--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In fact, I spent 25 years as a reporter…" description: "\"In fact, I spent 25 years as a reporter, swearing I would never become an editor. Sitting at a desk, watching other people go out and find the story, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/544/bill-keller-13202_appeal_in-fact-i-spent-25-years-as-a-reporter-s_1943460.jpg" --- # In fact, I spent 25 years as a reporter, swearing I would… ![“In fact, I spent 25 years as a reporter, swearing I would never become an editor. Sitting at a desk, watching other people go out and find the story, and then fussing with other people's words - I just didn't get the appeal of that.” quote by Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/544/bill-keller-13202_appeal_in-fact-i-spent-25-years-as-a-reporter-s_1943460.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/544/bill-keller-13202_appeal_in-fact-i-spent-25-years-as-a-reporter-s_1943460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/544/bill-keller-13202_appeal_in-fact-i-spent-25-years-as-a-reporter-s_1943460.jpg) > “In fact, I spent 25 years as a reporter, swearing I would never become an editor. Sitting at a desk, watching other people go out and find the story, and then fussing with other people's words - I just didn't get the appeal of that.” [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized editing wasn't his passion; he preferred reporting and storytelling over revising others' work. **In simple terms:** Editing didn't appeal to him; he liked reporting. Key Takeaway Follow work that aligns with your strengths. Themes career self‑awareness choice Mood contemplative determined Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - career planning - job transition - skill assessment - creative professions Key Concepts vocational fit personal fulfillment journalism Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of editing could complement your reporting strengths? - How can you integrate both skills? A Different Perspective May overlook valuable growth opportunities in new roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reporter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reporter/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Swearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swearing/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [That is a society editor, sitting there elegantly dressed, with his legs crossed in that indolent way, observing the clothes the ladies wear, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/that-is-a-society-editor-sitting-there-elegantly-dressed-with-his/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I'm interested in Russian language, culture, history... and I lived there, for four years, as a reporter for the Washington Post and have visited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-m-interested-in-russian-language-culture-history-and-i-lived-there/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I have long argued that no one should be allowed to write opinion without spending years as a reporter - nothing like interviewing all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-have-long-argued-that-no-one-should-be-allowed-to-write-opinion/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [We are able to use technology to make it clear that someone's car is available or a room in a home is accessible; that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gansky/we-are-able-to-use-technology-to-make-it-clear-that-someone-s-car-is/) [Lisa Gansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gansky/) > [If I still had my legs, I would be in line for a battalion command, and instead, I'm flying a desk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-duckworth/if-i-still-had-my-legs-i-would-be-in-line-for-a-battalion-command-and/) [Tammy Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-duckworth/) > [“At least the tears on my desk wipe away the dust that's covered this place”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-boddie/at-least-the-tears-on-my-desk-wipe-away-the-dust-that-s-covered-this/) Andrew Boddie > [“I’d much rather watch people do what they do than talk to them across a desk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/i-d-much-rather-watch-people-do-what-they-do-than-talk-to-them-across/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [A handwritten Declaration of Independence was on my bedroom wall and the Founding Fathers were above my desk in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/a-handwritten-declaration-of-independence-was-on-my-bedroom-wall-and/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [I've always had a picture of the White House and it would always sit right in front of my desk. Whenever I was having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-grisham/i-ve-always-had-a-picture-of-the-white-house-and-it-would-always-sit/) [Stephanie Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-grisham/) > [I didn't want to spend my life behind a desk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gilpin/i-didn-t-want-to-spend-my-life-behind-a-desk/) John Gilpin > [When you hear of somebody named Goldberg, you think of a guy sitting behind a desk investing your money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/when-you-hear-of-somebody-named-goldberg-you-think-of-a-guy-sitting/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [When somebody was looking in my locker, it was like going in my desk. Somebody happened to be looking in my locker when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-bonilla/when-somebody-was-looking-in-my-locker-it-was-like-going-in-my-desk/) [Bobby Bonilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-bonilla/) > [I write at a desk. I have a room of my own where I can have my computer. I write in there, usually directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-bunting/i-write-at-a-desk-i-have-a-room-of-my-own-where-i-can-have-my/) [Eve Bunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-bunting/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [“Yes, when I get big and have my own home, no plush chairs and lace curtains for me. And no rubber plants. I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/yes-when-i-get-big-and-have-my-own-home-no-plush-chairs-and-lace/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) ## More by Bill Keller > [It's a considerable source of tragedy in the world that people stay in powerful jobs long past the point where they're a spent force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/it-s-a-considerable-source-of-tragedy-in-the-world-that-people-stay/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [If a candidate for president said he believed that space aliens dwell among us, would that affect your willingness to vote for him? Personally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/if-a-candidate-for-president-said-he-believed-that-space-aliens-dwell/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [One of the reasons that I'm a lurker on Twitter is that every time I tweet an idea, I feel like I'm delivering something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-m-a-lurker-on-twitter-is-that-every-time-i/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [Since September 11 2001, editors in America have faced some excruciating choices, as the attempt to wage a war against a new kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/since-september-11-2001-editors-in-america-have-faced-some/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [Liberation movements - prizing ends over means - are not always particular about their friends or scrupulous about their transactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/liberation-movements-prizing-ends-over-means-are-not-always/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [A vote for Mitt Romney is a vote for Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/a-vote-for-mitt-romney-is-a-vote-for-satan/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [I don't have dating tips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/i-don-t-have-dating-tips/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [The most obvious drawback of social media is that they are aggressive distractions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/the-most-obvious-drawback-of-social-media-is-that-they-are-aggressive/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [My view of social media is that it is a set of tools, not a religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/my-view-of-social-media-is-that-it-is-a-set-of-tools-not-a-religion/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [My feeling about the Internet or anything else is that the more it tends to become a cult, the more I want to call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/my-feeling-about-the-internet-or-anything-else-is-that-the-more-it/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [Whether or not Twitter makes you stupid, it certainly makes some smart people sound stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/whether-or-not-twitter-makes-you-stupid-it-certainly-makes-some-smart/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [There's a lot of stuff they don't teach you in the mythical editors' school. They don't teach you that you're going to have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/there-s-a-lot-of-stuff-they-don-t-teach-you-in-the-mythical-editors/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [The Democrats generally recoil from the subject of entitlements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/the-democrats-generally-recoil-from-the-subject-of-entitlements/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [Maybe we're all a little too desperate these days for a simple formula to explain how our safe world came unhinged. That, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/maybe-we-re-all-a-little-too-desperate-these-days-for-a-simple/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [There is a long history of newspapers being doomed. They were doomed by radio. They were doomed by television. They were probably doomed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/there-is-a-long-history-of-newspapers-being-doomed-they-were-doomed/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) [Explore all 51 Bill Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) ## More Appeal quotes > [Trump's enduring appeal is a resource to be harnessed by the Republican Party, not a burden to be jettisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/trump-s-enduring-appeal-is-a-resource-to-be-harnessed-by-the/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [You don't have to be Sigmund Freud to surmise that war has a perverse appeal for the human race, nor is the attraction limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-willis/you-don-t-have-to-be-sigmund-freud-to-surmise-that-war-has-a-perverse/) [Ellen Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-willis/) > [Chicks who dig home runs aren't the ones who appeal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichiro-suzuki/chicks-who-dig-home-runs-aren-t-the-ones-who-appeal-to-me/) [Ichiro Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ichiro-suzuki/) > [The dictum of the industry is such that I can't only do films that appeal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biju-menon/the-dictum-of-the-industry-is-such-that-i-can-t-only-do-films-that/) [Biju Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biju-menon/) > [There was such mass appeal for 'Sharknado.' It went over so well - not just here in the United States but globally - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-ziering/there-was-such-mass-appeal-for-sharknado-it-went-over-so-well-not/) [Ian Ziering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-ziering/) > [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sends forth to you an earnest appeal. Open your doors to the missionaries. Open your minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-sends-forth-to-you-an/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [I'm not going to appeal to violence or aggression - of course not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/i-m-not-going-to-appeal-to-violence-or-aggression-of-course-not/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [I'm sorry, but Juicy Couture tracksuits and Ugg boots don't move me in any way, shape or form. I refuse to wear them. Modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-may/i-m-sorry-but-juicy-couture-tracksuits-and-ugg-boots-don-t-move-me-in/) [Imelda May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-may/) > [I think Trump is a very interesting candidate in this sense: I think he has cross-party appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/i-think-trump-is-a-very-interesting-candidate-in-this-sense-i-think/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I think great songs appeal to people at any age. Kids love the Beatles, too. Kids love Tom T. Hall. Of course, Tom T.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/i-think-great-songs-appeal-to-people-at-any-age-kids-love-the-beatles/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [When you are producing for ABC, you are producing for a big tent network. So when you are thinking about your story lines and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sweeney/when-you-are-producing-for-abc-you-are-producing-for-a-big-tent/) [Anne Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sweeney/) > [In the long run, the people are our only appeal. The only ones who can free us are ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/in-the-long-run-the-people-are-our-only-appeal-the-only-ones-who-can/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [Barbarism is the absence of standards to which appeal can be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/barbarism-is-the-absence-of-standards-to-which-appeal-can-be-made/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [There is a certain androgyny to my appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-barkin/there-is-a-certain-androgyny-to-my-appeal/) [Ellen Barkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-barkin/) > [As a kid, there was a painting of 'Appeal to the Great Spirit' that I would see when I would get oatmeal bowls out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/as-a-kid-there-was-a-painting-of-appeal-to-the-great-spirit-that-i/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) Browse all 432 Appeal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In fact, I spent 25 years as a reporter, swearing I would never become an editor. 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