--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you write a book that's as powerful…" description: "\"If you write a book that's as powerful and successful as 'Bastard,' there's a strong desire to prove there's something else.\" — Dorothy Allison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/dorothy-allison-2041_bastard_if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-a_1171094.png" --- # If you write a book that's as powerful and successful as… ![“If you write a book that's as powerful and successful as 'Bastard,' there's a strong desire to prove there's something else.” quote by Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/dorothy-allison-2041_bastard_if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-a_1171094.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/dorothy-allison-2041_bastard_if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-a_1171094.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/dorothy-allison-2041_bastard_if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-a_1171094.png) > “If you write a book that's as powerful and successful as 'Bastard,' there's a strong desire to prove there's something else.” [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The desire for new success can drive creators to chase the next big hit, often overlooking the value of their current work. **In simple terms:** Success can create a restless pursuit of the next project. Key Takeaway Balance ambition with appreciation of existing achievements. Themes ambition creativity career growth Mood reflective determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - writing a new book - evaluating past work - managing expectations - seeking fresh inspiration Key Concepts creative drive comparative success artist psyche Questions to Reflect On - What drives your need for the next big success? - How can you honor past work while pursuing new goals? A Different Perspective The pressure to outdo oneself may lead to burnout or loss of authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Strong desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-desire/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [“Even if the sum total of human knowledge is available online, a book is still a powerful thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-h-van-keuren/even-if-the-sum-total-of-human-knowledge-is-available-online-a-book/) M.H. Van Keuren > [That said, I should also add that I learned a great deal from being allowed in these privileged circles and am grateful for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wood/that-said-i-should-also-add-that-i-learned-a-great-deal-from-being/) [Douglas Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wood/) > [Thought, backed by strong desire, has a tendency to transmute itself into its physical equivalent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/thought-backed-by-strong-desire-has-a-tendency-to-transmute-itself/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The strong desires of man's insatiate breast may stand possess'd Of all that earth can give; but earth can give no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-strong-desires-of-man-s-insatiate-breast-may-stand-possess-d-of/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Through some strange and powerful principle of mental chemistry which she has never divulged, nature wraps up in the impulse of strong desire, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/through-some-strange-and-powerful-principle-of-mental-chemistry-which/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [When I look back on the years of excessive self-doubt, I wonder how I was able to make my paintings. In part, I managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-schapiro/when-i-look-back-on-the-years-of-excessive-self-doubt-i-wonder-how-i/) Miriam Schapiro > [In 2011, when we launched TransferWise, it was our frustration with banks not giving us what we wanted or needed as customers. The motivation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/in-2011-when-we-launched-transferwise-it-was-our-frustration-with/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [The only emotion sufficient to change a failure habit into a success pattern, is the strong desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/the-only-emotion-sufficient-to-change-a-failure-habit-into-a-success/) Senoraroy > [The artist's personality, built upon strong desires and compassionate vision, is by its nature prone to depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/the-artist-s-personality-built-upon-strong-desires-and-compassionate/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [I had a very strong desire to be successful at something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/i-had-a-very-strong-desire-to-be-successful-at-something/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The strong desire for success is the best indication that you can achieve success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/the-strong-desire-for-success-is-the-best-indication-that-you-can/) [Stanisław I Leszczyński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/) > [Just a strong desire to achieve isnt enough to get it, one need to put strong efforts too. All those who became famous out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/just-a-strong-desire-to-achieve-isnt-enough-to-get-it-one-need-to-put/) Senoraroy > [Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-almost-a-contradiction-in-terms-it-means-a-strong-desire/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/to-all-these-i-wish-to-convey-the-thought-that-all-achievement-no/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More by Dorothy Allison > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“Simple answers, reductionist politics, are the most prone to compromise, to saying we’re addressing the essential issue and all that other stuff can slide.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/simple-answers-reductionist-politics-are-the-most-prone-to-compromise/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [People don't do right because of the fear of God or love of him. You do right because the world doesn't make sense if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/people-don-t-do-right-because-of-the-fear-of-god-or-love-of-him-you/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“I had to say to her that it isn’t just men, and it isn’t just men “like that.” I had to talk to her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/i-had-to-say-to-her-that-it-isn-t-just-men-and-it-isn-t-just-men-like/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“Entitlement, I have told them, is a matter of feeling like we rather than they.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/entitlement-i-have-told-them-is-a-matter-of-feeling-like-we-rather/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“Love was something I would not have to worry about - the whole mystery of love, heartbreak songs, and family legends. Women who pined,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/love-was-something-i-would-not-have-to-worry-about-the-whole-mystery/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“Behind the story I tell is the one I don't. Behind the story you hear is the one I wish I could make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/behind-the-story-i-tell-is-the-one-i-don-t-behind-the-story-you-hear/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Hunger makes you restless. you dream about food - not just any food, but perfect food, the best food, magical meals, famous and awe-inspiring,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/hunger-makes-you-restless-you-dream-about-food-not-just-any-food-but/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [I think I would have died if there hadn't been the women's movement. It gave me a vision that I could do something different,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/i-think-i-would-have-died-if-there-hadn-t-been-the-women-s-movement/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [People begin to write in order to create what they have not found and, a little bit, to give something back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/people-begin-to-write-in-order-to-create-what-they-have-not-found-and/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [The hardest thing to teach young writers is that it's wonderful to tell your truth. And that's what you should do. But it damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/the-hardest-thing-to-teach-young-writers-is-that-it-s-wonderful-to/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“The horror of class stratification, racism, and prejudice is that some people begin to believe that the security of their families and communities depends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/the-horror-of-class-stratification-racism-and-prejudice-is-that-some/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [I did not begin with craft, I began with strong feelings and worked toward craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/i-did-not-begin-with-craft-i-began-with-strong-feelings-and-worked/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [I think I would have died if there hadn't been the women's movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/i-think-i-would-have-died-if-there-hadn-t-been-the-women-s-movement-2/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [When I was growing up, I always read horror books, while my sister read romance novels. My sister became unmarried and pregnant during high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/when-i-was-growing-up-i-always-read-horror-books-while-my-sister-read/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) [Explore all 189 Dorothy Allison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) ## More Bastard quotes > [“I know I don’t deserve this,” he says roughly, “but I’m going to be a selfish bastard and take it. Because I’ve been dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-c-lynn/i-know-i-don-t-deserve-this-he-says-roughly-but-i-m-going-to-be-a/) [K.C. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-c-lynn/) > [“In another Christmas story, Dale Pearson, evil developer, self-absorbed woman hater, and seemingly unredeemable curmudgeon, might be visited in the night by a series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/in-another-christmas-story-dale-pearson-evil-developer-self-absorbed/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Butane is the bastard gas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-hill/butane-is-the-bastard-gas/) [Hank Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-hill/) > [“You’re one cruel bastard,” she managed to get out. He tsked with his tongue. “Everyone says that.” Then he took hold of her chin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/you-re-one-cruel-bastard-she-managed-to-get-out-he-tsked-with-his/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [“Bastard had the bad manners to die before we were through talking to him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/bastard-had-the-bad-manners-to-die-before-we-were-through-talking-to/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [“You want to change the world? Now is your chance! Go show this bastard what you are made of!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-chu/you-want-to-change-the-world-now-is-your-chance-go-show-this-bastard/) [Wesley Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-chu/) > [“Yet Another reason to hate him. The bastard had broken her libido with his wonder penis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolette-day/yet-another-reason-to-hate-him-the-bastard-had-broken-her-libido-with/) Nicolette Day > [“Sometimes being a contrary bastard was a real pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/sometimes-being-a-contrary-bastard-was-a-real-pain/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [“Love is a heartless bastard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/love-is-a-heartless-bastard/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Bastard. Mother-crapping bastard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/bastard-mother-crapping-bastard/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) > [The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/the-object-of-war-is-not-to-die-for-your-country-but-to-make-the/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [“You going to finish beating yourself up soon? Because I've got a lot of work to catch up on, seeing as I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-going-to-finish-beating-yourself-up-soon-because-i-ve-got-a-lot/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Bastard children were born from lust and lies, men said; their nature was wanton and treacherous." — Jon Snow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/bastard-children-were-born-from-lust-and-lies-men-said-their-nature/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“That rotten bastard had let his dick ruin our family, and I was going to cut it off and stick it in my neighbor’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-foor/that-rotten-bastard-had-let-his-dick-ruin-our-family-and-i-was-going/) [Jennifer Foor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-foor/) > [“I’m lucky yes I am don’t argue I’m the luckiest bastard in the world. And: how wonderful it was to have before him the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-lucky-yes-i-am-don-t-argue-i-m-the-luckiest-bastard-in-the-world/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) Browse all 151 Bastard quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you write a book that's as powerful and successful as 'Bastard,' there's a strong desire to prove there's something else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy Allison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-and-successful-as-bastard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bastard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-and-successful-as-bastard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/dorothy-allison-2041_bastard_if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-a_1171094.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/dorothy-allison-2041_bastard_if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-a_1171094.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/dorothy-allison-2041_bastard_if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-a_1171094.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you write a book that's as powerful and successful as 'Bastard,' there's a strong desire to prove there's…” — Dorothy Allison", "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": "Dorothy Allison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you write a book that's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-and-successful-as-bastard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/if-you-write-a-book-that-s-as-powerful-and-successful-as-bastard/#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 } } ] } ```