--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a nice part at big newspapers…" description: "\"I had a nice part at big newspapers, small newspapers, and then I went to a very big newspaper - 'The Wall Street Journal.' I wrote longer pieces, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/erik-larson-1710_big-news_i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-smal_904503.jpg" --- # I had a nice part at big newspapers, small newspapers, and… ![“I had a nice part at big newspapers, small newspapers, and then I went to a very big newspaper - 'The Wall Street Journal.' I wrote longer pieces, and I got tired of working so hard on stories that had a shelf life of essentially one day. So then I started working on longer magazine pieces and…” quote by Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/erik-larson-1710_big-news_i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-smal_904503.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/erik-larson-1710_big-news_i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-smal_904503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/erik-larson-1710_big-news_i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-smal_904503.jpg) > “I had a nice part at big newspapers, small newspapers, and then I went to a very big newspaper - 'The Wall Street Journal.' I wrote longer pieces, and I got tired of working so hard on stories that had a shelf life of essentially one day. So then I started working on longer magazine pieces and realized then that you might as well be writing a book.” [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) ## 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 grew weary of short‑lived news pieces and shifted to longer, book‑like journalism for depth. **In simple terms:** Tired of brief news, he pursued longer writing. Key Takeaway Seek depth over immediacy. Themes journalism career writing depth Mood reflective analytical Type journalistic inspirational When to use this quote - magazine features - book projects - documentary work Key Concepts long‑form narrative media fatigue career evolution Questions to Reflect On - Why do we favor quick news? - How can writers balance depth with relevance? A Different Perspective Long‑form work demands more resources and patience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Shelf life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shelf-life/) [Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street/) [Tired Of Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired-of-work/) [Wall St](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-st/) [Wall street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-street/) [Writing a book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-a-book/) ## Related quotes > [“That thing that everyone talks about. That really big newspaper in the sky that came along and ruined everything else, blah blah blah.' Rosie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-colgan/that-thing-that-everyone-talks-about-that-really-big-newspaper-in-the/) [Jenny Colgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-colgan/) > [I work for a big newspaper, and I guess I'm an insider. I don't have the luxury of calling myself a foreign correspondent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-work-for-a-big-newspaper-and-i-guess-i-m-an-insider-i-don-t-have/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [The fact that we don't read more books in America can be traced squarely to the fact that we have newspapers that are about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-cerf/the-fact-that-we-don-t-read-more-books-in-america-can-be-traced/) [Bennett Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-cerf/) > [As far as the media is concerned, they ought to hate me. Before I came along, they had a monopoly. Before I came along,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/as-far-as-the-media-is-concerned-they-ought-to-hate-me-before-i-came/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We sort of read two or three big newspapers but we don't get the flavor of the local events, the local news as much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/we-sort-of-read-two-or-three-big-newspapers-but-we-don-t-get-the/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [I have known I wanted to be a writer since I was seven-years-old. Seriously. In the second grade I wrote a 21-page story and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-e-watson/i-have-known-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-since-i-was-seven-years-old/) [Renee Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-e-watson/) > [“Whenever he was unclear about some idea or emotion, uncertain in his perception of someone or vague about a memory, he sat to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carlos-blake/whenever-he-was-unclear-about-some-idea-or-emotion-uncertain-in-his/) [James Carlos Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carlos-blake/) > […Abe didn’t say a word. He made straight for his journal and wrote down a single sentence. One that would radically alter the course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/abe-didn-t-say-a-word-he-made-straight-for-his-journal-and-wrote-down/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“Cass sighed. She set the letter aside too. She'd never be able to send it anyway. Falco was gone. She might never see him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-paul/cass-sighed-she-set-the-letter-aside-too-she-d-never-be-able-to-send/) [Fiona Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-paul/) > [Sometimes I get a little tired of it. But you know, what a privilege, to get tired of working with Ingmar Bergman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-ullmann/sometimes-i-get-a-little-tired-of-it-but-you-know-what-a-privilege-to/) [Liv Ullmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-ullmann/) > [I'm a good person and I don't think I'll be left on my own. I don't know when I'll meet a man - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-m-a-good-person-and-i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-left-on-my-own-i-don-t/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [I was tired of working in an office and I wanted to make a living telling stories. There are not many people who find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-was-tired-of-working-in-an-office-and-i-wanted-to-make-a-living/) [Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/) > [ Hey, yo, Jason Say somethin' to her Holla at her I got one question How do you fit all that in them jeans? \[laughs\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hey-yo-jason-say-somethin-to-her-holla-at-her-i-got-one-question-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Retired is being tired twice, I've thought, first tired of working, then tired of not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armour/retired-is-being-tired-twice-i-ve-thought-first-tired-of-working-then/) [Richard Armour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armour/) > [Shit gets old . you get tired of working shit out , you get tired of giving chances . sometimes you just gotta let a mothefucker GO .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shit-gets-old-you-get-tired-of-working-shit-out-you-get-tired-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Erik Larson > [I've heard from the movie marketplace that James Cameron did such a killer job with 'Titanic' that it's almost impossible to do anything better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-ve-heard-from-the-movie-marketplace-that-james-cameron-did-such-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [As a rule, I am very skeptical of tying books to anniversaries. I don't think readers care. I also feel that it just about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/as-a-rule-i-am-very-skeptical-of-tying-books-to-anniversaries-i-don-t/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“look as if they had been plucked from the Palace of Versailles or a Jacobean mansion—that you were aboard a ship being propelled far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/look-as-if-they-had-been-plucked-from-the-palace-of-versailles-or-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [That's what I love about history - nuance. I don't believe in unalloyed heroes. Everyone's got warts, and everyone's got a surprise side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/that-s-what-i-love-about-history-nuance-i-don-t-believe-in-unalloyed/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Holmes was charming and gracious, but something about him made Belknap uneasy. He could not have defined it. Indeed, for the next several decades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/holmes-was-charming-and-gracious-but-something-about-him-made-belknap/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [. . . why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/why-some-men-choose-to-fill-their-brief-allotment-of-time-engaging/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“At present," he said, "I am responsible for conveying my associates to a place called Chicago. I understand it is somewhere in the hinterland.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/at-present-he-said-i-am-responsible-for-conveying-my-associates-to-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I knew from an online search that the Wisconsin State Historical Society, on the vast University of Wisconsin campus, held the papers of Sigrid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-knew-from-an-online-search-that-the-wisconsin-state-historical/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [Dodd continued to hope that the murders would so outrage the German public that the regime would fall, but as the days passed he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/dodd-continued-to-hope-that-the-murders-would-so-outrage-the-german/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I envy other writers who claim to have a backlog of books they'd like to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-envy-other-writers-who-claim-to-have-a-backlog-of-books-they-d-like/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [Trying to find ideas is the hardest part of my job. You'd think it would be the most fun. Just sitting around reading whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/trying-to-find-ideas-is-the-hardest-part-of-my-job-you-d-think-it/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Her blind endorsement of Hitler’s regime first faded to a kind of sympathetic skepticism, but as summer approached,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/her-blind-endorsement-of-hitler-s-regime-first-faded-to-a-kind-of/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Perhaps, Herr Ditzen, it is less important where one lives than how one lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/perhaps-herr-ditzen-it-is-less-important-where-one-lives-than-how-one/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I figured, correctly, that Berlin in February was not a destination coveted by tourists. I found good airfares on Lufthansa, an airline I quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-figured-correctly-that-berlin-in-february-was-not-a-destination/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“It was truly a transitional moment: There he was, at the cusp of the twentieth century, using the telephone to send a telegram.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/it-was-truly-a-transitional-moment-there-he-was-at-the-cusp-of-the/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) [Explore all 214 Erik Larson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) ## More Big news quotes > [“Booze and Your Boys Hoping to toast some big baby news soon? You might want to consider swapping your accustomed toasting beverage before that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-murkoff/booze-and-your-boys-hoping-to-toast-some-big-baby-news-soon-you-might/) [Heidi Murkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-murkoff/) > [“History, of course, makes a president big news and the assassination of one more so. However, I see men assassinated around me every day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/history-of-course-makes-a-president-big-news-and-the-assassination-of/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“C’mon, Barney,” said Lucy. “Can’t you give me something for the paper? A body in the water is big news.” Lowering his voice so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-meier/c-mon-barney-said-lucy-can-t-you-give-me-something-for-the-paper-a/) [Leslie Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-meier/) > [Big news from last night's Republican debate, you guys. It turns out George Bush was actually the smart Texas governor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/big-news-from-last-night-s-republican-debate-you-guys-it-turns-out/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [“What would you give to remember everything? I have this power. I absorb your memories; when you hear me, you relive them. A first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/what-would-you-give-to-remember-everything-i-have-this-power-i-absorb/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [The big news already broke. The file-sharing and all that stuff, it's a done deal. And I think figuring out how to make that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-phair/the-big-news-already-broke-the-file-sharing-and-all-that-stuff-it-s-a/) [Liz Phair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-phair/) > [You are very familiar with Western ways, but you are too young. You go everywhere to follow the big news, but the questions you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-zemin/you-are-very-familiar-with-western-ways-but-you-are-too-young-you-go/) [Jiang Zemin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-zemin/) > [It's gotten to the point where it's big news when I don't do a horror film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-pleasence/it-s-gotten-to-the-point-where-it-s-big-news-when-i-don-t-do-a-horror/) [Donald Pleasence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-pleasence/) > [I work for a big newspaper, and I guess I'm an insider. I don't have the luxury of calling myself a foreign correspondent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-work-for-a-big-newspaper-and-i-guess-i-m-an-insider-i-don-t-have/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I think the big news there - most post-menopausal women I know are not celibate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-simmons/i-think-the-big-news-there-most-post-menopausal-women-i-know-are-not/) [Laurie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-simmons/) > [There's even a feature on my website where you can translate messages into codes, so whenever I have any big news it goes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-nesbitt/there-s-even-a-feature-on-my-website-where-you-can-translate-messages/) [Nina Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-nesbitt/) > [“(...) I'm my very best self when I'm with him, but every day, I want him more than I need him. He taught me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-buchanan/i-m-my-very-best-self-when-i-m-with-him-but-every-day-i-want-him-more/) Daisy Buchanan > [The most important single thing about string theory is that it's a highly mathematical theory, and the mathematics holds together in a very tight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-susskind/the-most-important-single-thing-about-string-theory-is-that-it-s-a/) [Leonard Susskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-susskind/) > [“Doesn’t big news always leak before it’s meant to? Aren’t secrets usually spilled?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/doesn-t-big-news-always-leak-before-it-s-meant-to-aren-t-secrets/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Once youve got a name, whatever you do is news. If your marriage breaks up of course its big news but even if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-stein/once-youve-got-a-name-whatever-you-do-is-news-if-your-marriage-breaks/) [Rick Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-stein/) Browse all 50 Big news quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had a nice part at big newspapers, small newspapers, and then I went to a very big newspaper - 'The Wall Street Journal.' I wrote longer pieces, and I got tired of working so hard on stories that had a shelf life of essentially one day. So then I started working on longer magazine pieces and realized then that you might as well be writing a book.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erik Larson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-small-newspapers-and-then-i-went/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big news" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-small-newspapers-and-then-i-went/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/erik-larson-1710_big-news_i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-smal_904503.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/erik-larson-1710_big-news_i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-smal_904503.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/erik-larson-1710_big-news_i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-smal_904503.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had a nice part at big newspapers, small newspapers, and then I went to a very big newspaper - 'The Wall…” — Erik Larson", "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": "Erik Larson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had a nice part at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-small-newspapers-and-then-i-went/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-had-a-nice-part-at-big-newspapers-small-newspapers-and-then-i-went/#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 } } ] } ```