--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I decided to write 'The God of Small…" description: "\"When I decided to write 'The God of Small Things', I had been working in cinema. It was almost a decision to downshift from there. I thought that 300 p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/arundhati-roy-346_almost_when-i-decided-to-write-the-god-of-small_1690974.png" --- # When I decided to write 'The God of Small Things', I had… ![“When I decided to write 'The God of Small Things', I had been working in cinema. It was almost a decision to downshift from there. I thought that 300 people would read it. But it created a platform of trust.” quote by Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/arundhati-roy-346_almost_when-i-decided-to-write-the-god-of-small_1690974.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/arundhati-roy-346_almost_when-i-decided-to-write-the-god-of-small_1690974.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/arundhati-roy-346_almost_when-i-decided-to-write-the-god-of-small_1690974.png) > “When I decided to write 'The God of Small Things', I had been working in cinema. It was almost a decision to downshift from there. I thought that 300 people would read it. But it created a platform of trust.” [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She left a film career to write a novel, expecting modest readership, but gained trust and a platform. **In simple terms:** She switched from movies to books, gaining credibility. Key Takeaway Embrace risk for greater impact. Themes career change creative risk trust platform building Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational personal narrative When to use this quote - writing a novel - leaving a stable job - building a readership - leveraging reputation Key Concepts literary ambition personal branding audience expectations Questions to Reflect On - What risk did you take that reshaped your path? - How can you turn a modest project into a trusted platform? A Different Perspective Success may depend on factors beyond personal effort, like market timing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Small things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-things/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > ['An Obedient Father' is perhaps the novel that, some might say, Arundhati Roy had wanted to write when she wrote 'The God of Small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/an-obedient-father-is-perhaps-the-novel-that-some-might-say-arundhati/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [I am very conscious that, from the time of 'The God of Small Things' was published 10 years ago, we are in a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-am-very-conscious-that-from-the-time-of-the-god-of-small-things-was/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [For many people, the family is portrayed as the settled place of reasonable safety, but as anyone who has read 'The God of Small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/for-many-people-the-family-is-portrayed-as-the-settled-place-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Does rough weather choose men over women? Does the sun beat on men, leaving women nice and cool?' Nyawira asked rather sharply. 'Women bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ng-g-wa-thiong-o/does-rough-weather-choose-men-over-women-does-the-sun-beat-on-men/) [Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ng-g-wa-thiong-o/) > [I never, ever decided that I had to write a novel because, to me, there's no such decision that ought to be made. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-never-ever-decided-that-i-had-to-write-a-novel-because-to-me-there/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Never hesitate to take what you think are small things to God; after all, EVERYTHING is small to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/never-hesitate-to-take-what-you-think-are-small-things-to-god-after/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Let's use our tongues to write God's love on people hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meicee/let-s-use-our-tongues-to-write-god-s-love-on-people-hearts/) Meicee > [A completed book exists in its entirety, although we humans read it in a time sequence from the beginning to the end. Just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-stannard/a-completed-book-exists-in-its-entirety-although-we-humans-read-it-in/) Russell Stannard > [Quite honestly, most people are quick to "write someone off." But our God is a God of the second chance. Learn from One who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-m-kroll/quite-honestly-most-people-are-quick-to-write-someone-off-but-our-god/) [Woodrow M. Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-m-kroll/) > [If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men--you may make some money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-you-write-for-god-you-will-reach-many-men-and-bring-them-joy-if/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [It's easy to write for God and about God, because what a thrill to remind the church that the Holy Spirit of God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/it-s-easy-to-write-for-god-and-about-god-because-what-a-thrill-to/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [But the commission is now. The time to speak is when the Spirit of God boils the message so hot within you that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ludy/but-the-commission-is-now-the-time-to-speak-is-when-the-spirit-of-god/) [Eric Ludy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ludy/) > [As soon as we try to write the simplest sentence about God, we find ourselves in anxious perplexities, but when we stop trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/as-soon-as-we-try-to-write-the-simplest-sentence-about-god-we-find/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [It seems a pity, but I do not think that I can write more. For God's sake look after our people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-falcon-scott/it-seems-a-pity-but-i-do-not-think-that-i-can-write-more-for-god-s/) [Robert Falcon Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-falcon-scott/) > [“If you simply write him off as the god of sacrifice and nothing more, then you are way off the mark. He's got more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kessler/if-you-simply-write-him-off-as-the-god-of-sacrifice-and-nothing-more/) [Lisa Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kessler/) ## More by Arundhati Roy > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Fiction and non-fiction are only different techniques of story telling. For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/fiction-and-non-fiction-are-only-different-techniques-of-story/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've never been that person who thought that because I've written one novel, I should write another and another. It's only when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-ve-never-been-that-person-who-thought-that-because-i-ve-written-one/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-only-dream-worth-having-i-told-her-is-to-dream-that-you-will-live/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Truly, there's no alternative to stupidity. Cretinism is the mother of fascism. I have no defence against it, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/truly-there-s-no-alternative-to-stupidity-cretinism-is-the-mother-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-secret-of-the-great-stories-is-that-they-have-no-secrets-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Explore all 628 Arundhati Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More Almost quotes > [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. I don't think I had ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/my-mother-worked-in-the-white-world-but-i-lived-almost-exclusively-in/) [Edward P. 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