--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have an editor in my head, that's why I…" description: "\"I have an editor in my head, that's why I can't read Harry Potter, because Rowling is such a lousy writer.\" — Colleen McCullough" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/colleen-mccullough-7229_harry-potter_i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i_2155738.jpg" --- # I have an editor in my head, that's why I can't read Harry… ![“I have an editor in my head, that's why I can't read Harry Potter, because Rowling is such a lousy writer.” quote by Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/colleen-mccullough-7229_harry-potter_i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i_2155738.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/colleen-mccullough-7229_harry-potter_i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i_2155738.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/colleen-mccullough-7229_harry-potter_i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i_2155738.jpg) > “I have an editor in my head, that's why I can't read Harry Potter, because Rowling is such a lousy writer.” [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker claims an internal critic prevents enjoyment of a popular series, attributing the dislike to the author's perceived poor writing. **In simple terms:** Editor in head blocks reading. Key Takeaway Acknowledge internal critic. Themes literature criticism self‑doubt Mood reflective analytical Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - book clubs - writing workshops - self‑reflection - literary analysis Key Concepts creative standards personal taste Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑critique affect enjoyment? - Can you separate author skill from personal bias? A Different Perspective Criticism can be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Harry potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry-potter/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Is it true that you shouted at Professor Umbridge? Yes. You called her a liar? Yes. You told her He Who Must Not Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jk-rowling/is-it-true-that-you-shouted-at-professor-umbridge-yes-you-called-her/) [JK Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jk-rowling/) > [If I'm a lousy writer, then an awful lot of people have lousy taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-metalious/if-i-m-a-lousy-writer-then-an-awful-lot-of-people-have-lousy-taste/) [Grace Metalious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-metalious/) > [I'm a lousy writer, and it shows when I try to write poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c418/i-m-a-lousy-writer-and-it-shows-when-i-try-to-write-poetry/) C418 > [“I'm a lousy writer; a helluva lot of people have got lousy taste.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-metalious/i-m-a-lousy-writer-a-helluva-lot-of-people-have-got-lousy-taste/) [Grace Metalious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-metalious/) > [I think with pictures; I'm a very lousy writer. If I write without pictures, I become this pathetic chick sitting somewhere trying to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-think-with-pictures-i-m-a-very-lousy-writer-if-i-write-without/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [I had not been very kind to J. Edgar Hoover. And the field agent had written on - it was sent directly to Hoover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/i-had-not-been-very-kind-to-j-edgar-hoover-and-the-field-agent-had/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [I know a lot of people in the business recommend the many Story Structure seminars being offered here, but I point to them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wood/i-know-a-lot-of-people-in-the-business-recommend-the-many-story/) [Douglas Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wood/) > [“Welcome to sporadic and lousy service from your new carrier. We hope you enjoy sounding like you’re in a barrel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-tatano/welcome-to-sporadic-and-lousy-service-from-your-new-carrier-we-hope/) Nic Tatano > [I'm a lousy reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broderick-crawford/i-m-a-lousy-reader/) [Broderick Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broderick-crawford/) > [It's well known that actors are lousy writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-well-known-that-actors-are-lousy-writers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked in three local news markets and in every single one of them, they said: 'You're a lousy anchor. We would love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-vargas/i-worked-in-three-local-news-markets-and-in-every-single-one-of-them/) [Elizabeth Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-vargas/) > [We should abolish 'work.' By that I mean abolishing the distinction between work and leisure, one of the greatest mistakes of the last century,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-zeldin/we-should-abolish-work-by-that-i-mean-abolishing-the-distinction/) [Theodore Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-zeldin/) > [I've always had tremendous support from my parents. I think there's a myth that gay people have lousy relationships with their parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-always-had-tremendous-support-from-my-parents-i-think-there-s-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More by Colleen McCullough > [The bird with the thorn in its breast, it follows an immutable law; it is driven by it knows not what to impale itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/the-bird-with-the-thorn-in-its-breast-it-follows-an-immutable-law-it/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [“For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/for-the-best-is-only-bought-at-the-cost-of-great-pain/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [My fictitious characters will take the bit between their teeth and gallop off and do something that I hadn't counted on. However, I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/my-fictitious-characters-will-take-the-bit-between-their-teeth-and/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [I want to know what they look like, their height, and colouring, physique and speech pattens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/i-want-to-know-what-they-look-like-their-height-and-colouring/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [Old age is an ordeal, of flesh and mind. Of winding down, of slowing down, of dying cells. It's accepting the loss of physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/old-age-is-an-ordeal-of-flesh-and-mind-of-winding-down-of-slowing/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [“But not we men. We weren't fit to be told. For so you women think, and hug your mysteries, getting your backs on us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/but-not-we-men-we-weren-t-fit-to-be-told-for-so-you-women-think-and/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [How frightening, that one person could mean so much, so many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/how-frightening-that-one-person-could-mean-so-much-so-many-things/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [“It's not worth getting upset about, Mrs. Dominic. Down in the city they don't know how the other half lives, and they can afford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/it-s-not-worth-getting-upset-about-mrs-dominic-down-in-the-city-they/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [“You still think love can save us. It's more killing than hate. Hate is so clean, so simple. Like being in the ring. With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/you-still-think-love-can-save-us-it-s-more-killing-than-hate-hate-is/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [“You still think love can save us. It’s more killing than hate. Hate is so clean, so simple. Like being in the ring. With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/you-still-think-love-can-save-us-it-s-more-killing-than-hate-hate-is-2/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [If you love people, they kill you. If you need people, they kill you. They do I tell you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/if-you-love-people-they-kill-you-if-you-need-people-they-kill-you/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [“The law should not be a huge and weighty slab which falls upon a man and squashes him into a uniform shape, for men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/the-law-should-not-be-a-huge-and-weighty-slab-which-falls-upon-a-man/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [duty, the most indecent of all obsessions, was only another name for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/duty-the-most-indecent-of-all-obsessions-was-only-another-name-for/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [There is no doubt that it is more difficult to read and more difficult to write but I still manage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/there-is-no-doubt-that-it-is-more-difficult-to-read-and-more/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [It's a woman's book but I think the men will read it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/it-s-a-woman-s-book-but-i-think-the-men-will-read-it-too/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) [Explore all 82 Colleen McCullough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) ## More Harry potter quotes > [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [... there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/there-are-far-far-worse-things-in-the-living-world-than-dying/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I have to go with what comes naturally to me. Fantasy isn't my thing. I did enjoy the Oz books when I was growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/i-have-to-go-with-what-comes-naturally-to-me-fantasy-isn-t-my-thing-i/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-also-find-that-help-will-always-be-given-at-hogwarts-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like a quiet life, you know me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-a-quiet-life-you-know-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No confíes en cosas que tengan la capacidad de pensar pero de las cuales no sepas dónde tienen el cerebro.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/no-conf-es-en-cosas-que-tengan-la-capacidad-de-pensar-pero-de-las/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“Astoria always knew that she was not destined for old age. She wanted me to have somebody when she left, because...it is exceptionally lonely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/astoria-always-knew-that-she-was-not-destined-for-old-age-she-wanted/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [I think most people are fascinated by chess for that reason. It's just these mystical shapes. It's almost like Harry Potteresque, like wizard's chess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/i-think-most-people-are-fascinated-by-chess-for-that-reason-it-s-just/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [“A thousand years or more ago, When I was newly sewn, There lived four wizards of renown, Whose name are still well-known: Bold Gryffindor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jk-rowling/a-thousand-years-or-more-ago-when-i-was-newly-sewn-there-lived-four/) [JK Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jk-rowling/) > [I need Harry Potter like a grindylow needs water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/i-need-harry-potter-like-a-grindylow-needs-water/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [The world may not be ready yet for the film equivalent of books on tape, but this peculiar phenomenon has arrived in the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-world-may-not-be-ready-yet-for-the-film-equivalent-of-books-on/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [They say Harry Potter is magic but it is Sponge Bob who can light a fire under the sea!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-harry-potter-is-magic-but-it-is-sponge-bob-who-can-light-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Listen, Harr,y can I have a go on it? Can I?" "I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermoine shrilly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/listen-harr-y-can-i-have-a-go-on-it-can-i-i-don-t-think-anyone-should/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [Hermione, will you please —” “Don’t you tell me what to do, Harry Potter!” she screeched. “Don’t you dare! Give it back now! And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hermione-will-you-please-don-t-you-tell-me-what-to-do-harry-potter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a big fan of the 'Harry Potter' movies and 'The Lord of the Rings' films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/i-m-a-big-fan-of-the-harry-potter-movies-and-the-lord-of-the-rings/) [John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/) [Browse all 692 Harry potter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry-potter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have an editor in my head, that's why I can't read Harry Potter, because Rowling is such a lousy writer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colleen McCullough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i-can-t-read-harry-potter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Harry potter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i-can-t-read-harry-potter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/colleen-mccullough-7229_harry-potter_i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i_2155738.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/colleen-mccullough-7229_harry-potter_i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i_2155738.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/colleen-mccullough-7229_harry-potter_i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i_2155738.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have an editor in my head, that's why I can't read Harry Potter, because Rowling is such a lousy writer.” — Colleen McCullough", "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": "Colleen McCullough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have an editor in my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i-can-t-read-harry-potter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/i-have-an-editor-in-my-head-that-s-why-i-can-t-read-harry-potter/#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 } } ] } ```