--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first started writing, I was in…" description: "\"When I first started writing, I was in advertising at the time, I was doing most of my writing on weekends. I had studied most of the other series hero..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/clive-cussler-6870_advertising_when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-ad_2596674.jpg" --- # When I first started writing, I was in advertising at the… ![“When I first started writing, I was in advertising at the time, I was doing most of my writing on weekends. I had studied most of the other series heroes and I figured it would be fun for mine to be different and put him in and around water. So I dreamed up Dirk Pitt.” quote by Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/clive-cussler-6870_advertising_when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-ad_2596674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/clive-cussler-6870_advertising_when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-ad_2596674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/clive-cussler-6870_advertising_when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-ad_2596674.jpg) > “When I first started writing, I was in advertising at the time, I was doing most of my writing on weekends. I had studied most of the other series heroes and I figured it would be fun for mine to be different and put him in and around water. So I dreamed up Dirk Pitt.” [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) ## 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 began writing while working a day job, using weekends to develop a unique hero set in aquatic environments, leading to the creation of Dirk Pitt. **In simple terms:** He wrote on weekends, wanted a different hero, chose water settings, created Dirk Pitt. Key Takeaway Use spare time to craft distinctive ideas. Themes creativity career transition character design Mood determined inspired Type creative motivational When to use this quote - weekend writing - career change - novel development - genre blending Key Concepts heroic archetype environmental storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can limited time spark innovation? - What environments best suit your protagonist? A Different Perspective Balancing a full-time job may limit creative output. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Dirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirk/) [Dirk Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirk-pitt-375988/) [Dreamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamed/) [Dreamed Dirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamed-dirk-1909777/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/series/) [Started Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-writing/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Weekend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weekend/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [My son's name is Dirk - I named Dirk Pitt after him when he was about three years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/my-son-s-name-is-dirk-i-named-dirk-pitt-after-him-when-he-was-about/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [Giordino...simply sighed in resignation. "Who else," he asked no one in particular, "but Dirk Pitt could tramp off into a blizzard on an uninhabited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/giordino-simply-sighed-in-resignation-who-else-he-asked-no-one-in/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [Matthew's all right. Originally, I wanted Errol Flynn, but McConaughey should be good as Dirk Pitt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/matthew-s-all-right-originally-i-wanted-errol-flynn-but-mcconaughey/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [After the Dirk Pitt books became best-sellers, I could afford to buy the more exotic examples of classic autos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/after-the-dirk-pitt-books-became-best-sellers-i-could-afford-to-buy/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [I was writing blogs before work, then I was writing at work, and then I started writing books on the weekend because you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-foster-blake/i-was-writing-blogs-before-work-then-i-was-writing-at-work-and-then-i/) [Zoe Foster Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-foster-blake/) > [ The great irony to Dirk \[Gently\] is that he sees connections in everything, but the one thing he fails and struggles with most is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/the-great-irony-to-dirk-gently-is-that-he-sees-connections-in/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Dirk was, for one of the few times in a life of exuberantly prolific loquacity, wordless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/dirk-was-for-one-of-the-few-times-in-a-life-of-exuberantly-prolific/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [If Dallas wins the championship this year, MVP without a doubt would be Dirk Nowitzki.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-dallas-wins-the-championship-this-year-mvp-without-a-doubt-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When he fell down the stairs, he told people he'd had a stroke. He was just pissed out of his skull. I love Dirk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/when-he-fell-down-the-stairs-he-told-people-he-d-had-a-stroke-he-was/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [Dirk Nowitzki will be better than Larry Bird. I'm a legend killer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/dirk-nowitzki-will-be-better-than-larry-bird-i-m-a-legend-killer/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [There will never be another Dirk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauri-markkanen/there-will-never-be-another-dirk/) [Lauri Markkanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauri-markkanen/) > [Dirk carried an amazing load with the Dallas Mavericks over a period of two-plus decades that may never be rivaled again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/dirk-carried-an-amazing-load-with-the-dallas-mavericks-over-a-period/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [ \[Dirk Gently\] just doesn't understand social cues. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/dirk-gently-just-doesn-t-understand-social-cues/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Dirk nowitzki is the key to everything in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-nowitzki/dirk-nowitzki-is-the-key-to-everything-in-life/) [Dirk Nowitzki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-nowitzki/) > [“Like a slapstick comedian, Dirk suffered all kinds of iniquities. He battled past Mud Men, skeletons, creepy crawlies, giant bats and an obstinate suit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/like-a-slapstick-comedian-dirk-suffered-all-kinds-of-iniquities-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Clive Cussler > [I never had a highfalutin' view of what I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/i-never-had-a-highfalutin-view-of-what-i-write/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [My son's name is Dirk - I named Dirk Pitt after him when he was about three years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/my-son-s-name-is-dirk-i-named-dirk-pitt-after-him-when-he-was-about/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [“storm is still on track to pass right over us, so we’ll get the worst of it. Do you think we’ll be ready for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/storm-is-still-on-track-to-pass-right-over-us-so-we-ll-get-the-worst/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [My forte is the plotting. You sit down, and you work out a plot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/my-forte-is-the-plotting-you-sit-down-and-you-work-out-a-plot/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [“Two unarmed men against six loaded for bear. We need to even the odds.” “Got a plan?” asked Giordino. “I certainly do.” Giordino gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/two-unarmed-men-against-six-loaded-for-bear-we-need-to-even-the-odds/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [Maybe some day they'll find me behind the computer, just bones and cobwebs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/maybe-some-day-they-ll-find-me-behind-the-computer-just-bones-and/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [I'm considered the 'old daddy of adventure.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/i-m-considered-the-old-daddy-of-adventure/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [“She turned his”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/she-turned-his/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [“Americans have an annoying habit of accomplishing what they set out to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/americans-have-an-annoying-habit-of-accomplishing-what-they-set-out/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [I have a large collection of town cars because when I was just a snipe in the gutter, growing up in Los Angeles, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/i-have-a-large-collection-of-town-cars-because-when-i-was-just-a/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [I honestly thought I probably did sell 100 million books. That doesn't seem out of the ordinary to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/i-honestly-thought-i-probably-did-sell-100-million-books-that-doesn-t/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [I'm writing for entertainment. I like people to reach the end and feel they got their money's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/i-m-writing-for-entertainment-i-like-people-to-reach-the-end-and-feel/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [“Urquhart could somehow feel the glow on his skin as the hairs on his arms raised up and the thick pelt of man fur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/urquhart-could-somehow-feel-the-glow-on-his-skin-as-the-hairs-on-his/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [There's no literary merit in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/there-s-no-literary-merit-in-my-books/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [“toward the truck. Sam shoved”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/toward-the-truck-sam-shoved/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) [Explore all 97 Clive Cussler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) ## More Advertising quotes > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest-it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gossage/advertising-justifies-its-existence-when-used-in-the-public-interest/) [Howard Gossage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gossage/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We have the capital, the resources, and the technology that we need to build a mobile advertising platform across the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-have-the-capital-the-resources-and-the-technology-that-we-need-to/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [“Never run advertising until the major publicity possibilities have been exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/never-run-advertising-until-the-major-publicity-possibilities-have/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I happened to be spotted by a modeling agent who offered me a part-time job at 16. Everything happened very quickly after that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-happened-to-be-spotted-by-a-modeling-agent-who-offered-me-a-part/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [They say that Madison Avenue will only pay high dollars in advertising if they get the 18-35 age range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/they-say-that-madison-avenue-will-only-pay-high-dollars-in/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. Then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-ve-driven-people-mad-on-films-that-i-ve-made-i-want-more-takes-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [This hype word bothers me though It always sounds like an accusation, what does it mean, advertising, column inches in the press? Bands themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-johnson/this-hype-word-bothers-me-though-it-always-sounds-like-an-accusation/) [Holly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-johnson/) > [I'm supposed to be taking time off. But I'm still writing and I have this Gap advert lined up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/i-m-supposed-to-be-taking-time-off-but-i-m-still-writing-and-i-have/) [Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) [Browse all 1,942 Advertising quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first started writing, I was in advertising at the time, I was doing most of my writing on weekends. I had studied most of the other series heroes and I figured it would be fun for mine to be different and put him in and around water. So I dreamed up Dirk Pitt.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clive Cussler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-advertising-at-the-time-i-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advertising" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-advertising-at-the-time-i-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/clive-cussler-6870_advertising_when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-ad_2596674.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/clive-cussler-6870_advertising_when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-ad_2596674.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/clive-cussler-6870_advertising_when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-ad_2596674.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I first started writing, I was in advertising at the time, I was doing most of my writing on weekends…” — Clive Cussler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Clive Cussler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I first started writing, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-advertising-at-the-time-i-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/when-i-first-started-writing-i-was-in-advertising-at-the-time-i-was/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```