--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know well enough that very few people…" description: "\"I know well enough that very few people who are supposedly interested in writing are interested in writing well. They are interested in publishing some..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/flannery-o-connor-639_enough_i-know-well-enough-that-very-few-people_2194625.jpg" --- # I know well enough that very few people who are supposedly… ![“I know well enough that very few people who are supposedly interested in writing are interested in writing well. They are interested in publishing something, and if possible in making a "killing." They are interested in being a writer not in writing. . . If this is what you are interested in, I am…” quote by Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/flannery-o-connor-639_enough_i-know-well-enough-that-very-few-people_2194625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/flannery-o-connor-639_enough_i-know-well-enough-that-very-few-people_2194625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/flannery-o-connor-639_enough_i-know-well-enough-that-very-few-people_2194625.jpg) > “I know well enough that very few people who are supposedly interested in writing are interested in writing well. They are interested in publishing something, and if possible in making a "killing." They are interested in being a writer not in writing. . . If this is what you are interested in, I am not going to be much use to you.” [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many claim to want to write, but their focus is on fame or profit rather than craft. **In simple terms:** People often chase fame over writing quality. Key Takeaway Prioritize craft over accolades. Themes authenticity writing motivation Mood thoughtful critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - publishing - creative workshops - career decisions Key Concepts Literary integrity commercial pressure self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - What drives your writing? - How do you define success? A Different Perspective Success can be measured by impact, not income. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-well/) ## Related quotes > [I have things that I'm interested in, and I'm not really interested in writing about anything that I'm not interested in. But it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-have-things-that-i-m-interested-in-and-i-m-not-really-interested-in/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I think the Internet gives too much for a young artist to compare themselves too. I'm not sure that "notes" or "likes" are what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-prince/i-think-the-internet-gives-too-much-for-a-young-artist-to-compare/) [Liz Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-prince/) > [There's the public self that we present to the outer world. There's the private self, which maybe takes more time to access. But ultimately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/there-s-the-public-self-that-we-present-to-the-outer-world-there-s/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [I was always interested in being a writer. Yet, at the time, it somehow seemed more unfeasible to be a writer than a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/i-was-always-interested-in-being-a-writer-yet-at-the-time-it-somehow/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) > [I think I am the most impressed with writing styles that defy category, like Kharms or Selby, Breton or Jarry, where you become as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-think-i-am-the-most-impressed-with-writing-styles-that-defy/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [ The story he \[Todd Willingham\] told me was this: He woke up to a fire. He ran out of the house and couldn't run… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-story-he-todd-willingham-told-me-was-this-he-woke-up-to-a-fire-he/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Probably above all other things, I am interested as a writer in making a connection, interested in the parts of all of us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/probably-above-all-other-things-i-am-interested-as-a-writer-in-making/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [As a rule, I think people in L.A. are interested in any writer who brings a different skill set and experiences. There's an attraction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovett/as-a-rule-i-think-people-in-l-a-are-interested-in-any-writer-who/) [Jon Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovett/) > [I prefer to surprise myself as I'm writing. I'm not interested in it if I already know where it's going. 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They're](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/the-studios-don-t-seem-to-foster-good-writing-they-re-not-so-2/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [While writing, you are more interested in seeing what happens with you in the process, because all that writing is just you sorting through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oz-perkins/while-writing-you-are-more-interested-in-seeing-what-happens-with-you/) Oz Perkins > [The studios don't seem to foster good writing. They're not so interested in that, but they're more interested in what worked most recently. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/the-studios-don-t-seem-to-foster-good-writing-they-re-not-so/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [I don't eschew autobiographical writing, but I'm not interested in mine to be so straightforward. 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She thought the word Jesus should be kept inside the church building like other words inside the bedroom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/mrs-may-winced-she-thought-the-word-jesus-should-be-kept-inside-the/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [I feel that discussing story-writing in terms of plot, character, and theme is like trying to describe the expression on a face by saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/i-feel-that-discussing-story-writing-in-terms-of-plot-character-and/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [She had observed that the more education they got, the less they could do. 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