--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got the writing bug in the fourth grade…" description: "\"I got the writing bug in the fourth grade when a poem of mine was published in the school newspaper. Music criticism came a little later, when I was in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/ann-powers-35939_bug_i-got-the-writing-bug-in-the-fourth-grad_600897.jpg" --- # I got the writing bug in the fourth grade when a poem of… ![“I got the writing bug in the fourth grade when a poem of mine was published in the school newspaper. Music criticism came a little later, when I was in high school.” quote by Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/ann-powers-35939_bug_i-got-the-writing-bug-in-the-fourth-grad_600897.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/ann-powers-35939_bug_i-got-the-writing-bug-in-the-fourth-grad_600897.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/ann-powers-35939_bug_i-got-the-writing-bug-in-the-fourth-grad_600897.jpg) > “I got the writing bug in the fourth grade when a poem of mine was published in the school newspaper. Music criticism came a little later, when I was in high school.” [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recalls early passion for writing sparked by publication, later expanding to music criticism. **In simple terms:** Early recognition sparked a lifelong creative career. Key Takeaway Nurture early interests. Themes creativity career growth Mood inspirational reflective Type biographical motivational When to use this quote - school newspaper - high school clubs - career development Key Concepts journalism music analysis Questions to Reflect On - What early experiences shaped your path? - How do you sustain creative drive? A Different Perspective Early success can create pressure to maintain momentum. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I would read the Shel Silverstein poems, Dr. Seuss, and I noticed early on that poetry was something that just stuck in my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-would-read-the-shel-silverstein-poems-dr-seuss-and-i-noticed-early/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Wine is similar to music in that it's a purely experiential realm, and it's a purely subjective practice. That's sort of the funny thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/wine-is-similar-to-music-in-that-it-s-a-purely-experiential-realm-and/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [Music criticism should be to musicians what ornithology is to the birds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuja-wang/music-criticism-should-be-to-musicians-what-ornithology-is-to-the/) Yuja Wang > [I think that female musicians are constantly fighting an uphill battle in general. Even when I'm not writing heartbreak songs... the fact that songwriting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-nadler/i-think-that-female-musicians-are-constantly-fighting-an-uphill/) [Marissa Nadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-nadler/) > [I do see value in music criticism. Most of the criticism I have received over the years has been very good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-do-see-value-in-music-criticism-most-of-the-criticism-i-have/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I did a lot of music criticism. I don't think much of it was any good. I think I wanted to show off a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-did-a-lot-of-music-criticism-i-don-t-think-much-of-it-was-any-good/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [I'm always very careful to make the distinction between music criticism and music journalism. A lot of people don't. But criticism doesn't require reporting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/i-m-always-very-careful-to-make-the-distinction-between-music/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [I gave up music criticism because of the increasingly obvious conflict of interest. I couldn't say anything bad about the records when I might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephin-merritt/i-gave-up-music-criticism-because-of-the-increasingly-obvious/) [Stephin Merritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephin-merritt/) > [I don't got nobody writing my lyrics and that's why I freestyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riff-raff/i-don-t-got-nobody-writing-my-lyrics-and-that-s-why-i-freestyle/) [Riff Raff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riff-raff/) > [I got done writing Ports of Call and suddenly realized I have far too much material for the book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/i-got-done-writing-ports-of-call-and-suddenly-realized-i-have-far-too/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [And every friend I've got has been writing Mars stories. It was pretty clear I'd never catch up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-niven/and-every-friend-i-ve-got-has-been-writing-mars-stories-it-was-pretty/) [Larry Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-niven/) > [If we got writing assignments in English class to make up a story, that was when the glimmer of creativity popped out. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-forsman/if-we-got-writing-assignments-in-english-class-to-make-up-a-story/) [Charles Forsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-forsman/) > [I've had a lot of writers, in particular, who said they got into writing because of the 'Van Dyke Show.' They said it looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-writers-in-particular-who-said-they-got-into/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [Well Ive been rhyming since I was 5 years old and I kinda stopped when I was 10. Then this summer I got back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diggy-simmons/well-ive-been-rhyming-since-i-was-5-years-old-and-i-kinda-stopped/) [Diggy Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diggy-simmons/) > [I think I got serious about writing in the late '90s. The first stuff I wrote was terrible and got rejected, but I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-g-tremblay/i-think-i-got-serious-about-writing-in-the-late-90s-the-first-stuff-i/) [Paul G. Tremblay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-g-tremblay/) ## More by Ann Powers > [MTV definitely has the effect of narrowing the range of music that hits the mainstream. On the other hand, isn't that the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/mtv-definitely-has-the-effect-of-narrowing-the-range-of-music-that/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [“Loving music had pushed all of us off the track- away from the normal pursuit of career, mate, and family, on an endless quest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/loving-music-had-pushed-all-of-us-off-the-track-away-from-the-normal/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [Personally, I've realized that the tradition I thought of as too safe, too pretty, and too conventional is the space where women have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/personally-i-ve-realized-that-the-tradition-i-thought-of-as-too-safe/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [You can't fool yourself anymore that your art is your art. When you're not getting paid for that song that's being traded back and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/you-can-t-fool-yourself-anymore-that-your-art-is-your-art-when-you-re/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [I enjoyed singing and playing guitar but didn't have the stamina to make music-making a career. In reality, writing was my real gift, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/i-enjoyed-singing-and-playing-guitar-but-didn-t-have-the-stamina-to/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [A lot of artists feel it's not worth it to sign with a major label, because if you don't have a giganto hit, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/a-lot-of-artists-feel-it-s-not-worth-it-to-sign-with-a-major-label/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [Hip-hop has survived as a sonic practice more than anything else. It's an approach to music-making based in sampling and rhyming over beats, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/hip-hop-has-survived-as-a-sonic-practice-more-than-anything-else-it-s/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [To some extent, the idea that rock 'n roll used to have this sort of free antediluvian identity, frolicking in the 1950s with Elvis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/to-some-extent-the-idea-that-rock-n-roll-used-to-have-this-sort-of/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [“There are times when I have had to make peace with the fact that I am at war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/there-are-times-when-i-have-had-to-make-peace-with-the-fact-that-i-am/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [We have to ask ourselves why younger women don't feel the need to be right up front with their politics. Is that going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/we-have-to-ask-ourselves-why-younger-women-don-t-feel-the-need-to-be/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [Women in music have always been associated with pop - with prettiness, theatricality, melodic hooks and dance beats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/women-in-music-have-always-been-associated-with-pop-with-prettiness/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) > [“Cindy came up with a glass world with a lone woman—Tori— having to navigate with bare feet. Karen came up with the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-powers/cindy-came-up-with-a-glass-world-with-a-lone-woman-tori-having-to/) [Ann Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) [Explore all 13 Ann Powers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-powers/) ## More Bug quotes > [I'm a nature bug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/i-m-a-nature-bug/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) > [I caught the acting bug from my dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wittrock/i-caught-the-acting-bug-from-my-dad/) [Finn Wittrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wittrock/) > [I didnt write Snow White for any class, but I got bitten by the screenwriting bug and wrote a couple of scripts in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-daugherty/i-didnt-write-snow-white-for-any-class-but-i-got-bitten-by-the/) [Evan Daugherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-daugherty/) > [I definitely caught acting bug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-fisher/i-definitely-caught-acting-bug/) [Ray Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-fisher/) > [I had always enjoyed playing characters and dressing up, but it wasn't until I got to school and I started getting on stage for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-gleeson/i-had-always-enjoyed-playing-characters-and-dressing-up-but-it-wasn-t/) [Brian Gleeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-gleeson/) > [It's American Alternative radio stations that bug me. We're considered Alternative, but don't expect us to be played next to Blink 182 and Offspring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/it-s-american-alternative-radio-stations-that-bug-me-we-re-considered/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [I think I've definitely found a niche working in comedy, but dramatic films are what brought me here. After I saw 'Titanic' in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-craig/i-think-i-ve-definitely-found-a-niche-working-in-comedy-but-dramatic/) [Carly Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-craig/) > [I'm not a bug person, but something about butterflies I can handle because they're kind of cute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/i-m-not-a-bug-person-but-something-about-butterflies-i-can-handle/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [I had heard that Robert Duvall was interested in doing 'Lonesome Dove,' and he's one of those actors with whom I'd work on any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-b-sweeney/i-had-heard-that-robert-duvall-was-interested-in-doing-lonesome-dove/) [D. B. Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-b-sweeney/) > [I grew up in Rayagada in Odisha, in a middle-class family. But I always had the entrepreneurial bug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritesh-agarwal/i-grew-up-in-rayagada-in-odisha-in-a-middle-class-family-but-i-always/) [Ritesh Agarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritesh-agarwal/) > [It used to really bug me when they'd send down Mr. Spock to engineering to help me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/it-used-to-really-bug-me-when-they-d-send-down-mr-spock-to/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [I adored the celebrity 'Bake Offs.' They have a more relaxed atmosphere. They all come on thinking they're not competitive so there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-adored-the-celebrity-bake-offs-they-have-a-more-relaxed-atmosphere/) [Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/) > [I was pretty smart in school in terms of grades and stuff. I just got the bug to do music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jax-jones/i-was-pretty-smart-in-school-in-terms-of-grades-and-stuff-i-just-got/) [Jax Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jax-jones/) > [Since I was 5, I was bitten by the bug of designing. It was all around me in my home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sussanne-khan/since-i-was-5-i-was-bitten-by-the-bug-of-designing-it-was-all-around/) [Sussanne Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sussanne-khan/) > [On a Bioware game, if I say anything that's not on the page, It would create a bug in the system, and it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hale/on-a-bioware-game-if-i-say-anything-that-s-not-on-the-page-it-would/) [Jennifer Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hale/) Browse all 148 Bug quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I got the writing bug in the fourth grade when a poem of mine was published in the school newspaper. 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