--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you start, the world of publishing…" description: "\"When you start, the world of publishing seems like a great cathedral citadel of talent, resisting attempts to let you inside. It isn't like that at all..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/alan-garner-16067_cathedrals_when-you-start-the-world-of-publishing-s_2155454.png" --- # When you start, the world of publishing seems like a great… ![“When you start, the world of publishing seems like a great cathedral citadel of talent, resisting attempts to let you inside. It isn't like that at all. It may be more difficult now, and take longer than when I started to write, but there's a great, empty warehouse out there looking for simple…” quote by Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/alan-garner-16067_cathedrals_when-you-start-the-world-of-publishing-s_2155454.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/alan-garner-16067_cathedrals_when-you-start-the-world-of-publishing-s_2155454.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/alan-garner-16067_cathedrals_when-you-start-the-world-of-publishing-s_2155454.png) > “When you start, the world of publishing seems like a great cathedral citadel of talent, resisting attempts to let you inside. It isn't like that at all. It may be more difficult now, and take longer than when I started to write, but there's a great, empty warehouse out there looking for simple talent.” [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The publishing world appears daunting and exclusive, but in reality there are many opportunities for new talent despite challenges. **In simple terms:** Publishing seems exclusive but actually has many openings for newcomers. Key Takeaway Seek out the hidden opportunities. Themes publishing opportunity talent industry challenge Mood determined optimistic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - new author - self‑publishing - literary agent outreach - writing workshops Key Concepts gatekeeping market dynamics career entry Questions to Reflect On - What niche can you fill in the market? - How can you demonstrate unique value? A Different Perspective Competition remains fierce and many doors stay closed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cathedrals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cathedrals/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [My family always comes first. 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But I write just for myself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-marvelous-peace-in-not-publishing-i-like-to-write-i-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As Forest Gump would say. "Self publishing is like a box of chocolates. You never know whatcha gonna ghet!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-king/as-forest-gump-would-say-self-publishing-is-like-a-box-of-chocolates/) [Joe King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-king/) > [Solitude becomes a sort of tangible enemy, the more dangerous, because it dwells within the citadel itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/solitude-becomes-a-sort-of-tangible-enemy-the-more-dangerous-because/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [The cross does not give us a minor shift or two with regard to a few of our ethical and moral and religious values.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-martin/the-cross-does-not-give-us-a-minor-shift-or-two-with-regard-to-a-few/) Albert Martin > [I remember being really interested in the sad parts of Los Angeles, of which there are many, and knowing we weren't up in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-harron/i-remember-being-really-interested-in-the-sad-parts-of-los-angeles-of/) [Mary Harron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-harron/) > [The City of New York is like an enormous citadel, a modern Carcassonne. Walking between the magnificent skyscrapers one feels the presence on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-city-of-new-york-is-like-an-enormous-citadel-a-modern-carcassonne/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [The very act of faith by which we receive Christ is an act of the utter renunciation of self, and all its works, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hopkins/the-very-act-of-faith-by-which-we-receive-christ-is-an-act-of-the/) [Mark Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hopkins/) > [I fear the vermin that shall undermineSenate and citadel and school and shrine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/i-fear-the-vermin-that-shall-underminesenate-and-citadel-and-school/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Alan Garner > [I loathe crowds. I especially don't like cities. A city involves biomass. And biomass gets to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/i-loathe-crowds-i-especially-don-t-like-cities-a-city-involves/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [If you are going to write, nothing will stop you, and if you are not going to write, nothing will make you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/if-you-are-going-to-write-nothing-will-stop-you-and-if-you-are-not/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [My background is deep and set in deep time, and in a narrow space, oral traditions going back a long, long time, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/my-background-is-deep-and-set-in-deep-time-and-in-a-narrow-space-oral/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [I've learned never to try and force words to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/i-ve-learned-never-to-try-and-force-words-to-come/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [My primary tongue, I would call North-West Mercian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/my-primary-tongue-i-would-call-north-west-mercian/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [It's where I keep all my things. 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Maybe one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/i-wish-monkeys-could-skype-maybe-one-day/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [I don't think I've ever frightened myself before when writing, but there were areas where there was terror, as though I was looking into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-frightened-myself-before-when-writing-but/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [Ive learned never to try and force words to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/ive-learned-never-to-try-and-force-words-to-come/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) > [My attitude is that if anybody of any age wants to read a book, let them, but I do think that no child would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-garner/my-attitude-is-that-if-anybody-of-any-age-wants-to-read-a-book-let/) [Alan Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) [Explore all 41 Alan Garner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-garner/) ## More Cathedrals quotes > [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. 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They are constructed concentrations celebrating barren rooms. They bring a limited light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-flavin/my-icons-do-not-raise-up-the-blessed-savior-in-elaborate-cathedrals/) [Dan Flavin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-flavin/) > [Her father had taught her about hands. About a dog's paws. Whenever her father was alone with a dog in a house he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/her-father-had-taught-her-about-hands-about-a-dog-s-paws-whenever-her/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [Most buildings, whether they're Gothic cathedrals or Romanesque ones, were high tech for their time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rogers/most-buildings-whether-they-re-gothic-cathedrals-or-romanesque-ones/) [Richard Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rogers/) > [Many men build as cathedrals are built-the part nearest the ground finished, but that part which soars toward heaven, the turrets and the spires,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/many-men-build-as-cathedrals-are-built-the-part-nearest-the-ground/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“I believe that love is better than hate. And that there is more nobility in building a chicken coop than in destroying a cathedral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-that-love-is-better-than-hate-and-that-there-is-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If theory is the role of the architect, then such beautiful proofs are the role of the craftsman. 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