--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I decided early that I would be a writer…" description: "\"I decided early that I would be a writer when I grew up. That, I thought, was the profession that went with the kind of woman I wanted to become: one w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ariel-levy-7405_career_i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer_2650304.jpg" --- # I decided early that I would be a writer when I grew up… ![“I decided early that I would be a writer when I grew up. That, I thought, was the profession that went with the kind of woman I wanted to become: one who is free to do whatever she chooses.” quote by Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ariel-levy-7405_career_i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer_2650304.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ariel-levy-7405_career_i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer_2650304.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ariel-levy-7405_career_i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer_2650304.jpg) > “I decided early that I would be a writer when I grew up. That, I thought, was the profession that went with the kind of woman I wanted to become: one who is free to do whatever she chooses.” [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a career aligned with personal freedom and identity empowers women to live authentically. **In simple terms:** Career choice supports freedom. Key Takeaway Pursue work that matches your values. Themes feminism career choice identity Mood empowering reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - education - entrepreneurship Key Concepts self‑determination gender roles personal autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How does your job reflect your identity? - What freedoms does your profession grant? A Different Perspective Societal expectations may limit options. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Decided Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-early-387112/) [Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early/) [Early Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-writer-2343683/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free Chooses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-chooses-2343684/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Profession Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession-went-2343685/) [She](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/she/) [Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-grew-336674/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A man is as free as he chooses to make himself, never an atom freer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/a-man-is-as-free-as-he-chooses-to-make-himself-never-an-atom-freer/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Self-Empowerment is free to anyone who chooses to use it. It comes from within and nowhere else. You cannot buy it, borrow it, steal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/self-empowerment-is-free-to-anyone-who-chooses-to-use-it-it-comes/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [Why did I become a writer? Because I grew up in New York City, and there were seven newspapers in New York City, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-did-i-become-a-writer-because-i-grew-up-in-new-york-city-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My father was a writer, so I grew up writing and reading and I was really encouraged by him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/my-father-was-a-writer-so-i-grew-up-writing-and-reading-and-i-was/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [My father was a writer, so I grew up writing and reading and I was really encouraged by him. I had some sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/my-father-was-a-writer-so-i-grew-up-writing-and-reading-and-i-was-2/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [In many cases when a reader puts a story aside because it 'got boring,' the boredom arose because the writer grew enchanted with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-many-cases-when-a-reader-puts-a-story-aside-because-it-got-boring/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Wherever a writer grew up, they're obviously influenced by that area, and I'm sure their characters are pulled from those experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rash/wherever-a-writer-grew-up-they-re-obviously-influenced-by-that-area/) [Jim Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rash/) > [I never thought about being a writer as I grew up. A writer wasn't something I wanted to be. An outfielder was something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-never-thought-about-being-a-writer-as-i-grew-up-a-writer-wasn-t/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [As a young man with most of my life ahead of me, I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/as-a-young-man-with-most-of-my-life-ahead-of-me-i-decided-early-to/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I had decided early on that if I couldn’t dress elegant, I’d dress memorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-had-decided-early-on-that-if-i-couldn-t-dress-elegant-i-d-dress/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I had already made a decision early on that I would be a plain girl with tons of personality, and accepting it made everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-had-already-made-a-decision-early-on-that-i-would-be-a-plain-girl/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I decided early on to be honest and trust people with the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/i-decided-early-on-to-be-honest-and-trust-people-with-the-truth/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [My father decided early on to get me the best education money could buy. He wanted me to have the opportunities that were denied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sean/my-father-decided-early-on-to-get-me-the-best-education-money-could/) [Jay Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sean/) > [I decided very early that I was going to be a reporter, that I would not cheer for the team. I don't denigrate people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/i-decided-very-early-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-reporter-that-i-would/) [Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/) > [I decided very early that I wanted to write. But I didn't think of it as a career. I didn't even think of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/i-decided-very-early-that-i-wanted-to-write-but-i-didn-t-think-of-it/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) ## More by Ariel Levy > [This thinking that you can have every single thing you want in life is not the thinking of a feminist. It's the thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/this-thinking-that-you-can-have-every-single-thing-you-want-in-life/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [No one could save me from the grief of losing my child or losing my first marriage. I had to do that on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/no-one-could-save-me-from-the-grief-of-losing-my-child-or-losing-my/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“chest—I could hear him denigrating Obama at the top of his lungs, which seemed to make Mary only slightly less uncomfortable than it made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/chest-i-could-hear-him-denigrating-obama-at-the-top-of-his-lungs/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“A real editor isn't just someone you work with; he's your guide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/a-real-editor-isn-t-just-someone-you-work-with-he-s-your-guide/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“Death comes for us. You may get ten minutes on this earth or you may get eighty years but nobody gets out alive. Accepting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/death-comes-for-us-you-may-get-ten-minutes-on-this-earth-or-you-may/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“Writing was the solution to every problem—financial, emotional, intellectual. It had kept me company when I was a lonely child. It gave me an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/writing-was-the-solution-to-every-problem-financial-emotional/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“These are not stories about girls getting what they want sexually, they are stories about girls gaining acclaim socially, for which their sexuality is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/these-are-not-stories-about-girls-getting-what-they-want-sexually/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“We want a mate who feels like family and a lover who is exotic, surprising.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/we-want-a-mate-who-feels-like-family-and-a-lover-who-is-exotic/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“Life is uncooperative, impartial, incontestable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/life-is-uncooperative-impartial-incontestable/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [A wedding, a great wedding, is just a blast. A celebration of romance and community and love... What is unfun about that? Nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/a-wedding-a-great-wedding-is-just-a-blast-a-celebration-of-romance/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“Instead of trying to reform other people's - or her own - perception of feminist, the FCP likes to position herself as something outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/instead-of-trying-to-reform-other-people-s-or-her-own-perception-of/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [For 10 minutes, I was somebody's mother, and that was both the most traumatic and also the most transcendent experience of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/for-10-minutes-i-was-somebody-s-mother-and-that-was-both-the-most/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“We shared an explosive enthusiasm that we blasted out of our bodies with alcohol. It was almost a sport. We tore through sobriety together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/we-shared-an-explosive-enthusiasm-that-we-blasted-out-of-our-bodies/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [I haven't really rebelled. I just think my parents were right. I never disagreed with anything that I was brought up with, in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/i-haven-t-really-rebelled-i-just-think-my-parents-were-right-i-never/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [“Sex is one of the most interesting things we as humans have to play with, and we've reduced it to polyester underpants and implants.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/sex-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-things-we-as-humans-have-to-play/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) [Explore all 91 Ariel Levy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I decided early that I would be a writer when I grew up. That, I thought, was the profession that went with the kind of woman I wanted to become: one who is free to do whatever she chooses.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ariel Levy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer-when-i-grew-up-that-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Career" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer-when-i-grew-up-that-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ariel-levy-7405_career_i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer_2650304.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ariel-levy-7405_career_i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer_2650304.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ariel-levy-7405_career_i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer_2650304.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I decided early that I would be a writer when I grew up. That, I thought, was the profession that went with…” — Ariel Levy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ariel Levy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I decided early that I would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer-when-i-grew-up-that-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/i-decided-early-that-i-would-be-a-writer-when-i-grew-up-that-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```