--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In some ways I think it would be very…" description: "\"In some ways I think it would be very dignified if I went away for twenty years and then wrote my fourth book.\" — Curtis Sittenfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_away_in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-di_3022949.png" --- # In some ways I think it would be very dignified if I went… ![“In some ways I think it would be very dignified if I went away for twenty years and then wrote my fourth book.” quote by Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_away_in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-di_3022949.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_away_in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-di_3022949.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_away_in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-di_3022949.png) > “In some ways I think it would be very dignified if I went away for twenty years and then wrote my fourth book.” [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) ## 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 suggests that a long hiatus before writing a fourth book would feel respectable and purposeful. **In simple terms:** A long break can make a later work feel more dignified. Key Takeaway Embrace pauses to add depth to your work. Themes creativity career reflection Mood contemplative hopeful Type literary personal When to use this quote - writing a novel - career planning - personal reinvention Key Concepts authorial identity life cycles literary ambition Questions to Reflect On - How can a pause enhance creative authenticity? - What risks does a long absence pose to a writer’s voice? A Different Perspective A break may cause loss of momentum or relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Well, let's take what people think is a dignified death. Christ - was that a dignified death? Do you think it's dignified to hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/well-let-s-take-what-people-think-is-a-dignified-death-christ-was/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [I just don't think it's very dignified to ask people to like you. You can just wind up being somebody's ottoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-just-don-t-think-it-s-very-dignified-to-ask-people-to-like-you-you/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [My first published book, 'Story of a Girl', was the fourth book I wrote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/my-first-published-book-story-of-a-girl-was-the-fourth-book-i-wrote/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Everyone's clamoring for the fourth book in the 'Fifty Shades' trilogy, which makes me laugh. Just the part of 'a fourth book in trilogy'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james-2/everyone-s-clamoring-for-the-fourth-book-in-the-fifty-shades-trilogy/) [E. L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james-2/) > [The most difficult book I wrote was the fourth in a series of linked children's books. It was like pulling teeth because the publisher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/the-most-difficult-book-i-wrote-was-the-fourth-in-a-series-of-linked/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [The first book I ever wrote was in fourth grade and it was called 'Billy's Booger.' It was an autobiographical piece about a kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/the-first-book-i-ever-wrote-was-in-fourth-grade-and-it-was-called/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [I wrote on the fourth season of 'Arrested Development.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rust/i-wrote-on-the-fourth-season-of-arrested-development/) [Paul Rust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rust/) > [“I have had so many spectacular failures, but looking back, I can see how each of them led me a little closer to doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/i-have-had-so-many-spectacular-failures-but-looking-back-i-can-see/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [I lost my son in late 2011. He had been totally incapacitated from his neck down for the last eight years of his life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/i-lost-my-son-in-late-2011-he-had-been-totally-incapacitated-from-his/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [I don't write from dreams because I don't remember mine, but I had a fragment of an image left about twins, whose father was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-don-t-write-from-dreams-because-i-don-t-remember-mine-but-i-had-a/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“Yet he too obsessed me for years. Until I wrote it out, I would find my lips moving; I would be arguing with him;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/yet-he-too-obsessed-me-for-years-until-i-wrote-it-out-i-would-find-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [For years, I wrote songs to try to get cuts or try to have hits or try to appease a label or to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/for-years-i-wrote-songs-to-try-to-get-cuts-or-try-to-have-hits-or-try/) [Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/) > [I knew my knee was getting worse at Villa. The first season was dreadful and we went down. But speak to the Villa fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-richards/i-knew-my-knee-was-getting-worse-at-villa-the-first-season-was/) [Micah Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-richards/) > [Well, these days, if you're away five years, you might not be able to get back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-turner/well-these-days-if-you-re-away-five-years-you-might-not-be-able-to/) [Tina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-turner/) > [“When I came back, they gave me blank looks. Some said, 'I don't think I've seen you for days.' Some not even that. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/me-a-selimovi/when-i-came-back-they-gave-me-blank-looks-some-said-i-don-t-think-i/) [Meša Selimović](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/me-a-selimovi/) ## More by Curtis Sittenfeld > [The best part of being a writer for me is immersing myself in a fictional world, which is the opposite of being on social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/the-best-part-of-being-a-writer-for-me-is-immersing-myself-in-a/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“I think adults forget just how much faith teenagers can have in them, just how willing to believe that adults, by virtue of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-think-adults-forget-just-how-much-faith-teenagers-can-have-in-them/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“She came down to my dorm that night, knocking on the door around nine o'clock. Martha was at the library, and I was eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/she-came-down-to-my-dorm-that-night-knocking-on-the-door-around-nine/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [My boarding school experience was the only thing I had strong enough feelings to write about for hundreds and hundreds of pages. I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/my-boarding-school-experience-was-the-only-thing-i-had-strong-enough/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [Of course a magazine is usually more interesting than a conversation, because so much more time and preparation has gone into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/of-course-a-magazine-is-usually-more-interesting-than-a-conversation/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [I feel that Pride and Prejudice is an incredibly well constructed novel on every level. The dialogue is great. The character development is great.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-feel-that-pride-and-prejudice-is-an-incredibly-well-constructed/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [I should probably be careful admitting this, but sometimes, when my characters are having a disagreement, it's a disagreement I'm having with myself. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-should-probably-be-careful-admitting-this-but-sometimes-when-my/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“Approaching each other, him from the gym, me from the library- this was when I walked down the aisle and he was waiting, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/approaching-each-other-him-from-the-gym-me-from-the-library-this-was/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [After I’d told her – the mall, the taxi, Cross stroking my hair – she said, ‘Did he kiss you?’ ‘John and Martin totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/after-i-d-told-her-the-mall-the-taxi-cross-stroking-my-hair-she-said/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [There's an ongoing 'water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink' situation at my house in terms of both pens and paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/there-s-an-ongoing-water-water-everywhere-and-not-a-drop-to-drink/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [She opened her mouth but did not immediately speak, and I felt, simultaneously, the impulse to coax the words from her and the impulse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/she-opened-her-mouth-but-did-not-immediately-speak-and-i-felt/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“But the truth was that I didn't want to stay in Riley. The pulls of familial love and obligation could not, for the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/but-the-truth-was-that-i-didn-t-want-to-stay-in-riley-the-pulls-of/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“Profii de aici le-au vazut pe toate. Noi ne percepem ca individualitati distincte, dar in ochii lor nu suntem decat o masa de nevoi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/profii-de-aici-le-au-vazut-pe-toate-noi-ne-percepem-ca/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [When I was writing my first two books I was also freelancing and teaching and doing other odd jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/when-i-was-writing-my-first-two-books-i-was-also-freelancing-and/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“When I think of Henry and Oliver and Mike, I feel as if they are three different models - templates, almost - and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/when-i-think-of-henry-and-oliver-and-mike-i-feel-as-if-they-are-three/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) [Explore all 212 Curtis Sittenfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) ## More Away quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [You just say the word, and I'll make the rest of the world go away. I'll take you someplace safe, where no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-just-say-the-word-and-i-ll-make-the-rest-of-the-world-go-away-i/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Beauty fades away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beauty-fades-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't kind of take away, you either do or you don't. If you kind of take away something you're a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-guare/you-can-t-kind-of-take-away-you-either-do-or-you-don-t-if-you-kind-of/) [John Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-guare/) > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Please don't go away. You--you matter. To me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/please-don-t-go-away-you-you-matter-to-me/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [“Why is it," she asked, snuggling closer, "that I so often imagine myself running away and running free?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/why-is-it-she-asked-snuggling-closer-that-i-so-often-imagine-myself/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) Browse all 4,933 Away quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In some ways I think it would be very dignified if I went away for twenty years and then wrote my fourth book.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Curtis Sittenfeld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-dignified-if-i-went-away-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Away" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-dignified-if-i-went-away-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_away_in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-di_3022949.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_away_in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-di_3022949.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_away_in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-di_3022949.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In some ways I think it would be very dignified if I went away for twenty years and then wrote my fourth book.” — Curtis Sittenfeld", "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": "Curtis Sittenfeld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In some ways I think it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-dignified-if-i-went-away-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/in-some-ways-i-think-it-would-be-very-dignified-if-i-went-away-for/#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 } } ] } ```