--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My purpose is to entertain and please…" description: "\"My purpose is to entertain and please myself. I feel that if I am entertained, then there will be enough other readers who will be entertained, too.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/elmore-leonard-3471_books_my-purpose-is-to-entertain-and-please-my_450748.jpg" --- # My purpose is to entertain and please myself. I feel that… ![“My purpose is to entertain and please myself. I feel that if I am entertained, then there will be enough other readers who will be entertained, too.” quote by Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/elmore-leonard-3471_books_my-purpose-is-to-entertain-and-please-my_450748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/elmore-leonard-3471_books_my-purpose-is-to-entertain-and-please-my_450748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/elmore-leonard-3471_books_my-purpose-is-to-entertain-and-please-my_450748.jpg) > “My purpose is to entertain and please myself. I feel that if I am entertained, then there will be enough other readers who will be entertained, too.” [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating work that entertains the creator ensures a genuine connection with the audience. **In simple terms:** Entertain yourself first. Key Takeaway Write for your own joy. Themes creativity self‑fulfillment audience engagement Mood reflective optimistic Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - novel writing - blogging - content creation Key Concepts literature psychology Questions to Reflect On - Do you enjoy your own work? - How do you gauge audience response? A Different Perspective Self‑indulgence can alienate readers if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [I have to be entertained by what I'm writing, so a lot of my stuff has a goofiness or scatological quality. If these characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rapp/i-have-to-be-entertained-by-what-i-m-writing-so-a-lot-of-my-stuff-has/) [Adam Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rapp/) > [Entertaining audiences is of prime priority for me. If they feel entertained, through that I get appreciation and my talent is therefore proved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babu-antony/entertaining-audiences-is-of-prime-priority-for-me-if-they-feel/) [Babu Antony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babu-antony/) > [Young readers have to be entertained. No child reads fiction because they think it's going to make them a better person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/young-readers-have-to-be-entertained-no-child-reads-fiction-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To me, art's highest purpose is to entertain, to enlighten, to inspire, to evoke emotion and to change an audience in some way, big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/to-me-art-s-highest-purpose-is-to-entertain-to-enlighten-to-inspire/) [Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/) > [My purpose is to entertain myself first and other people secondly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/my-purpose-is-to-entertain-myself-first-and-other-people-secondly/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Load up on guns, bring your friends It's fun to lose and to pretend She's over bored and self assured Oh no, I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirvana/load-up-on-guns-bring-your-friends-it-s-fun-to-lose-and-to-pretend/) [Nirvana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirvana/) > [Familiar life, tending to sordidness, had been succeeded by remote life, generally idealized; historical detail had been brought in to teach readers who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-clinton-van-doren/familiar-life-tending-to-sordidness-had-been-succeeded-by-remote-life/) [Carl Clinton Van Doren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-clinton-van-doren/) > [I want people to read them and enjoy the experience and feel entertained. A lot of the best stories revolve around strange people, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-bradford/i-want-people-to-read-them-and-enjoy-the-experience-and-feel/) [Arthur Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-bradford/) > [I love being entertained sure, but the movies that I live for, the movies that I buy and think about and stay in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-love-being-entertained-sure-but-the-movies-that-i-live-for-the/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [I like people to go away from a Queen show feeling fully entertained, having had a good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-like-people-to-go-away-from-a-queen-show-feeling-fully-entertained/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [We're here to entertain and I'm lucky that my style is suited to what people want and how people want to be entertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hooker/we-re-here-to-entertain-and-i-m-lucky-that-my-style-is-suited-to-what/) [Dan Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hooker/) > [I want to be entertained, so if I want to be entertained, I know if I'm going to play, I want to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-e/i-want-to-be-entertained-so-if-i-want-to-be-entertained-i-know-if-i-m/) [Sheila E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-e/) > [The main objective of our cinema is to entertain. If you can pass on a message at the same time, that is fantastic, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-bachchan/the-main-objective-of-our-cinema-is-to-entertain-if-you-can-pass-on-a/) [Abhishek Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-bachchan/) > [I do some things just to entertain myself, and I figure that part of the audience will be entertained as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/i-do-some-things-just-to-entertain-myself-and-i-figure-that-part-of/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [You have come to earth to entertain and to be entertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/you-have-come-to-earth-to-entertain-and-to-be-entertained/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) ## More by Elmore Leonard > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [These are rules I've picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/these-are-rules-i-ve-picked-up-along-the-way-to-help-me-remain/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“There’s something happening here, I know it. It’s right in front of my face, but I just can’t see it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/there-s-something-happening-here-i-know-it-it-s-right-in-front-of-my/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/the-line-of-dialogue-belongs-to-the-character-the-verb-is-the-writer/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-try-to-leave-out-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-have-fun-writing-i-don-t-make-it-a-chore-i-don-t-have-to-struggle/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/if-it-sounds-like-writing-i-rewrite-it-or-if-proper-usage-gets-in-the/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-don-t-think-writers-compete-i-think-they-re-all-doing-separate/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [After 58 years you'd think writing would get easier. It doesn't. If you're lucky, you become harder to please. That's all right, it's still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/after-58-years-you-d-think-writing-would-get-easier-it-doesn-t-if-you/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“He saw Harvey and Edgar catch each other's eye as he looked off toward the strains of "Alley Cat," Jesus, hoping they'd rush it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/he-saw-harvey-and-edgar-catch-each-other-s-eye-as-he-looked-off/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-m-not-going-to-write-for-posterity-i-m-going-to-write-to-make-a-buck/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“A wife's faithful to her husband, subject to him. It's in the bible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/a-wife-s-faithful-to-her-husband-subject-to-him-it-s-in-the-bible/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Using adverbs is a mortal sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/using-adverbs-is-a-mortal-sin/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Try not to write the parts that people skip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/try-not-to-write-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-want-the-reader-to-know-what-s-going-on-so-there-s-never-a-mystery/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) [Explore all 130 Elmore Leonard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## 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": "My purpose is to entertain and please myself. 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