--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a writer. I'm moonlighting on…" description: "\"I'm a writer. I'm moonlighting on television. I never made any pretensions to that. As much as I like being on 'Real Sports,' I have been a writer sinc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/frank-deford-3856_first-love_i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-televis_1116228.png" --- # I'm a writer. I'm moonlighting on television. I never made… ![“I'm a writer. I'm moonlighting on television. I never made any pretensions to that. As much as I like being on 'Real Sports,' I have been a writer since I was a little boy, and that's still my first love.” quote by Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/frank-deford-3856_first-love_i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-televis_1116228.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/frank-deford-3856_first-love_i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-televis_1116228.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/frank-deford-3856_first-love_i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-televis_1116228.png) > “I'm a writer. I'm moonlighting on television. I never made any pretensions to that. As much as I like being on 'Real Sports,' I have been a writer since I was a little boy, and that's still my first love.” [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A writer’s true passion remains writing, even while working in another medium for income. **In simple terms:** Writing is his first love despite TV work. Key Takeaway Prioritize your core passion. Themes creativity career passion Mood reflective determined Type personal professional When to use this quote - freelance writing - TV production - side gigs - career transitions Key Concepts identity artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep your writing voice authentic while moonlighting? - What boundaries protect your creative core? A Different Perspective Balancing multiple roles can dilute focus on primary craft. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-love/) [Little Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-boy/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Moonlighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moonlighting-1584982/) [Moonlighting Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moonlighting-television-2997810/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Sports Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports-writer-1671747/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Moonlighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-moonlighting-2997809/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Believe it or not, I worked four summers in college as a sports writer covering baseball for a parks and rec department in Bayonne,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/believe-it-or-not-i-worked-four-summers-in-college-as-a-sports-writer/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [My dad was a sports writer when I was younger and then he became just a general columnist. But I grew up with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/my-dad-was-a-sports-writer-when-i-was-younger-and-then-he-became-just/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [It's a little bit in the genes because my brother is a journalist and my father was a sports writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/it-s-a-little-bit-in-the-genes-because-my-brother-is-a-journalist-and/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [If I could have married my wife and been a sports writer for the past 30 years, I wouldn't be sitting here - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/if-i-could-have-married-my-wife-and-been-a-sports-writer-for-the-past/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I like the job I have, but if I had to live my life over again, I would like to have ended up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-like-the-job-i-have-but-if-i-had-to-live-my-life-over-again-i-would/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“I earned a mater's degree in journalism and took the first job offered, as a sports writer. Instead of chasing my own fame, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-earned-a-mater-s-degree-in-journalism-and-took-the-first-job/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I could never be a sports writer, unless my assignment was to write 'sports sports sports sports sports' for three pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-boyle/i-could-never-be-a-sports-writer-unless-my-assignment-was-to-write/) [Megan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-boyle/) > [One of my first jobs was at the Boston Globe. I worked in the sports department six months a year. When I was ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcdonough/one-of-my-first-jobs-was-at-the-boston-globe-i-worked-in-the-sports/) [Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcdonough/) > [A sports writer who covers baseball could go up to Tony La Russa and have a real baseball argument, and Tony would listen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cowherd/a-sports-writer-who-covers-baseball-could-go-up-to-tony-la-russa-and/) [Colin Cowherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cowherd/) > [It is fun to think about your pet moonlighting as a water delivery man, or a bouncer at a bar. Thinking about your dog…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stonestreet/it-is-fun-to-think-about-your-pet-moonlighting-as-a-water-delivery/) [Eric Stonestreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stonestreet/) > [Even when I became the editor of 'Vogue' - America, I kept moonlighting for a garment store.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mcfadden/even-when-i-became-the-editor-of-vogue-america-i-kept-moonlighting/) [Mary McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mcfadden/) > [The 'Moonlighting' tension of the couple that obviously never can get together, there's an innate sort of fun and tension in that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-katims/the-moonlighting-tension-of-the-couple-that-obviously-never-can-get/) [Jason Katims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-katims/) > [Gosh, it's kind of like Moonlighting. Isn't it? -Donatello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/gosh-it-s-kind-of-like-moonlighting-isn-t-it-donatello/) [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/) > [I have a great team. A lot of my focus every day is with my television and film career, directing and producing, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-polson/i-have-a-great-team-a-lot-of-my-focus-every-day-is-with-my-television/) [John Polson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-polson/) > [Formerly when a man worked ten hours a day, it was called economic slavery; nowadays it is called moonlighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/formerly-when-a-man-worked-ten-hours-a-day-it-was-called-economic/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## More by Frank Deford > [Because I lost a daughter, eight years old, to cystic fibrosis, I think that anytime that I'm dealing with people who, like Andrea Yeager,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/because-i-lost-a-daughter-eight-years-old-to-cystic-fibrosis-i-think/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I never wanted to be an editor. I never wanted to be a boss. I just wanted to write, and it didn't make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-editor-i-never-wanted-to-be-a-boss-i-just/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [Dan Rather pulling on a sweater and thereby winning a whole new chunk of the populace: That's television. President Reagan's press conferences: That's television.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/dan-rather-pulling-on-a-sweater-and-thereby-winning-a-whole-new-chunk/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I am something of a ham. Yeah, I'd always been a writer. But in high school, I acted in plays. So it wasn't as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-am-something-of-a-ham-yeah-i-d-always-been-a-writer-but-in-high/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I think the four major leagues ought to set up a joint commission - say, of retired judges - to rule on athletes who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-think-the-four-major-leagues-ought-to-set-up-a-joint-commission-say/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [If I'd grown up in Sao Paulo, I'm sure I would've been a great soccer fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/if-i-d-grown-up-in-sao-paulo-i-m-sure-i-would-ve-been-a-great-soccer/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [The dollar is a winner. The euro is a tie. Get off the dime, Europe, and play to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/the-dollar-is-a-winner-the-euro-is-a-tie-get-off-the-dime-europe-and/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I grew up in Baltimore and that's why I root for the Orioles. I'm very suspicious of people who move and take on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-grew-up-in-baltimore-and-that-s-why-i-root-for-the-orioles-i-m-very/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I remember one time I wrote something very, very critical about Wilt Chamberlain. The next time I saw him - and Wilt was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-remember-one-time-i-wrote-something-very-very-critical-about-wilt/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [If the players aren't getting paid, there's something terribly, terribly wrong, and that's true only in the United States. Everywhere else, where money is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/if-the-players-aren-t-getting-paid-there-s-something-terribly/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [Johnny U was an American original, a piece of work like none other, excepting maybe Paul Bunyan and Horatio Alger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/johnny-u-was-an-american-original-a-piece-of-work-like-none-other/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [If there ever was an 'America's team,' it would be itty-bitty, little Green Bay, stuck way up there somewhere, owned by the salt-of-the-Earth citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/if-there-ever-was-an-america-s-team-it-would-be-itty-bitty-little/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [That's the greatest compliment I can get: when somebody from Key West says, 'Hey, Bubba.' That means I'm in!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/that-s-the-greatest-compliment-i-can-get-when-somebody-from-key-west/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [To see the glory in sport, where somebody comes from behind and does something, sinks a shot in the last second or throws a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/to-see-the-glory-in-sport-where-somebody-comes-from-behind-and-does/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [When Juan Antonio Samaranch said the Olympics are more important than the Catholic Church, I just couldn't believe it. I said to myself, 'Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/when-juan-antonio-samaranch-said-the-olympics-are-more-important-than/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) [Explore all 120 Frank Deford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) ## More First love quotes > [“It was December, I had never felt so cold, the eel soup lay heavy on my stomach, I was afraid I'd die, I turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-was-december-i-had-never-felt-so-cold-the-eel-soup-lay-heavy-on-my/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“Lord I come before you, I repent all my sins; forgive me. I repent on behalf of my children forgive them Lord. Help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/lord-i-come-before-you-i-repent-all-my-sins-forgive-me-i-repent-on/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Love is the Key started in 1994 with a simple idea: that Love is the Key that would open all the doors in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-is-the-key/love-is-the-key-started-in-1994-with-a-simple-idea-that-love-is-the/) [Love Is The Key®](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/love-is-the-key/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [“First love is stripping down everything to essential truths, setting aside your fears and doubts and seeing who you are in someone else's eyes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-thurlow/first-love-is-stripping-down-everything-to-essential-truths-setting/) [Chloe Thurlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-thurlow/) > [I don't want to be like Romeo & juliet, Prince Charming and Cinderella, or even Ken and Barbie..I want to make a story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-be-like-romeo-juliet-prince-charming-and-cinderella/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [We blacks were the first people embracing Obama, long before the people at expensive fundraisers were supporting him. We gave him his first love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-blacks-were-the-first-people-embracing-obama-long-before-the/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [When I first did theatre, I was always doing comedies; it was always my first love. But it wasn't what I was picked for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/when-i-first-did-theatre-i-was-always-doing-comedies-it-was-always-my/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [“When the first time I saw you, when you have been totally stranger, suddenly, somehow everything completely disappeared and I realized that I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rati-tsiteladze/when-the-first-time-i-saw-you-when-you-have-been-totally-stranger/) [Rati Tsiteladze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rati-tsiteladze/) > [Your EX < Me > your next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-ex-me-your-next/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Follow your heart, but don't leave your brain behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-van-zyl/follow-your-heart-but-don-t-leave-your-brain-behind/) [Matthew Van Zyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-van-zyl/) > [Mourning your first love is as important as meeting your first love. It's the whole cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-anderson/mourning-your-first-love-is-as-important-as-meeting-your-first-love/) [Jane Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-anderson/) [Browse all 1,440 First love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a writer. I'm moonlighting on television. I never made any pretensions to that. As much as I like being on 'Real Sports,' I have been a writer since I was a little boy, and that's still my first love.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank Deford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-television-i-never-made-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "First love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-television-i-never-made-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/frank-deford-3856_first-love_i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-televis_1116228.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/frank-deford-3856_first-love_i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-televis_1116228.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/frank-deford-3856_first-love_i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-televis_1116228.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a writer. I'm moonlighting on television. I never made any pretensions to that. As much as I like being…” — Frank Deford", "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": "Frank Deford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a writer. I'm moonlighting on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-television-i-never-made-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-m-a-writer-i-m-moonlighting-on-television-i-never-made-any/#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 } } ] } ```