--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I resisted children's writing for a long…" description: "\"I resisted children's writing for a long time. I saw myself as a writer of literary fiction. But I had so much more fun writing kids' books.\" — Ellen P..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/ellen-potter-22965_books_i-resisted-children-s-writing-for-a-long_1759398.jpg" --- # I resisted children's writing for a long time. I saw… ![“I resisted children's writing for a long time. I saw myself as a writer of literary fiction. But I had so much more fun writing kids' books.” quote by Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/ellen-potter-22965_books_i-resisted-children-s-writing-for-a-long_1759398.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/ellen-potter-22965_books_i-resisted-children-s-writing-for-a-long_1759398.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/ellen-potter-22965_books_i-resisted-children-s-writing-for-a-long_1759398.jpg) > “I resisted children's writing for a long time. I saw myself as a writer of literary fiction. But I had so much more fun writing kids' books.” [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She resisted writing for children, seeing herself as a literary author, yet found greater joy in kids’ books. **In simple terms:** Writing for children can be more enjoyable than expected. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected creative paths. Themes creativity genre joy expectation Mood inspired confident Type career advice When to use this quote - writing workshops - career counseling - literary festivals - reading groups Key Concepts career development creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - What fears hold you back from new genres? - How can you honor both literary and children's writing? A Different Perspective Changing genre may risk losing literary reputation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Literary fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-fiction/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Being a writer of 'literary fiction' means going on and on about something long after the reader has gotten the idea. ...Dan Ahearn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ahearn/being-a-writer-of-literary-fiction-means-going-on-and-on-about/) [Dan Ahearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ahearn/) > [No one in the modern world is more lonely than the writer with a literary conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/no-one-in-the-modern-world-is-more-lonely-than-the-writer-with-a/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [If what you write is true, it will not be so because of what you are as a writer but because of what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-riding/if-what-you-write-is-true-it-will-not-be-so-because-of-what-you-are/) [Laura Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-riding/) > [I hope I'm not just looked as a writer that is popular but as a writer of literary value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-hope-i-m-not-just-looked-as-a-writer-that-is-popular-but-as-a/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [“Those who write for children, or at least those who write best for children, are not child-like or immature, but they do remember with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/those-who-write-for-children-or-at-least-those-who-write-best-for/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [For children: I'm writing a picture book about the Big Dipper and a novel about a cricket, a firefly and a vole. For grownups:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/for-children-i-m-writing-a-picture-book-about-the-big-dipper-and-a/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [When I was writing for children, I was writing genre fiction. It was like making a good chair. It needed four legs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/when-i-was-writing-for-children-i-was-writing-genre-fiction-it-was-2/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [“My books are inspired by children - sometimes my own. My writing is powered by chocolate - not always my own!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cas-lester/my-books-are-inspired-by-children-sometimes-my-own-my-writing-is/) Cas Lester > [More than this, I believe that the only lastingly important form of writing is writing for children. It is writing that is carried in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-hartnett/more-than-this-i-believe-that-the-only-lastingly-important-form-of/) [Sonya Hartnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-hartnett/) > [Perhaps I write for no one. Perhaps for the same person children are writing for when they scrawl their names in the snow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/perhaps-i-write-for-no-one-perhaps-for-the-same-person-children-are/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I enjoy writing for both kids and adults, though I think I'm better at children's stories because I was a teacher for so long,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-enjoy-writing-for-both-kids-and-adults-though-i-think-i-m-better-at/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [To me, this is one of the great things about writing kids' books: the illustrations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/to-me-this-is-one-of-the-great-things-about-writing-kids-books-the/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [I made the choice not to have children, so I can spend my days just writing; there are no kids demanding my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/i-made-the-choice-not-to-have-children-so-i-can-spend-my-days-just/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [Dramatic reading and writing for kids can open a window to individuality and to expression that nothing else does, because all of a sudden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-walton-hamilton/dramatic-reading-and-writing-for-kids-can-open-a-window-to/) [Emma Walton Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-walton-hamilton/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## More by Ellen Potter > [I've reread 'The Secret Garden' every year as an adult. I have a battered copy on my bookshelf - it's really quite a mess!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-ve-reread-the-secret-garden-every-year-as-an-adult-i-have-a/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [I don't plot my novels - I move along with my characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-don-t-plot-my-novels-i-move-along-with-my-characters/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [“Hocus Pocus let's try to focus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/hocus-pocus-let-s-try-to-focus/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [“Then she probably would have waved back," Max said. "And it might be a he." "Ha! Not likely," Lucia said. "Didn't you notice them?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/then-she-probably-would-have-waved-back-max-said-and-it-might-be-a-he/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [“Rubbish," Max said. "Anyone can put on clumpy boots and pierce themselves silly. A truly dangerous person would be someone you'd never even look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/rubbish-max-said-anyone-can-put-on-clumpy-boots-and-pierce-themselves/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [I pretty much always knew I wanted to be a writer. I was writing goofy stories when I was 7 or 8. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-pretty-much-always-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-i-was-writing-goofy/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [Books are such quiet things - created in silence, read in silence - yet publishing a book has become a very noisy business. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/books-are-such-quiet-things-created-in-silence-read-in-silence-yet/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [“It was the right and responsible thing to do, so they put it off until later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/it-was-the-right-and-responsible-thing-to-do-so-they-put-it-off-until/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [Memory, in my opinion, is a complete noodle. It hangs on the silliest things but forgets the stuff that really matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/memory-in-my-opinion-is-a-complete-noodle-it-hangs-on-the-silliest/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [“Then Lucia said, "So what do we do now?" "Nothing," Otto said. "Things will go on as just they always have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/then-lucia-said-so-what-do-we-do-now-nothing-otto-said-things-will-go/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [I write about two hours a day, and I write in fits and spurts - 45 minutes here, a half-hour there - and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-write-about-two-hours-a-day-and-i-write-in-fits-and-spurts-45/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [All great adventures have moments that are really crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/all-great-adventures-have-moments-that-are-really-crap/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [“Careful, she bites.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/careful-she-bites/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [Give that man a Pixy Stix," Haddie said. "A what?" Lucia asked. "Hold on." She left then returned a moment later with a handful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/give-that-man-a-pixy-stix-haddie-said-a-what-lucia-asked-hold-on-she/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [I had a blog where I tried to be transparent while giving away nothing. I tweeted and Facebooked badly. As a writer, your 'voice'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-had-a-blog-where-i-tried-to-be-transparent-while-giving-away/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) [Explore all 26 Ellen Potter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) ## More Books 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/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [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/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [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/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [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/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I resisted children's writing for a long time. I saw myself as a writer of literary fiction. 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