--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Publishing a novel was such a proud thing…" description: "\"Publishing a novel was such a proud thing for me. When I was a kid, I used to say to my mum and dad, 'I'm going to write a book. You'll see.' So when I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/david-thewlis-5383_book_publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thin_43756.jpg" --- # Publishing a novel was such a proud thing for me. When I… ![“Publishing a novel was such a proud thing for me. When I was a kid, I used to say to my mum and dad, 'I'm going to write a book. You'll see.' So when I did ,and it was published, and people liked it, it was great.” quote by David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/david-thewlis-5383_book_publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thin_43756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/david-thewlis-5383_book_publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thin_43756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/david-thewlis-5383_book_publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thin_43756.jpg) > “Publishing a novel was such a proud thing for me. When I was a kid, I used to say to my mum and dad, 'I'm going to write a book. You'll see.' So when I did ,and it was published, and people liked it, it was great.” [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) ## 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 describes personal fulfillment achieved by turning a childhood ambition into a tangible, publicly recognized accomplishment. **In simple terms:** Pride in achieving a lifelong dream. Key Takeaway Dreams can become reality with perseverance. Themes achievement personal growth validation creativity family support Mood proud hopeful reflective Type personal anecdote inspirational quote When to use this quote - writing a book - receiving positive feedback - celebrating a milestone Key Concepts goal setting public recognition Practical Applications - motivation for aspiring writers - illustrating the value of persistence Questions to Reflect On - What steps helped turn the dream into a published work? - How does external validation affect personal satisfaction? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Mum and dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mum-and-dad/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Writing the novel felt so private to me! I think publishing a novel is quite public and exposing, and what's a little frightening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/writing-the-novel-felt-so-private-to-me-i-think-publishing-a-novel-is/) [Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/) > [When I started publishing - my first novel came out in 1990 - there were no options for publishing science fiction in Canada. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-sawyer/when-i-started-publishing-my-first-novel-came-out-in-1990-there-were/) [Robert J. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-sawyer/) > [I know publishing now more as an author than with occasional peaks inside those elite offices than as an industry insider. It was difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-gilmore/i-know-publishing-now-more-as-an-author-than-with-occasional-peaks/) [Jennifer Gilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-gilmore/) > [I was going to write a book one day and I actually did. To have it is a major accomplishment for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/i-was-going-to-write-a-book-one-day-and-i-actually-did-to-have-it-is/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [As a digital creator, there's been so much pressure to write a book because so many of my peers have done it. I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/as-a-digital-creator-there-s-been-so-much-pressure-to-write-a-book/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [I knew that if I was going to write a book, I was going to have to read one, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-showalter/i-knew-that-if-i-was-going-to-write-a-book-i-was-going-to-have-to/) [Michael Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-showalter/) > [You never know what's going to happen. My mother was an English teacher. If someone had told her that I was going to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/you-never-know-what-s-going-to-happen-my-mother-was-an-english/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [I'm uncomfortable trying to rush change of perception, except to the extent that I'm going to write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-uncomfortable-trying-to-rush-change-of-perception-except-to-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I had been doing private readings for ten years when my guides said, "We want you to reach more people." Then I said "How?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-van-praagh/i-had-been-doing-private-readings-for-ten-years-when-my-guides-said/) [James Van Praagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-van-praagh/) > [If you try to control it too much, the book is dead. You have to let it fall apart quite early on and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/if-you-try-to-control-it-too-much-the-book-is-dead-you-have-to-let-it/) [Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/) > [Let's say I was like, "I'm going to write a book this year," which I'm not. Let's just say that was it. Then it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-kirkman/let-s-say-i-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-book-this-year-which-i-m/) [Jen Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-kirkman/) > [Everyone thinks they're going to write one book of poems or one novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/everyone-thinks-they-re-going-to-write-one-book-of-poems-or-one-novel/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Each time, I think I'm never going to write another book. It never gets easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/each-time-i-think-i-m-never-going-to-write-another-book-it-never-gets/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [If I am going to write a book, which I have done, I think we have to get it right - whatever has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sven-goran-eriksson/if-i-am-going-to-write-a-book-which-i-have-done-i-think-we-have-to/) [Sven-Goran Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sven-goran-eriksson/) > [I have great stories. I am going to write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlene-carter/i-have-great-stories-i-am-going-to-write-a-book/) [Carlene Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlene-carter/) ## More by David Thewlis > [I don't think Alfonso was a big expert on Potter either. He was feeling his way through it more than I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-don-t-think-alfonso-was-a-big-expert-on-potter-either-he-was/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I often draw from people in my own experience to base a character on, going back to my days with Mike Leigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-often-draw-from-people-in-my-own-experience-to-base-a-character-on/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [The very best thing about doing it is seeing the reaction on kid's faces when you tell them you've done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/the-very-best-thing-about-doing-it-is-seeing-the-reaction-on-kid-s/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I keep myself content by doing lots of different stuff and make sure that my next role is completely different to the last. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-keep-myself-content-by-doing-lots-of-different-stuff-and-make-sure/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I'm not one of those people who's against doing remakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-m-not-one-of-those-people-who-s-against-doing-remakes/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I think the most beautiful sound is a child laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-think-the-most-beautiful-sound-is-a-child-laughing/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I'd only read a bit of the first book. And I just knew about all the media furor over it. But I'd not read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-d-only-read-a-bit-of-the-first-book-and-i-just-knew-about-all-the/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I was still listening to the Beatles until I came here, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-was-still-listening-to-the-beatles-until-i-came-here-you-know/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I was a young actor in my 20s, going out in Soho, having a wild time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-was-a-young-actor-in-my-20s-going-out-in-soho-having-a-wild-time/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I started doing the big Hollywood stuff, and I realised, 'Oh, there's no rehearsal at all; you just turn up on the set, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-started-doing-the-big-hollywood-stuff-and-i-realised-oh-there-s-no/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [“I feel like I'm in a film about a struggling artist who keeps getting up at all hours of the night to look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-feel-like-i-m-in-a-film-about-a-struggling-artist-who-keeps-getting/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [Restoration I did because I really loved e novel and I like Michael Hoffman, who directed it, but it wasn't a really challenging part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/restoration-i-did-because-i-really-loved-e-novel-and-i-like-michael/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [It wasn't the greatest script in the world, but not many people can say they've played a wicked king in a swashbuckling Arthurian special-effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/it-wasn-t-the-greatest-script-in-the-world-but-not-many-people-can/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I don't think its good for the soul to invest too much of yourself in technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-don-t-think-its-good-for-the-soul-to-invest-too-much-of-yourself-in/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [After Cannes, my agent told me to get the next flight to LA. He was right. I had a part in 'Prime Suspect 3'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/after-cannes-my-agent-told-me-to-get-the-next-flight-to-la-he-was/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) [Explore all 101 David Thewlis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Publishing a novel was such a proud thing for me. When I was a kid, I used to say to my mum and dad, 'I'm going to write a book. You'll see.' So when I did ,and it was published, and people liked it, it was great.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Thewlis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thing-for-me-when-i-was-a-kid-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thing-for-me-when-i-was-a-kid-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/david-thewlis-5383_book_publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thin_43756.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/david-thewlis-5383_book_publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thin_43756.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/david-thewlis-5383_book_publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thin_43756.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Publishing a novel was such a proud thing for me. When I was a kid, I used to say to my mum and dad, 'I'm…” — David Thewlis", "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": "David Thewlis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Publishing a novel was such a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thing-for-me-when-i-was-a-kid-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thing-for-me-when-i-was-a-kid-i/#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 } } ] } ```