--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me -- for pretty much every writer…" description: "\"“For me -- for pretty much every writer -- the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity.”\" — Cory Doctorow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/cory-doctorow-1928_big-problem_for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the_8610.png" --- # For me -- for pretty much every writer -- the big problem… ![“For me -- for pretty much every writer -- the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity.” quote by Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/cory-doctorow-1928_big-problem_for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the_8610.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/cory-doctorow-1928_big-problem_for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the_8610.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/cory-doctorow-1928_big-problem_for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the_8610.png) > ““For me -- for pretty much every writer -- the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity.”” [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The main challenge for writers is not illegal copying but being discovered by readers. **In simple terms:** Visibility outweighs theft. Key Takeaway Obscurity limits impact. Themes authorship digital media distribution recognition literary economics Mood determined hopeful Type observation commentary When to use this quote - self‑publishing - marketing a - launching a new book - building an author platform - seeking literary awards Key Concepts visibility market dynamics reader engagement Practical Applications - targeted social media campaigns - collaborations with influencers Questions to Reflect On - How can writers increase discoverability? - What strategies mitigate obscurity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Piracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piracy/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The big problem isn’t piracy, it’s obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/the-big-problem-isn-t-piracy-it-s-obscurity/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [“my problem isn’t piracy, it’s obscurity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/my-problem-isn-t-piracy-it-s-obscurity/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [The problem for most artists isn't piracy, it's obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/the-problem-for-most-artists-isn-t-piracy-it-s-obscurity/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [As a writer, it's a great narrative tool to have that character who is slightly detached but at the same time observant of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/as-a-writer-it-s-a-great-narrative-tool-to-have-that-character-who-is/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [Well, everyone in my family is a writer. There is a big contribution on the script level by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoya-akhtar/well-everyone-in-my-family-is-a-writer-there-is-a-big-contribution-on/) [Zoya Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoya-akhtar/) > [I'm a fairly fast, but sloppy writer, so I'm a big fan of re-writing, and re-writing again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/i-m-a-fairly-fast-but-sloppy-writer-so-i-m-a-big-fan-of-re-writing/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [I think of myself as a bad writer with big ideas, but I'd rather be that than a big writer with bad ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/i-think-of-myself-as-a-bad-writer-with-big-ideas-but-i-d-rather-be/) [Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/) > [The things that I have done that haven't been as successful have been things that have been largely out of the public view, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lopez/the-things-that-i-have-done-that-haven-t-been-as-successful-have-been/) [Robert Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lopez/) > [Growing up, nobody I knew even knew a writer. 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"You're just trying to cheer me up," he said. "Course I am," Andy said. "You deserve to be full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/kurt-smiled-a-shy-smile-you-re-just-trying-to-cheer-me-up-he-said/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [Right, and you point out something important which is that people who don’t want to pay, people who are pirates, don’t get bothered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/right-and-you-point-out-something-important-which-is-that-people-who/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [The other one I did was 'I, Robot.' I take apart Isaac Asimov's Robots world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/the-other-one-i-did-was-i-robot-i-take-apart-isaac-asimov-s-robots/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [“When in problem, or in doubt, run in cirles, scream and shout”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/when-in-problem-or-in-doubt-run-in-cirles-scream-and-shout/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [“the problem with reading off a screen isn’t resolution, eyestrain, or compatibility with reading in the bathtub: it’s that computers are seductive, they tempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/the-problem-with-reading-off-a-screen-isn-t-resolution-eyestrain-or/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. 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Guess who's winning the "war on terror?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/funny-for-all-surveillance-osama-bin-laden-is-still-free-and-we-re/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [I had this really great amazing thing happen where I almost finished the book and I really needed to come up with an ending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/i-had-this-really-great-amazing-thing-happen-where-i-almost-finished/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [It's the stupid questions that have some of the most surprising and interesting answers. Most people never think to ask the stupid questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/it-s-the-stupid-questions-that-have-some-of-the-most-surprising-and/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [“I used to want to understand how the world worked. Little things, like heavy stuff goes at the bottom of the laundry bag, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/i-used-to-want-to-understand-how-the-world-worked-little-things-like/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) [Explore all 195 Cory Doctorow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) ## More Big problem quotes > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. 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This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [The big problem retailers are facing is the world is moving to mobile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/the-big-problem-retailers-are-facing-is-the-world-is-moving-to-mobile/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [It was lonely on the hill, and cold. And all you could do was keep going. You could scream, cry, and stamp your feet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-lonely-on-the-hill-and-cold-and-all-you-could-do-was-keep/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Its a big problem for American movies that all their movies are produced to be global.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-a-big-problem-for-american-movies-that-all-their-movies-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“answer. Donald’s dysfunctional belief was related to Janine’s, but he’d held on to it for much longer—a life of responsible and successful work should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/answer-donald-s-dysfunctional-belief-was-related-to-janine-s-but-he-d/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [The big problem is just this kind of gigantic piece, of kids reading less and liking it less and so getting worse at it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/the-big-problem-is-just-this-kind-of-gigantic-piece-of-kids-reading/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [I do have a very, very big problem with someone who saw me coming and exploited me as a mascot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-vine/i-do-have-a-very-very-big-problem-with-someone-who-saw-me-coming-and/) [Stella Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-vine/) > [Don't tell GOD that u have a Big Problem,Tell your Problem that u have a Big GOD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-tell-god-that-u-have-a-big-problem-tell-your-problem-that-u/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [We're facing growing climate change, more floods, more droughts, more crisis on a planetary level, and the systems we put in place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/we-re-facing-growing-climate-change-more-floods-more-droughts-more/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“That's my big problem. 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Youre making little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-salazar/every-one-is-doing-their-own-thing-fighting-their-own-battles/) Rachel Salazar Browse all 430 Big problem quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For me -- for pretty much every writer -- the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cory Doctorow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the-big-problem-isn-t-piracy-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big problem" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the-big-problem-isn-t-piracy-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/cory-doctorow-1928_big-problem_for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the_8610.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/cory-doctorow-1928_big-problem_for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the_8610.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/cory-doctorow-1928_big-problem_for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the_8610.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For me -- for pretty much every writer -- the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity.” — Cory Doctorow", "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": "Cory Doctorow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“For me -- for pretty much...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the-big-problem-isn-t-piracy-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the-big-problem-isn-t-piracy-it-s/#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 } } ] } ```