--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can start with the idea of taking until…" description: "\"I can start with the idea of taking until you can take off, through the idea that all of my writing foregrounds the idea of how I'm taking from my own ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/douglas-a-martin-46139_circumstances_i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-unti_2832822.jpg" --- # I can start with the idea of taking until you can take… ![“I can start with the idea of taking until you can take off, through the idea that all of my writing foregrounds the idea of how I'm taking from my own life. I'm stealing from my own life in a way, and from the people around me, but in service of getting somewhere else. I'm starting with an…” quote by Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/douglas-a-martin-46139_circumstances_i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-unti_2832822.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/douglas-a-martin-46139_circumstances_i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-unti_2832822.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/douglas-a-martin-46139_circumstances_i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-unti_2832822.jpg) > “I can start with the idea of taking until you can take off, through the idea that all of my writing foregrounds the idea of how I'm taking from my own life. I'm stealing from my own life in a way, and from the people around me, but in service of getting somewhere else. I'm starting with an autobiographical impulse, to get a better vantage on the circumstances of the life that I happen to be in at the moment and how that life connects to others.” [Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author uses personal experience as raw material, transforming life events into narrative to gain perspective and connect with others. **In simple terms:** Writing draws from one's own life to understand and relate to the world. Key Takeaway Use personal stories to illuminate broader truths. Themes autobiography creativity self‑reflection Mood introspective thoughtful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - journaling - fiction writing - public speaking - teaching Key Concepts narrative perspective empathy Questions to Reflect On - How does your life inform your art? - What can you learn from others' stories? A Different Perspective Personal anecdotes may not resonate universally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [It is a little remarkable, that - though disinclined to talk overmuch of myself and my affairs at the fireside, and to my personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/it-is-a-little-remarkable-that-though-disinclined-to-talk-overmuch-of/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Everyone has an idea, but it’s taking those first steps toward turning that idea into a reality that are always the toughest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/everyone-has-an-idea-but-it-s-taking-those-first-steps-toward-turning/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [“is a little remarkable, that—though disinclined to talk overmuch of myself and my affairs at the fireside, and to my personal friends—an autobiographical impulse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/is-a-little-remarkable-that-though-disinclined-to-talk-overmuch-of/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Raise $500 for a thing you care about because you actually get the experience of taking an idea and actually doing it. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/raise-500-for-a-thing-you-care-about-because-you-actually-get-the/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I love taking an idea... to a prototype and then to a product that millions of people use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wojcicki/i-love-taking-an-idea-to-a-prototype-and-then-to-a-product-that/) [Susan Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wojcicki/) > [“Become a thought leader by taking an idea, belief, or process and turning it inside-out and upside-down. Bust beyond the box and shatter a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/become-a-thought-leader-by-taking-an-idea-belief-or-process-and/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [We tend to disempower ourselves. We tend to believe that we don’t matter. And in the act of taking that idea to ourselves we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-tend-to-disempower-ourselves-we-tend-to-believe-that-we-don-t/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The simple joy of taking an idea into one's own hands and giving it proper form, that's exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nelson/the-simple-joy-of-taking-an-idea-into-one-s-own-hands-and-giving-it/) [George Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nelson/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [A warrior, or any man for that matter, cannot possibly wish he were somewhere else; a warrior because he lives by challenge, an ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/a-warrior-or-any-man-for-that-matter-cannot-possibly-wish-he-were/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [I want the paintings to take me or the viewer out somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-schnabel/i-want-the-paintings-to-take-me-or-the-viewer-out-somewhere-else/) [Julian Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-schnabel/) > [I would have done anything for him. Maybe that was my sickness. We made love in nothing places and turned the lights off. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-would-have-done-anything-for-him-maybe-that-was-my-sickness-we-made/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I hate this feeling. Like Im here. But, Im not. Like someone cares. But, they dont. Like I belong somewhere else, anywhere but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-this-feeling-like-im-here-but-im-not-like-someone-cares-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone in California is from somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wright-morris/everyone-in-california-is-from-somewhere-else/) [Wright Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wright-morris/) > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/silent-like-sleep-you-appear-by-my-side-silent-like-sleep-soft-hair-a/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) ## More by Douglas A. Martin > [If you're reading a book that I've written in the first person, without named characters, you will periodically perhaps as a reader remind yourself:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/if-you-re-reading-a-book-that-i-ve-written-in-the-first-person/) [Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) > [I'm always writing a new book even when books are being shopped around, and none of my books has been published in the order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/i-m-always-writing-a-new-book-even-when-books-are-being-shopped/) [Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) > [I think Stephen Crane too becomes trapped in a myth that poetry should be operating at a certain level, that there's the real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/i-think-stephen-crane-too-becomes-trapped-in-a-myth-that-poetry/) [Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) > [William Faulkner was the master of what one must do to be serious. But I don't understand why people haven't moved forward from that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/william-faulkner-was-the-master-of-what-one-must-do-to-be-serious-but/) [Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) > [I say sometimes that I'm a poet but I work in the novel form. That's what I do. That's what makes sense to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/i-say-sometimes-that-i-m-a-poet-but-i-work-in-the-novel-form-that-s/) [Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) > [As a gay writer and someone who began by writing autobiographical fiction, it's hard to get away from chatter of "You're just a narcissist,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/as-a-gay-writer-and-someone-who-began-by-writing-autobiographical/) [Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) > [I'm writing as I'm reading. I'm constantly already engaged in dialogue with the critics. None of these are my ideas solely. They are my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/i-m-writing-as-i-m-reading-i-m-constantly-already-engaged-in-dialogue/) [Douglas A. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) [Explore all 8 Douglas A. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/) ## More Circumstances quotes > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“The set of circumstances that justifies the use of deadly force is a situation of immediate danger of death or great bodily harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massad-ayoob/the-set-of-circumstances-that-justifies-the-use-of-deadly-force-is-a/) [Massad Ayoob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massad-ayoob/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [It's impossible to know who Donald might have been under different circumstances and with different parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/it-s-impossible-to-know-who-donald-might-have-been-under-different/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [When we watch a play under the standard circumstances, we've lost volition and time is passing. A still play feels like an existential threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/when-we-watch-a-play-under-the-standard-circumstances-we-ve-lost/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [Being positive helps you to keep away negative thoughts. And helps you to stand in adverse circumstances with the hope that in the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/being-positive-helps-you-to-keep-away-negative-thoughts-and-helps-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-don-t-think-you-would-have-missed-that-putt-but-in-these/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-i-could-shape-the-circumstances-around-me-but-now-i/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 4,560 Circumstances quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can start with the idea of taking until you can take off, through the idea that all of my writing foregrounds the idea of how I'm taking from my own life. I'm stealing from my own life in a way, and from the people around me, but in service of getting somewhere else. I'm starting with an autobiographical impulse, to get a better vantage on the circumstances of the life that I happen to be in at the moment and how that life connects to others.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas A. Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-until-you-can-take-off-through/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Circumstances" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-until-you-can-take-off-through/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/douglas-a-martin-46139_circumstances_i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-unti_2832822.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/douglas-a-martin-46139_circumstances_i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-unti_2832822.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/douglas-a-martin-46139_circumstances_i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-unti_2832822.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can start with the idea of taking until you can take off, through the idea that all of my writing…” — Douglas A. Martin", "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": "Douglas A. Martin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-a-martin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can start with the idea...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-until-you-can-take-off-through/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-a-martin/i-can-start-with-the-idea-of-taking-until-you-can-take-off-through/#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 } } ] } ```