--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I feel like songwriting is an experiment…" description: "\"I feel like songwriting is an experiment in empathy.\" — Zooey Deschanel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/zooey-deschanel-1154_empathy_i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment_2330709.png" --- # I feel like songwriting is an experiment in empathy. ![“I feel like songwriting is an experiment in empathy.” quote by Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/zooey-deschanel-1154_empathy_i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment_2330709.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/zooey-deschanel-1154_empathy_i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment_2330709.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/zooey-deschanel-1154_empathy_i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment_2330709.png) > “I feel like songwriting is an experiment in empathy.” [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Songwriting serves as a practice of stepping into others’ experiences to convey feeling. **In simple terms:** Writing songs is like feeling what others feel. Key Takeaway Use empathy to deepen creative work. Themes creativity empathy artistry Mood introspective inspired Type artistic inspirational When to use this quote - writing music - screenwriting - teaching - marketing copy Key Concepts emotional intelligence storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance empathy with originality? - What emotions are hardest to convey? A Different Perspective Empathy alone may not guarantee artistic success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Experiment Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiment-empathy-5604350/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Feel Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-like/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Like Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-songwriting-2824580/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) [Songwriting Experiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting-experiment-5604349/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not good at many things. But I really like songwriting, and I get a good reaction from it. There's not much that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/i-m-not-good-at-many-things-but-i-really-like-songwriting-and-i-get-a/) [Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/) > [Insatiable,' the album, was more of a project, really... it was more like a songwriting excursion and an exclusive deal that hadn't really ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-coyle/insatiable-the-album-was-more-of-a-project-really-it-was-more-like-a/) [Nadine Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-coyle/) > [I feel like songwriting changed from something that I liked doing to something that, I feel, is a very important outlet for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/i-feel-like-songwriting-changed-from-something-that-i-liked-doing-to/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [I feel like when the songwriting slows, I'd love to help others with their records. If it's something I really believe in, it's worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kozelek/i-feel-like-when-the-songwriting-slows-i-d-love-to-help-others-with/) [Mark Kozelek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kozelek/) > [It seems like songwriting for most songwriters is only one season in their life, a five or ten year period. For me, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-clawson/it-seems-like-songwriting-for-most-songwriters-is-only-one-season-in/) [Rodney Clawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-clawson/) > [I feel like songwriting, for me, is kind of therapy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walker/i-feel-like-songwriting-for-me-is-kind-of-therapy/) [Tom Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walker/) > [I get some flak for and some resistance from colleagues for because I'm interested in storytelling. I mean what I like about songwriting is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-get-some-flak-for-and-some-resistance-from-colleagues-for-because-i/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I like the songwriting. I don't ever listen and then go back and change stuff. For me when I wrote the song, it's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-owens/i-like-the-songwriting-i-don-t-ever-listen-and-then-go-back-and/) [Christopher Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-owens/) > [I don't claim to be a particularly good father. I'm flawed, let's say. I've certainly been affected by the experience of having kids... trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/i-don-t-claim-to-be-a-particularly-good-father-i-m-flawed-let-s-say-i/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [I always said I would have gone in to psychology, or maybe the FBI. I'm really in to and interested in humans and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-harp/i-always-said-i-would-have-gone-in-to-psychology-or-maybe-the-fbi-i-m/) [Jessica Harp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-harp/) > [“Like one of his heroes, Tom Waits, whenever Yorke feels like his songwriting is getting too comfortable or stale, he’ll pick up an instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/like-one-of-his-heroes-tom-waits-whenever-yorke-feels-like-his/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Not that there is anything wrong with confessional songwriting, there are plenty of people that do that I admire. I think it is great,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/not-that-there-is-anything-wrong-with-confessional-songwriting-there/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Most of us have the residue of thousands of songs in our ears, that if you end up songwriting, I think you're mostly smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-us-have-the-residue-of-thousands-of-songs-in-our-ears-that-if/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) ## More by Zooey Deschanel > [Anyone who knows me knows that I am really into hair. I'm a real girly girl and love doing my hair and experimenting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/anyone-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-am-really-into-hair-i-m-a-real-girly/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I know a lot of people that have had fake Twitters... actors and musicians that I know. It's sort of a problem. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-know-a-lot-of-people-that-have-had-fake-twitters-actors-and/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [For those of us who try to keep remembering, Try to do our better than our best. Think of all the children in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/for-those-of-us-who-try-to-keep-remembering-try-to-do-our-better-than/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I think my knowledge of music theory is rooted in jazz theory, and a lot of the writers of standards - Rodgers and Hart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-think-my-knowledge-of-music-theory-is-rooted-in-jazz-theory-and-a/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I finally figured out how to read origami directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-finally-figured-out-how-to-read-origami-directions/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [You do not need to look or be anorexic to be successful in Hollywood. The range of what's acceptable is a lot larger than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/you-do-not-need-to-look-or-be-anorexic-to-be-successful-in-hollywood/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I'm not really that interested in pandering to an audience of people that are going to judge me before they hear me. If they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-m-not-really-that-interested-in-pandering-to-an-audience-of-people/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [There are a lot of actors who will sit here and talk to you about characters - 'He does this, and she's a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/there-are-a-lot-of-actors-who-will-sit-here-and-talk-to-you-about/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I still have in me the same awareness when I was 12 and chubby and a girl was spitting in my face. I'm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-still-have-in-me-the-same-awareness-when-i-was-12-and-chubby-and-a/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Well, my piano's really beautiful. I actually have two pianos. I have a Yamaha upright from the '60s that's blond, wood, and black, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/well-my-piano-s-really-beautiful-i-actually-have-two-pianos-i-have-a/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I always wanted to be normal. I tried really hard, but it's like I try so hard and then people still say I'm offbeat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-always-wanted-to-be-normal-i-tried-really-hard-but-it-s-like-i-try/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Yeah, well, we were looking for something sort of anonymous. It suggests what it is, but I like that it's modest. I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/yeah-well-we-were-looking-for-something-sort-of-anonymous-it-suggests/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [You go to something like the Golden Globes, and it's the most glamorous place you could ever be, but then you go home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/you-go-to-something-like-the-golden-globes-and-it-s-the-most/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [The red-carpet thing of premieres and parties is probably my least favourite part of my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/the-red-carpet-thing-of-premieres-and-parties-is-probably-my-least/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh’ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/being-tender-and-open-is-beautiful-as-a-woman-i-feel-continually-shhh/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) [Explore all 282 Zooey Deschanel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) ## More Empathy quotes > [I have a lot of empathy, and I think that's where mothering starts. You are there to empathise and facilitate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/i-have-a-lot-of-empathy-and-i-think-that-s-where-mothering-starts-you/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Cinematography speaks to everything that women do inherently well: It's multitasking, it's empathy, and it's channeling visuals into human emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/cinematography-speaks-to-everything-that-women-do-inherently-well-it/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Understanding breeds empathy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/understanding-breeds-empathy/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Making a movie is about following characters and embarking on an adventure with them, seeing their reactions, and seeing what they do, having empathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franck-khalfoun/making-a-movie-is-about-following-characters-and-embarking-on-an/) [Franck Khalfoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franck-khalfoun/) > [“A novel is not an allegory...it is a sensual experience of another world. If you don't enter that world, hold your breath with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/a-novel-is-not-an-allegory-it-is-a-sensual-experience-of-another/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [Empathic listening takes time, but it doesn't take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/empathic-listening-takes-time-but-it-doesn-t-take-anywhere-near-as/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I try to treat every job with the exact same level of respect. When I go into it, it doesn't matter what the budget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-scodelario/i-try-to-treat-every-job-with-the-exact-same-level-of-respect-when-i/) [Kaya Scodelario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-scodelario/) > [“CWC (Church Women Concerned) enabled us as women in that part of South Africa, to see ourselves as ordinary citizens who found themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/cwc-church-women-concerned-enabled-us-as-women-in-that-part-of-south/) [Sindiwe Magona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sindiwe-magona/) > [Ultimately, my character is defined by the quality of my sensitivity to other people. I exist in equilibrium. I am here to the degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/ultimately-my-character-is-defined-by-the-quality-of-my-sensitivity/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [I began to use my sensitivity. And I realized I wasn't weird because I cried a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/i-began-to-use-my-sensitivity-and-i-realized-i-wasn-t-weird-because-i/) [Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/) > [“The emotional intelligence model consists of four clusters: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.  ● Self-Awareness is a propensity for self-reflection and thoughtfulness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-bolton/the-emotional-intelligence-model-consists-of-four-clusters-self/) [Chuck Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-bolton/) > [I need voices of reason and of hysteria and of empathy. I need to have an Alanis moment. I need advice from Elizabeth Bennett.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-need-voices-of-reason-and-of-hysteria-and-of-empathy-i-need-to-have/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) [Browse all 2,480 Empathy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I feel like songwriting is an experiment in empathy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zooey Deschanel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment-in-empathy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Empathy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment-in-empathy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/zooey-deschanel-1154_empathy_i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment_2330709.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/zooey-deschanel-1154_empathy_i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment_2330709.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/zooey-deschanel-1154_empathy_i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment_2330709.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I feel like songwriting is an experiment in empathy.” — Zooey Deschanel", "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": "Zooey Deschanel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I feel like songwriting is an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment-in-empathy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-feel-like-songwriting-is-an-experiment-in-empathy/#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 } } ] } ```