--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think I'm less and less labelled a…" description: "\"I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. The books tend not to go on horror shelves any more, and when they do, I tend to take them off.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/clive-barker-773_books_i-think-i-m-less-and-less-labelled-a-hor_108904.png" --- # I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. The… ![“I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. The books tend not to go on horror shelves any more, and when they do, I tend to take them off.” quote by Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/clive-barker-773_books_i-think-i-m-less-and-less-labelled-a-hor_108904.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/clive-barker-773_books_i-think-i-m-less-and-less-labelled-a-hor_108904.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/clive-barker-773_books_i-think-i-m-less-and-less-labelled-a-hor_108904.png) > “I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. The books tend not to go on horror shelves any more, and when they do, I tend to take them off.” [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## 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 notes a shift away from being pigeonholed as a horror writer, with his works increasingly placed outside horror sections, reflecting an evolving literary identity. **In simple terms:** Moving beyond the horror label. Key Takeaway Genre labels can limit perception of an author's range. Themes genre identity publishing creative evolution Mood reflective determined Type author interview literary commentary When to use this quote - Submitting manuscripts to diverse imprints - Rebranding an author platform - Curating a mixed‑genre anthology Key Concepts authorial branding market categorization Practical Applications - Engage readers across genres through cross‑promotion - Highlight thematic continuity beyond genre conventions Questions to Reflect On - How does genre classification affect reader expectations? - What strategies help an author break free from a limiting label? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Tend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-tend-481309/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Horror Shelves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror-shelves-1298191/) [Horror Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror-writer-841297/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Labelled Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labelled-horror-1298190/) [Less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/less/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Tend Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tend-horror-1298192/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I've always suffered from being labelled a horror writer - just because I didn't go to university, just because I still talk in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-herbert/i-ve-always-suffered-from-being-labelled-a-horror-writer-just-because/) [James Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-herbert/) > [Audiences are very sophisticated and they know the nuts and bolts of the genre - certainly with horror more than others I think. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-shearsmith/audiences-are-very-sophisticated-and-they-know-the-nuts-and-bolts-of/) [Reece Shearsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-shearsmith/) > [I wanted to write a horror story. But in some ways, I have always thought of myself as a kind of ghost-story/horror writer, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-wanted-to-write-a-horror-story-but-in-some-ways-i-have-always/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [People hear that I am a horror writer and they think that I must be a monster, but actually I have the heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bloch/people-hear-that-i-am-a-horror-writer-and-they-think-that-i-must-be-a/) [Robert Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bloch/) > [Although I've said a million times that I'm not a horror writer, I do like horror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/although-i-ve-said-a-million-times-that-i-m-not-a-horror-writer-i-do/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [I've been typed as a horror writer, and I've always said to people, "I don't care what you call me as long as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-ve-been-typed-as-a-horror-writer-and-i-ve-always-said-to-people-i/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [If I had stayed purely a horror writer or thriller writer, I might have more of a presence in those particular genres, and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-williamson/if-i-had-stayed-purely-a-horror-writer-or-thriller-writer-i-might/) [Chet Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-williamson/) > [“A horror writer is one who is not only willing to look into the darkest of shadows...but to reach into them too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-scopel/a-horror-writer-is-one-who-is-not-only-willing-to-look-into-the/) [Thomas Scopel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-scopel/) > [They did type me as a horror writer, but I have been able to do all sorts of things within that framework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/they-did-type-me-as-a-horror-writer-but-i-have-been-able-to-do-all/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“partially satisfied by grazing on the first few pages of several books, and as a consequence, there are half-chewed novels lying all over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/partially-satisfied-by-grazing-on-the-first-few-pages-of-several/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [I don't read that many books - I tend to read scripts for projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holland/i-don-t-read-that-many-books-i-tend-to-read-scripts-for-projects/) [Tom Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holland/) > [All of my books tend to be about things going on in labs that you wouldn't really expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/all-of-my-books-tend-to-be-about-things-going-on-in-labs-that-you/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [You try to learn who you are. You work hard. You've either got it or you don't when it comes to writing books. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/you-try-to-learn-who-you-are-you-work-hard-you-ve-either-got-it-or/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) > [I don't really collect books. I tend to lose interest in them the minute I've read them, so most of the books I've read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-don-t-really-collect-books-i-tend-to-lose-interest-in-them-the/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I don't buy books, ever... and I only tend to read the sports press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/i-don-t-buy-books-ever-and-i-only-tend-to-read-the-sports-press/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) ## More by Clive Barker > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Those old hypocrites. They talk about killing witches but the Good Book’s full of magic. Turning the Nile to blood and parting the Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/those-old-hypocrites-they-talk-about-killing-witches-but-the-good/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I dreamt a limitless book, A book unbound, Its leaves scattered in fantastic abundance On every line there was a new horizon drawn, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-dreamt-a-limitless-book-a-book-unbound-its-leaves-scattered-in/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Only when they have outrun the all-too-eager shadows of the Canyon and they are back in the glare of the billboards on Sunset Boulevard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/only-when-they-have-outrun-the-all-too-eager-shadows-of-the-canyon/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I firmly believe that a story is only as good as the villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-firmly-believe-that-a-story-is-only-as-good-as-the-villain/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Let us not neglect the forbidden. Let us not sophisticate ourselves out of the cheap thrill and chill of it: the story told for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/let-us-not-neglect-the-forbidden-let-us-not-sophisticate-ourselves/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [You can plan to be brave - it's even better if you just try to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/you-can-plan-to-be-brave-it-s-even-better-if-you-just-try-to-be-brave/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Pleasure is a reward, given to the human system by evolution in return for services rendered to the preservation and increase of the species.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/pleasure-is-a-reward-given-to-the-human-system-by-evolution-in-return/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I love meeting people who've read my books. The prime reason to be on the planet is to make things I can show to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-love-meeting-people-who-ve-read-my-books-the-prime-reason-to-be-on/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Nothing happens carelessly. We’re not brought into the world without reason, even though we may never understand the reason. An infant that lives an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/nothing-happens-carelessly-we-re-not-brought-into-the-world-without/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Despite his intent, tears sprang to his eyes, and he went into her embrace, both of them sobbing freely, like enemies joined by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/despite-his-intent-tears-sprang-to-his-eyes-and-he-went-into-her/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Always, worlds within worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/always-worlds-within-worlds/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“I'm an inclusionist. I've always divided up (very, very broadly, I admit) the artistic instincts into the inclusionist and the exclusionist. The exclusionist is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-m-an-inclusionist-i-ve-always-divided-up-very-very-broadly-i-admit/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Horror shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/horror-shows-us-that-the-control-we-believe-we-have-is-purely-illusory/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [If there was a horror movie showing somewhere in Liverpool between 1967 and 1975, I saw it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/if-there-was-a-horror-movie-showing-somewhere-in-liverpool-between/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) [Explore all 365 Clive Barker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## More Books 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/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [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/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [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/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [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/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. 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