There is following idiom in Russian "to write into the drawer" which is being used to describe situation when writer or scientist writes (sometimes prolifically) without publishing anything. Are there direct equivalent or some other idiom/expression which conveys the same idea in English?
Learn English – Equivalent for the Russian idiom “to write into the drawer”
idiomsrussian
Related Topic
- Learn English – An English idiom for “solve a problem that has been solved”
- Learn English – ny idiomatic meaning of ‘it can be a real pig’
- Learn English – English equivalent for the Persian idiom “Putting the drill on poppy”
- Learn English – n English equivalent of the Italian idiom “non confondiamo l’oro con la tolla!”
Best Answer
The expression about which the OP inquires is the now largely historical term that is usually translated into English from the Russian писать в стол or писать в ящик ( http://phraseology_ru_en.academic.ru/27881/писать_в_стол ) as to write for the drawer, the significance of which is well described in an Economist article dating from 11 November 1969. One of the principal themes of the article is the central importance for writers in the USSR of enjoying the goodwill of the Writers' Union:
Along similar lines, this 2002 article from the Los Angeles Times describes the tragic life of the Hungarian writer Sandor Marai, from which I quote: