--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was writing short stories aged seven or…" description: "\"I was writing short stories aged seven or eight. I had a vivid, overactive imagination.\" — Arlo Parks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21b/arlo-parks-8686_aged_i-was-writing-short-stories-aged-seven-o_3133028.jpg" --- # I was writing short stories aged seven or eight. I had a… ![“I was writing short stories aged seven or eight. I had a vivid, overactive imagination.” quote by Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21b/arlo-parks-8686_aged_i-was-writing-short-stories-aged-seven-o_3133028.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21b/arlo-parks-8686_aged_i-was-writing-short-stories-aged-seven-o_3133028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21b/arlo-parks-8686_aged_i-was-writing-short-stories-aged-seven-o_3133028.jpg) > “I was writing short stories aged seven or eight. I had a vivid, overactive imagination.” [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early storytelling stems from a vivid imagination that fuels creative writing from a young age. **In simple terms:** Imagination drives early writing. Key Takeaway Nurture creative play early. Themes creativity development writing imagination Mood inspirational reflective Type educational personal development When to use this quote - school curricula - writing workshops - parental encouragement Key Concepts childhood imagination literary growth educational methods Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster imagination in schools? - What role does imagination play in adult creativity? A Different Perspective Not all children have supportive environments for creative expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Overactive imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overactive-imagination/) [Short stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-stories/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I turned and beheld seven rows of plasma screens, each bearing seven vivid scenes, each flickering, each pulsing with a light revealing distant terrors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cairns/i-turned-and-beheld-seven-rows-of-plasma-screens-each-bearing-seven/) [Scott Cairns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cairns/) > [There's a joy in writing short stories, a wonderful sense of reward when you pull certain things off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-wolff/there-s-a-joy-in-writing-short-stories-a-wonderful-sense-of-reward/) [Tobias Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-wolff/) > [I think the few writers who influenced me most in writing short stories are Alice Munro and Grace Paley. They're very different, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-freudenberger/i-think-the-few-writers-who-influenced-me-most-in-writing-short/) [Nell Freudenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-freudenberger/) > [All my writing-life people kept telling me that I should stop writing short stories and start writing novels: my agent, my Israeli publisher, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/all-my-writing-life-people-kept-telling-me-that-i-should-stop-writing/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [Don't wait for success, but for the respect and interest of those who read you. At the start it could be a classmate, someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/don-t-wait-for-success-but-for-the-respect-and-interest-of-those-who/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [I think I'm someone who can prattle on a long time about something, which serves me well as a novelist, but it's the enemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-shipstead/i-think-i-m-someone-who-can-prattle-on-a-long-time-about-something/) [Maggie Shipstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-shipstead/) > [On the other hand, now that I'm not dependent on fiction for my income, I've been writing more short stories despite the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/on-the-other-hand-now-that-i-m-not-dependent-on-fiction-for-my-income/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [The first fiction I ever wrote was short stories. I was writing short stories in my late teens and early twenties, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/the-first-fiction-i-ever-wrote-was-short-stories-i-was-writing-short/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“In writing short stories—as in writing novels—take one thing at a time. (For some writers, this advice I'm giving may apply best to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/in-writing-short-stories-as-in-writing-novels-take-one-thing-at-a/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [I chose philosophy because it sounded like something I ought to be interested in. I didn't know anything about it, I didn't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-anderson/i-chose-philosophy-because-it-sounded-like-something-i-ought-to-be/) [Wes Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-anderson/) > [I kept writing short stories and sending out my manuscript, and it kept coming back like a bad penny. It was rejected all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-dean/i-kept-writing-short-stories-and-sending-out-my-manuscript-and-it/) [Debra Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-dean/) > [I've been writing short stories since I was a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/i-ve-been-writing-short-stories-since-i-was-a-little-girl/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [I was writing and cartooning and writing short stories from grade school on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/i-was-writing-and-cartooning-and-writing-short-stories-from-grade/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [I began writing early - very, very early... I was already writing short stories for the radio and selling poems to poetry and art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-began-writing-early-very-very-early-i-was-already-writing-short/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-writing-novels-is-like-planting-a-forest-then-writing-short/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More by Arlo Parks > [Minneapolis has always been a mythical place for me because my mom is a massive Prince fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/minneapolis-has-always-been-a-mythical-place-for-me-because-my-mom-is/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [It's important to have a moment where you just stop and look at where you came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/it-s-important-to-have-a-moment-where-you-just-stop-and-look-at-where/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [Honestly, I've been reading a lot of books on visual art. I've been reading a lot of books by Olivia Lang, I've been listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/honestly-i-ve-been-reading-a-lot-of-books-on-visual-art-i-ve-been/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [When things started to take off, I had more and more to do, and things were happening but I didn't quite have the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/when-things-started-to-take-off-i-had-more-and-more-to-do-and-things/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [It sounds cheesy to say it, but I think my motivation has always been to help others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/it-sounds-cheesy-to-say-it-but-i-think-my-motivation-has-always-been/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [Sometimes the world is just weird and you have to just roll with the punches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/sometimes-the-world-is-just-weird-and-you-have-to-just-roll-with-the/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [I was very in my own head as a kid. But I liked it there! I was just writing poetry, writing stories, writing plays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/i-was-very-in-my-own-head-as-a-kid-but-i-liked-it-there-i-was-just/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [I guess I want to be a voice for the kid. I mean, it sounds quite contrived, but I want to make music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/i-guess-i-want-to-be-a-voice-for-the-kid-i-mean-it-sounds-quite/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [When I was younger, there was that desire to be cool and to fit in and to look a certain way. And I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/when-i-was-younger-there-was-that-desire-to-be-cool-and-to-fit-in-and/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [When I was growing up, there weren't that many queer girls of colour making music. So I just wanted to be able to exist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/when-i-was-growing-up-there-weren-t-that-many-queer-girls-of-colour/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [When I was seven, I sang 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' in assembly and the teachers were crying because it was so emotional!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/when-i-was-seven-i-sang-somewhere-over-the-rainbow-in-assembly-and/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [What I want to do with my music is to just encourage vulnerability, and to talk about things even if they're uncomfortable. Everyone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/what-i-want-to-do-with-my-music-is-to-just-encourage-vulnerability/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [My dad was into jazz, so there was a lot of Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington playing in the house, but also a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/my-dad-was-into-jazz-so-there-was-a-lot-of-thelonious-monk-and-duke/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [When I started making my own music I was listening to people like Erykah Badu and Elliott Smith. I think I always gravitated towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/when-i-started-making-my-own-music-i-was-listening-to-people-like/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [At the beginning I wasn't really rapping. I had poetry, so it was a spoken word vibe. Then I found beats that you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/at-the-beginning-i-wasn-t-really-rapping-i-had-poetry-so-it-was-a/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) [Explore all 78 Arlo Parks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) ## More Aged quotes > [Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/relish-love-in-your-old-age-aged-love-is-like-aged-wine-it-becomes/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [I’m 59 and people call me middle aged. How many 118 year old men do you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-cryer/i-m-59-and-people-call-me-middle-aged-how-many-118-year-old-men-do/) [Barry Cryer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-cryer/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [If we didn't live venturously, plucking the wild goat by the beard, and trembling over precipices, we should never be depressed, I've no doubt;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/if-we-didn-t-live-venturously-plucking-the-wild-goat-by-the-beard-and/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I said 'No, I've aged, but grown up? No'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lloyd/i-said-no-i-ve-aged-but-grown-up-no/) [Jake Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lloyd/) > [“I am a very old man. How old I do not know. It is possible I am a hundred, maybe more. I cannot tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/i-am-a-very-old-man-how-old-i-do-not-know-it-is-possible-i-am-a/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [I'm not someone who had to worry about aging on camera. I was already aged when I got there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/i-m-not-someone-who-had-to-worry-about-aging-on-camera-i-was-already/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [I first picked up a violin aged five - I just assumed everyone played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/i-first-picked-up-a-violin-aged-five-i-just-assumed-everyone-played/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [I'm partial to a nice Parmesan that has aged well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-part/i-m-partial-to-a-nice-parmesan-that-has-aged-well/) [John Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-part/) > [I've been cycling ever since I was a kid. I remember taking my cycling proficiency test aged seven - I got to school at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/i-ve-been-cycling-ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-remember-taking-my-cycling/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [I do feel like I've gotten younger as I've aged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/i-do-feel-like-i-ve-gotten-younger-as-i-ve-aged/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [When we're young, everyone over the age of thirty looks middle-aged, everyone over fifty antique. And time, as it goes by, confirms that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/when-we-re-young-everyone-over-the-age-of-thirty-looks-middle-aged/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [I've aged. 'Patagonia' has robbed me of a decade of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-ve-aged-patagonia-has-robbed-me-of-a-decade-of-my-life/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [I like my dry-aged steaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-jackson/i-like-my-dry-aged-steaks/) [Malik Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-jackson/) > [“She felt very young, at the same time unspeakably aged. She sliced like a knife through everything, at the same time was outside, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-felt-very-young-at-the-same-time-unspeakably-aged-she-sliced-like/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) Browse all 137 Aged quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was writing short stories aged seven or eight. 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