--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I write what I want to write. Period. I…" description: "\"I write what I want to write. Period. I don't write novels-for-hire using media tie-in characters, I don't write suspense novels or thrillers. I write ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/bentley-little-20269_bells_i-write-what-i-want-to-write-period-i-do_1905722.jpg" --- # I write what I want to write. Period. I don't write… ![“I write what I want to write. Period. I don't write novels-for-hire using media tie-in characters, I don't write suspense novels or thrillers. I write horror. And if no one wants to buy my books, I'll just keep writing them until they do sell--and get a job at Taco Bell in the meantime.” quote by Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/bentley-little-20269_bells_i-write-what-i-want-to-write-period-i-do_1905722.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/bentley-little-20269_bells_i-write-what-i-want-to-write-period-i-do_1905722.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/bentley-little-20269_bells_i-write-what-i-want-to-write-period-i-do_1905722.jpg) > “I write what I want to write. Period. I don't write novels-for-hire using media tie-in characters, I don't write suspense novels or thrillers. I write horror. And if no one wants to buy my books, I'll just keep writing them until they do sell--and get a job at Taco Bell in the meantime.” [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author asserts creative independence, focusing on horror despite market pressures, and will persist until successful. **In simple terms:** Writes horror, ignores trends, keeps trying until sales. Key Takeaway Stay true to your genre and keep writing. Themes creative independence genre loyalty perseverance market pressure career resilience Mood determined defiant pragmatic Type literary personal When to use this quote - publishing - self‑publishing - career setbacks - financial planning Key Concepts authorial voice genre choice economic necessity Questions to Reflect On - What genre defines your voice? - How do you balance art and income? A Different Perspective Success may still depend on market demand despite dedication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bells/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells/) [Suspense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspense/) [Suspense novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspense-novels/) [Taco bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taco-bell/) [Tacos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tacos/) [Thrillers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrillers/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) [Using me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/using-me/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-write/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-novels/) [Write Suspense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-suspense-2839771/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [An outline is crucial. It saves so much time. When you write suspense, you have to know where you're going because you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/an-outline-is-crucial-it-saves-so-much-time-when-you-write-suspense/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [I admired the earnestness of these people, many of whom had joined Greenpeace and marched for noble things in their youth. But I didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/i-admired-the-earnestness-of-these-people-many-of-whom-had-joined/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [The decorator of Las Colimas must have been a great admirer of both early Aztec and late Taco Bell architectural styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-decorator-of-las-colimas-must-have-been-a-great-admirer-of-both/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [A lot of American companies are now moving into Iraq. Iraq now has Pizza Hut, Subway, Taco Bell and Popeye's fried chicken. So, great,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/a-lot-of-american-companies-are-now-moving-into-iraq-iraq-now-has/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [This is interesting. Researchers have found that people who drive drunk are more dangerous on the road than drivers who are high on marijuana.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/this-is-interesting-researchers-have-found-that-people-who-drive/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [I love Taco Bell. Whenever I go there, I could get anything on the menu and be totally happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-massoglia/i-love-taco-bell-whenever-i-go-there-i-could-get-anything-on-the-menu/) [Chris Massoglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-massoglia/) > [The country of Mexico has just gotten its first Taco Bell. You're Welcome. Finally, Mexicans will have access to... Mexican food. Bon appetit. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-country-of-mexico-has-just-gotten-its-first-taco-bell-you-re/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Taco Bell is going to start selling nachos and chicken nuggets wrapped in a tortilla. In other words, thank God we're going to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/taco-bell-is-going-to-start-selling-nachos-and-chicken-nuggets/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I had only two jobs my entire life Taco Bell for six months and Kroger's Food store for one day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-hall/i-had-only-two-jobs-my-entire-life-taco-bell-for-six-months-and/) [Dante Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-hall/) > [When I decided to be a musician I reckoned that that was going to be the way of less profit, less money. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/when-i-decided-to-be-a-musician-i-reckoned-that-that-was-going-to-be/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I was going to say he's aimless," the witch replied. "I know he's a bit old to be old to living at home with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buckley/i-was-going-to-say-he-s-aimless-the-witch-replied-i-know-he-s-a-bit/) [Michael Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buckley/) > [The way America sees Mexico, if they have any sense of it, is like Taco Bell. Our countries are neighbors, and the only hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/the-way-america-sees-mexico-if-they-have-any-sense-of-it-is-like-taco/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [When I started playing music at East Tennessee State University I would sit on a stool with a tip jar in front of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-chesney/when-i-started-playing-music-at-east-tennessee-state-university-i/) [Kenny Chesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-chesney/) > [I'm totally normal. I think it's obnoxious when people demand limos or bodyguards. I eat at McDonald's or Taco Bell. My parents always taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/i-m-totally-normal-i-think-it-s-obnoxious-when-people-demand-limos-or/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [Believe it or not, Mexican cooking, for those of you who have not gone farther south than Taco Bell, uses a lot of vegetables.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/believe-it-or-not-mexican-cooking-for-those-of-you-who-have-not-gone/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) ## More by Bentley Little > [“No one said a word; it was as if they were waiting for me to retract my question. Jan's hand found mine and held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/no-one-said-a-word-it-was-as-if-they-were-waiting-for-me-to-retract/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [I always thought the appeal for vampires are the same as religion, the desire to avoid death and live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/i-always-thought-the-appeal-for-vampires-are-the-same-as-religion-the/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [I write horror because I enjoy it. I'm endlessly fascinated by the supernatural, by death, by darkness. And, to be honest, I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/i-write-horror-because-i-enjoy-it-i-m-endlessly-fascinated-by-the/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [The Revelation was my master's project, and after I finished it, I thought I'd send it off to a publisher and within a year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/the-revelation-was-my-master-s-project-and-after-i-finished-it-i/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [Most people are middle class. Most people do wish their lives were better than they are. And I think by making my main characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/most-people-are-middle-class-most-people-do-wish-their-lives-were/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [“This can't be constitutional," he said. "This is America, damn it. We still have freedom of speech here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/this-can-t-be-constitutional-he-said-this-is-america-damn-it-we-still/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [“I thought I’d been getting along fine with the weekend visits and occasional summer sleepovers, but suddenly I was aware of all I’d missed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/i-thought-i-d-been-getting-along-fine-with-the-weekend-visits-and/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [Real life was messier than fiction, and in it you didn't always have time to do or say the right things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/real-life-was-messier-than-fiction-and-in-it-you-didn-t-always-have/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [There were shadows galore in the dim light, but there was one shadow that did not correspond to any object in the room. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/there-were-shadows-galore-in-the-dim-light-but-there-was-one-shadow/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [I think readers appreciate those of us who stay in the trenches and fight the good fight even when times get tough. I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/i-think-readers-appreciate-those-of-us-who-stay-in-the-trenches-and/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [I think the internet is a great marketing tool--but marketing is not my job. I'm a writer. My job is to write novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/i-think-the-internet-is-a-great-marketing-tool-but-marketing-is-not/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [Like most authors, I'm a raging egomaniac. I know that about myself. And I know that, if I had internet access, I would waste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/like-most-authors-i-m-a-raging-egomaniac-i-know-that-about-myself-and/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [In real life, good people die all the time and a\*\*holes can live long and happy lives. It's a crapshoot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/in-real-life-good-people-die-all-the-time-and-a-holes-can-live-long/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [Horror writers can write about everything in the real world that a mainstream novelist can--plus the supernatural, which is the most fertile field for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/horror-writers-can-write-about-everything-in-the-real-world-that-a/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [Murder is an inherently evil act, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how convincing the rationalizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/murder-is-an-inherently-evil-act-no-matter-what-the-circumstances-no/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) [Explore all 30 Bentley Little quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) ## More Bells quotes > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Your name is a golden bell hung in my heart. I would break my body to pieces to call you once by your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/your-name-is-a-golden-bell-hung-in-my-heart-i-would-break-my-body-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“Suddenly the air was full of that deep clangor of bells which periodically covers Rome with a roof of silver.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/suddenly-the-air-was-full-of-that-deep-clangor-of-bells-which/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Hercules used noise! Brass bells! He scared them away with the most horrible sound he could-" said Percy "Percy... Chiron's collection!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hercules-used-noise-brass-bells-he-scared-them-away-with-the-most/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Above the clouds I lift my wing To hear the bells of Heaven ring; Some of their music, though my fights be wild, To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clarence-stedman/above-the-clouds-i-lift-my-wing-to-hear-the-bells-of-heaven-ring-some/) [Edmund Clarence Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clarence-stedman/) > [“But it’s bells at twenty-seven thousand feet as the plane breaks into the clear again, as its motion steadies again; it is bells; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/but-it-s-bells-at-twenty-seven-thousand-feet-as-the-plane-breaks-into/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) [Jerry Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-glanville/) > [In cloths cheap handsomeness, doth bear the bell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-cloths-cheap-handsomeness-doth-bear-the-bell/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [The Bell curve is a fact of life. The blacks on average score 85 per cent on IQ and it is accurate, nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/the-bell-curve-is-a-fact-of-life-the-blacks-on-average-score-85-per/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [There is nothing better for me than to bring the bells in, in Scotland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharleen-spiteri/there-is-nothing-better-for-me-than-to-bring-the-bells-in-in-scotland/) [Sharleen Spiteri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharleen-spiteri/) > [Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/now-see-that-noble-and-most-sovereign-reason-like-sweet-bells-jangled/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [ I became an instant fan of the show \[Underground\] seconds into the opening frames of the pilot. When that drone shot carried us through… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-hinds/i-became-an-instant-fan-of-the-show-underground-seconds-into-the/) [Aisha Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-hinds/) > [This world o' God's is brighter Than we ever dream or know; Its burdens growin' lighter- An' it's Love that makes 'em so! An'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lebby-stanton/this-world-o-god-s-is-brighter-than-we-ever-dream-or-know-its-burdens/) [Frank Lebby Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lebby-stanton/) > [Believe it or not, Mexican cooking, for those of you who have not gone farther south than Taco Bell, uses a lot of vegetables.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/believe-it-or-not-mexican-cooking-for-those-of-you-who-have-not-gone/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) [Browse all 790 Bells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bells/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I write what I want to write. Period. I don't write novels-for-hire using media tie-in characters, I don't write suspense novels or thrillers. I write horror. 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