--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was trained mainly as a short story…" description: "\"I was trained mainly as a short story writer and that's how I started writing, but I've also become very interested in non-fiction, just because I got ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/david-foster-wallace-161_couple_i-was-trained-mainly-as-a-short-story-wr_279828.jpg" --- # I was trained mainly as a short story writer and that's… ![“I was trained mainly as a short story writer and that's how I started writing, but I've also become very interested in non-fiction, just because I got a couple of magazine jobs when I was really poor and needed the money and it turned out that non-fiction was much more interesting than I thought…” quote by David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/david-foster-wallace-161_couple_i-was-trained-mainly-as-a-short-story-wr_279828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/david-foster-wallace-161_couple_i-was-trained-mainly-as-a-short-story-wr_279828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/david-foster-wallace-161_couple_i-was-trained-mainly-as-a-short-story-wr_279828.jpg) > “I was trained mainly as a short story writer and that's how I started writing, but I've also become very interested in non-fiction, just because I got a couple of magazine jobs when I was really poor and needed the money and it turned out that non-fiction was much more interesting than I thought it was.” [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He discovered non‑fiction while writing to earn a living, finding it more engaging than expected. **In simple terms:** Writing for money led to a love of non‑fiction. Key Takeaway Explore new genres when opportunity arises. Themes career writing genre economics creativity Mood reflective curious Type personal professional When to use this quote - magazine work - financial pressure - career pivot - genre exploration Key Concepts literary nonfiction economic necessity creative adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How does financial need shape artistic direction? - What draws you to a genre you initially avoided? A Different Perspective Non‑fiction may still feel like a compromise for some writers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Non fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-fiction/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't intend to become a short-story writer. 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