"For that reason you can't write with music playing, and anyone who says he can is either writing badly, or not listening to the music, or lying. You need to hear what you're writing, and for that you need silence"

This quote by Philip Pullman highlights the value of silence when writing. He suggests that it is difficult to compose with music playing, as it is challenging to concentrate on both the music and the composing at the exact same time. He indicates that anybody who declares to be able to write with music playing is either composing poorly, not taking note of the music, or lying. Pullman thinks that in order to compose successfully, one need to be able to hear what they are composing, and this can just be done in silence. This quote motivates writers to find a peaceful place to write, devoid of interruptions, in order to produce their best work.