--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When my head is in the typewriter the…" description: "\"When my head is in the typewriter the last thing on my mind is some imaginary reader. I don't have an audience; I have a set of standards.\" — Don DeLillo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/don-delillo-294_audience_when-my-head-is-in-the-typewriter-the-la_2933831.jpg" --- # When my head is in the typewriter the last thing on my… ![“When my head is in the typewriter the last thing on my mind is some imaginary reader. I don't have an audience; I have a set of standards.” quote by Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/don-delillo-294_audience_when-my-head-is-in-the-typewriter-the-la_2933831.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/don-delillo-294_audience_when-my-head-is-in-the-typewriter-the-la_2933831.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/don-delillo-294_audience_when-my-head-is-in-the-typewriter-the-la_2933831.jpg) > “When my head is in the typewriter the last thing on my mind is some imaginary reader. I don't have an audience; I have a set of standards.” [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When writing, the author focuses on the act rather than imagined readers, holding themselves to personal standards. **In simple terms:** Writer prioritizes personal standards over imagined audience Key Takeaway Set internal standards and focus on the writing process itself. Themes creative process self‑discipline audience perception Mood introspective serious Type literary creative When to use this quote - writing workshop - solo writing - editing Key Concepts writer’s mindset standard setting Questions to Reflect On - How do personal standards shape your work? - When is audience feedback valuable? A Different Perspective Ignoring audience may limit relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Head Typewriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-typewriter-4337741/) [Imaginary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginary/) [Imaginary Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginary-reader-503143/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Imaginary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-imaginary-503144/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards/) [Things on my mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-on-my-mind/) [Typewriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typewriter/) [Typewriter Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typewriter-thing-503146/) [Typewriters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typewriters/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“When my head is in the typewriter the last thing on my mind is some imaginary reader. 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When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-plane-had-lost-power-in-all-three-engines-dropped-from-thirty/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Grass: I live in a great steel tower that reflects the blazing sun. People catch fire just walking by. The more bodies that pile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/grass-i-live-in-a-great-steel-tower-that-reflects-the-blazing-sun/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“What people discard could make a nation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/what-people-discard-could-make-a-nation/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Marriage is something we make from available materials. In this sense it’s improvised, it’s almost offhand. 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