--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I was writing for a fairly hip…" description: "\"I thought I was writing for a fairly hip, intelligent crowd; I just thought there were more of them out there. But they're not. They're not out there w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/barry-hannah-10920_book_i-thought-i-was-writing-for-a-fairly-hip_883396.jpg" --- # I thought I was writing for a fairly hip, intelligent… ![“I thought I was writing for a fairly hip, intelligent crowd; I just thought there were more of them out there. But they're not. They're not out there waiting. They're not gonna use their intelligence on your book.” quote by Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/barry-hannah-10920_book_i-thought-i-was-writing-for-a-fairly-hip_883396.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/barry-hannah-10920_book_i-thought-i-was-writing-for-a-fairly-hip_883396.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/barry-hannah-10920_book_i-thought-i-was-writing-for-a-fairly-hip_883396.jpg) > “I thought I was writing for a fairly hip, intelligent crowd; I just thought there were more of them out there. But they're not. They're not out there waiting. They're not gonna use their intelligence on your book.” [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He expresses disappointment that readers lack the intellectual engagement he expected. **In simple terms:** Readers aren't as smart as he hoped. Key Takeaway Adjust expectations of audience. Themes disappointment audience intellectualism Mood cynical thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - book clubs - academic seminars - public readings Key Concepts literary criticism authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - How do you gauge reader intelligence? - Can you bridge the gap? A Different Perspective Not all audiences value depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You have to learn the crowd. I just pay attention to them so I can make sure I can make them laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/you-have-to-learn-the-crowd-i-just-pay-attention-to-them-so-i-can/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Whenever I come to Ireland, I end up just bantering with the crowd so the show will just be what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/whenever-i-come-to-ireland-i-end-up-just-bantering-with-the-crowd-so/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [“It avails not, time nor place--distance avails not, I am with you, you men and women of a generation, or ever so many generations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/it-avails-not-time-nor-place-distance-avails-not-i-am-with-you-you/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“Crowd is just a bunch of heads, it is their leader who is the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/crowd-is-just-a-bunch-of-heads-it-is-their-leader-who-is-the-mind/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I will never, ever, ever complain about fans in the crowd. Whether they're against me or for me, I just enjoy just hearing noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-gauff/i-will-never-ever-ever-complain-about-fans-in-the-crowd-whether-they/) [Coco Gauff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-gauff/) > [When I am out there I pay no attention to the crowd and just move on with playing the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-smith/when-i-am-out-there-i-pay-no-attention-to-the-crowd-and-just-move-on/) [Steve Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-smith/) > [I never understood why people try so hard to fit IN with the wrong crowd, when they can just stand OUT with the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darealkayrose/i-never-understood-why-people-try-so-hard-to-fit-in-with-the-wrong/) DaRealKayrose > [The Rock taught me you don't always have to talk or move all the time. You can just stand there and soak it in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusev/the-rock-taught-me-you-don-t-always-have-to-talk-or-move-all-the-time/) [Rusev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusev/) > [The country crowd just has fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/the-country-crowd-just-has-fun/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [When I'm performing, the crowd just disappears, it's like everyone merges - one big person. You just say the words and people will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santan-dave/when-i-m-performing-the-crowd-just-disappears-it-s-like-everyone/) [Santan Dave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santan-dave/) > [I know what happens every time I get in front of a UK crowd - they just go nuts and they are so nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hulk-hogan/i-know-what-happens-every-time-i-get-in-front-of-a-uk-crowd-they-just/) [Hulk Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hulk-hogan/) > [I don't really pay attention to the guy I outwork for the rebound, it's really just hearing the crowd just be like, 'Ohhhhh.' They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/i-don-t-really-pay-attention-to-the-guy-i-outwork-for-the-rebound-it/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [The crowd is just as important as the group. It takes everything to make it work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levon-helm/the-crowd-is-just-as-important-as-the-group-it-takes-everything-to/) [Levon Helm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levon-helm/) > [I always have my setlist planned out, but the best moments are when the energy of the crowd just gets your mind working and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/i-always-have-my-setlist-planned-out-but-the-best-moments-are-when/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/for-the-execution-of-the-voyage-to-the-indies-i-did-not-make-use-of/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) ## More by Barry Hannah > [I always intended to be light and open. I misjudged the American audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-always-intended-to-be-light-and-open-i-misjudged-the-american/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [I was born in Clinton, Mississippi, which had 1,500-2,500 people when I was growing up - a village.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-was-born-in-clinton-mississippi-which-had-1-500-2-500-people-when-i/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [I never pulled a loaded pistol on anybody, but it got around that I did. It got turned into lore. It's a myth. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-never-pulled-a-loaded-pistol-on-anybody-but-it-got-around-that-i/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [“Many robins got in the church from the trees and roosted among the congregation. They were drunk from some berries and fallen persimmons. Come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/many-robins-got-in-the-church-from-the-trees-and-roosted-among-the/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [You need to see a bit of hell now and then. That, and great joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/you-need-to-see-a-bit-of-hell-now-and-then-that-and-great-joy/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [“In Mississippi it is difficult to achieve a vista.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/in-mississippi-it-is-difficult-to-achieve-a-vista/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [Where is the angry machine of all of us? Why is God such a blurred magician? Why are you begging for your life if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/where-is-the-angry-machine-of-all-of-us-why-is-god-such-a-blurred/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [My stories do have plot. They're not just scattered language; they're controlled, toward an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/my-stories-do-have-plot-they-re-not-just-scattered-language-they-re/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [I wake my wife up at 3 a.m. and say, "Listen to this!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-wake-my-wife-up-at-3-a-m-and-say-listen-to-this/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [I lost my second marriage because of drinking, and I loved the woman very much. But I thought I needed booze to write. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-lost-my-second-marriage-because-of-drinking-and-i-loved-the-woman/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [“...it's always your first attempt every time you write, with your only companions being fear and coffee. That's the way it is a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/it-s-always-your-first-attempt-every-time-you-write-with-your-only/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [Honestly, I envy painters, who can have a masterpiece in one morning. Or musicians, who can write something in 30 minutes and arrange it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/honestly-i-envy-painters-who-can-have-a-masterpiece-in-one-morning-or/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [Professional Southerners sicken me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/professional-southerners-sicken-me/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [I hate editing. I love to write, but I hate to reread my stuff. To revise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-hate-editing-i-love-to-write-but-i-hate-to-reread-my-stuff-to-revise/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [I don't go around thinking about regret; regret doesn't consume me as a person... I'm not certain about whether any writer, any artist, any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-don-t-go-around-thinking-about-regret-regret-doesn-t-consume-me-as/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) [Explore all 62 Barry Hannah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought I was writing for a fairly hip, intelligent crowd; I just thought there were more of them out there. 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