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Write regularly, day in and day out, at whatever times of day you find that you write best. Don't wait till you feel that you are in the mood. Write, whether you are feeling inclined to write or not.
Arnold J. Toynbee
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Consistent writing is crucial, regardless of one's mood or inspiration.

The quote emphasizes the importance of maintaining a regular writing practice, suggesting that writers should commit to writing every day, regardless of whether they feel motivated or inspired. This discipline helps to cultivate skills and generate creativity over time, reinforcing the idea that writing is an ongoing process rather than a sporadic event driven by inspiration.

Themes

WritingDisciplineConsistencyCreativityPractice

In practice

Example use cases

In a writing workshop, to encourage participants to write every day, I shared the quote by Arnold J. Toynbee.

More from Arnold J. Toynbee

Of the twenty-two civilizations that have appeared in history, nineteen of them collapsed when they reached the moral state the United States is in now.
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It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
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No being can be what he is unless he is putting his essence into action in his field.
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I do not believe that civilizations have to die because civilization is not an organism. It is a product of wills.
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Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God.
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Love's way of dealing with us is different from conscience's way. Conscience commands; love inspires. What we do out of love, we do because we want to.
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