pay with sweat, blood, and vomit, Comrade.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pavel-tsatsouline/you-shall-gain-but-you-shall-pay-with-sweat-blood-and-vomit-comrade/) [Pavel Tsatsouline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pavel-tsatsouline/) > [“Life lies within the chain link of the octagon: the sweat, blood . . . the pain. 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Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [I never tried to use anything besides my own sweat and blood and talent to get somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-tried-to-use-anything-besides-my-own-sweat-and-blood-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Took every ounce of heart and sweat and blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-chesney/took-every-ounce-of-heart-and-sweat-and-blood/) [Kenny Chesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-chesney/) > [Gold medals are made out of sweat, blood and tears and effort in the gym every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/gold-medals-are-made-out-of-sweat-blood-and-tears-and-effort-in-the/) [Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/) > [The problems of today's youth were no longer a Sunday supplement, or a news broadcast, or anything so remote and intangible. They were suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spider-robinson/the-problems-of-today-s-youth-were-no-longer-a-sunday-supplement-or-a/) [Spider Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spider-robinson/) > [Dear you ...you never know when you make my hands temble my heart pound my hands sweat my blood rush - make me gasp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/dear-you-you-never-know-when-you-make-my-hands-temble-my-heart-pound/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [I often say it but it's what my sweat and blood and the sweat and blood for all of us goes into, so when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendie-renard/i-often-say-it-but-it-s-what-my-sweat-and-blood-and-the-sweat-and/) [Wendie Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendie-renard/) > [“Don’t. I’m all sweaty and bloody,” I protested. “Heavens, not sweat and blood,” he replied mockingly. I managed to smile. Smartass vampire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/don-t-i-m-all-sweaty-and-bloody-i-protested-heavens-not-sweat-and/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Daawat-E-Ishq' did not do as well as we expected, so yes, when a film doesn't do as well as you wanted it to, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-roy-kapur/daawat-e-ishq-did-not-do-as-well-as-we-expected-so-yes-when-a-film/) [Aditya Roy Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-roy-kapur/) > [You know, obviously I've been around for a while, so I've got a little sweat and blood equity built up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-undertaker/you-know-obviously-i-ve-been-around-for-a-while-so-i-ve-got-a-little/) [The Undertaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-undertaker/) ## More by Zane Grey > [I arise full of eagerness and energy, knowing well what achievement lies ahead of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/i-arise-full-of-eagerness-and-energy-knowing-well-what-achievement/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [“You and I will never live to see the day that women recover their balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/you-and-i-will-never-live-to-see-the-day-that-women-recover-their/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [“So that's troublin' you? I reckon it needn't. You see it was this way. I come round the house an' seen that fat party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/so-that-s-troublin-you-i-reckon-it-needn-t-you-see-it-was-this-way-i/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [“I was a preacher, and now I am thirsting for vengeance,” answered Christy, his face clouding darkly. “Wait until you learn what frontier life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/i-was-a-preacher-and-now-i-am-thirsting-for-vengeance-answered/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [What makes life worth living? 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It’s a sign of weakness." Captain Nathan Brittles, "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon "(1949)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/don-t-apologize-it-s-a-sign-of-weakness-captain-nathan-brittles-she/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [Adam Larey gazed with hard and wondering eyes down the silent current of the red river upon which he meant to drift away into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/adam-larey-gazed-with-hard-and-wondering-eyes-down-the-silent-current/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [I am full of fire and passion. I am not ready yet for great concentration and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/i-am-full-of-fire-and-passion-i-am-not-ready-yet-for-great/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [Fishing is a condition of mind wherein you cannot possibly have a bad time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/fishing-is-a-condition-of-mind-wherein-you-cannot-possibly-have-a-bad/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [Realism is death to me. I cannot stand life as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/realism-is-death-to-me-i-cannot-stand-life-as-it-is/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [Before exulatation had vanished, I felt as if I had been granted a marvellous privilege. 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But that didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/what-about-you-three-where-are-you-going-even-before-halt-answered/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [A day without blood is like a day without sunshine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/a-day-without-blood-is-like-a-day-without-sunshine/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“...I wore his blood for clothing, on my legs and thighs and hands: a dry, stiff, brown garment with no warmth in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-wore-his-blood-for-clothing-on-my-legs-and-thighs-and-hands-a-dry/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. 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