--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You're writing for some version of…" description: "\"You're writing for some version of yourself. You're writing the kinds of things that you like to read or wanted to read at a certain point. So, primari..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/gary-giddins-25694_criticism_you-re-writing-for-some-version-of-yours_416627.jpg" --- # You're writing for some version of yourself. You're… ![“You're writing for some version of yourself. You're writing the kinds of things that you like to read or wanted to read at a certain point. So, primarily for most of my career, I've written the kind of criticism that fascinates me. The things I discovered the things that get me going, that I'm…” quote by Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/gary-giddins-25694_criticism_you-re-writing-for-some-version-of-yours_416627.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/gary-giddins-25694_criticism_you-re-writing-for-some-version-of-yours_416627.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/gary-giddins-25694_criticism_you-re-writing-for-some-version-of-yours_416627.jpg) > “You're writing for some version of yourself. You're writing the kinds of things that you like to read or wanted to read at a certain point. So, primarily for most of my career, I've written the kind of criticism that fascinates me. The things I discovered the things that get me going, that I'm excited about.” [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers create work that reflects their personal interests and passions. **In simple terms:** Write what you love to read. Key Takeaway Follow your literary passions. Themes creativity self‑reflection authorship Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - book reviews - personal essays - music criticism Key Concepts personal taste critical voice artistic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What topics ignite your curiosity? - How do you balance personal taste with audience expectations? A Different Perspective Personal bias may limit audience reach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Version Of Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/version-of-yourself/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [For the kind of places I've written for and the kind of writing that I've done, the general way to think about your audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-menand/for-the-kind-of-places-i-ve-written-for-and-the-kind-of-writing-that/) [Louis Menand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-menand/) > [I end up writing about all kinds of things. I never make an attempt to write about anything in particular. I don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/i-end-up-writing-about-all-kinds-of-things-i-never-make-an-attempt-to/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [The older I get, the more interest I have in writing other kinds of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/the-older-i-get-the-more-interest-i-have-in-writing-other-kinds-of/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [I have a reputation for writing all kinds of hard-core, violent things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-azzarello/i-have-a-reputation-for-writing-all-kinds-of-hard-core-violent-things/) [Brian Azzarello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-azzarello/) > [The writings are often written in a kind of exhaustion or delirium, I try very hard not to censor myself, to be as honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-magid/the-writings-are-often-written-in-a-kind-of-exhaustion-or-delirium-i/) [Jill Magid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-magid/) > [Sometimes what I'm looking for is the thing that will help renew people's interest in a writer that they may have written off as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-agata/sometimes-what-i-m-looking-for-is-the-thing-that-will-help-renew/) [John D'Agata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-agata/) > [Even my colleagues don't read classic criticism. And my feeling is that if you don't do that then you're not really practicing your craft.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/even-my-colleagues-don-t-read-classic-criticism-and-my-feeling-is/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [Do you. Just focus on being the best version of yourself that you can be every day, and don't compare yourself to anyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-martinez/do-you-just-focus-on-being-the-best-version-of-yourself-that-you-can/) [Angie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-martinez/) > [People often think that you get the most of everything from having your face on the screen but its really, like musicians, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derren-brown/people-often-think-that-you-get-the-most-of-everything-from-having/) [Derren Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derren-brown/) > [“As you become the best version of yourself you will disappoint a lot of people who were expecting you to remain the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/as-you-become-the-best-version-of-yourself-you-will-disappoint-a-lot/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Be true to yourself. But that's something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/be-true-to-yourself-but-that-s-something-everyone-says-and-no-one/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [Always be a first-rate version of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/always-be-a-first-rate-version-of-yourself/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [It's exhausting trying to impress someone and be a version of yourself that might be attractive to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/it-s-exhausting-trying-to-impress-someone-and-be-a-version-of/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [“...I'd be interested in any tips you have for somebody starting out.” “Uh-huh,” I said, looking out the window. I decided, as we drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-d-be-interested-in-any-tips-you-have-for-somebody-starting-out-uh/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [It’s about getting to a point in your life where you’re ready to let go and move on and become the better version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-leto/it-s-about-getting-to-a-point-in-your-life-where-you-re-ready-to-let/) [Jared Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-leto/) ## More by Gary Giddins > [Even my colleagues don't read classic criticism. And my feeling is that if you don't do that then you're not really practicing your craft.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/even-my-colleagues-don-t-read-classic-criticism-and-my-feeling-is/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [I'm a critic. That means you are a writer. So, yes, you have to make yourself an authority on whatever subject it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/i-m-a-critic-that-means-you-are-a-writer-so-yes-you-have-to-make/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [One of the things I always underscore when I teach criticism is that young critics, or would be critics, frequently have this illusion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/one-of-the-things-i-always-underscore-when-i-teach-criticism-is-that/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [Writing style is something is a consequence of who you are. I think that I had a certain propensity for a style that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/writing-style-is-something-is-a-consequence-of-who-you-are-i-think/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [I think all of us begin as writers. I wanted to be a writer from the time I as eight, long before I heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/i-think-all-of-us-begin-as-writers-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-from-the/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [Humility is a very important trait in a critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/humility-is-a-very-important-trait-in-a-critic/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [People should not feel intimidated by received wisdom. You have to discover it yourself. If I tell you that Armstrong is great, it's meaningless;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/people-should-not-feel-intimidated-by-received-wisdom-you-have-to/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [I hate the idea of turning jazz into homework assignments. I would never have a quiz saying, "Who's the clarinetist on the Hot Five?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/i-hate-the-idea-of-turning-jazz-into-homework-assignments-i-would/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [Jazz is for joy. It's for euphoria, it's for emotion, and anguish, and excitement, and all of the joys that great art can produce,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/jazz-is-for-joy-it-s-for-euphoria-it-s-for-emotion-and-anguish-and/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [Bing Crosby said that Armstrong is "the beginning and the end of music in America," and he wasn't far wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/bing-crosby-said-that-armstrong-is-the-beginning-and-the-end-of-music/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [Nobody knows where jazz is going, because nobody has ever known where jazz was going. I mean, you couldn't possibly predict the Swing Era…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/nobody-knows-where-jazz-is-going-because-nobody-has-ever-known-where/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [When I teach criticism, the first thing I say, and this sometimes pisses off younger - I mean, students, is that, opinions are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/when-i-teach-criticism-the-first-thing-i-say-and-this-sometimes/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [If you're genuinely candid and expressive then you're never wrong, even when you are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/if-you-re-genuinely-candid-and-expressive-then-you-re-never-wrong/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [You've got to have a gimmick if your band sucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/you-ve-got-to-have-a-gimmick-if-your-band-sucks/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [I can't get very excited about a musician who can do Art Tatum because I've got the Art Tatum records. I want to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/i-can-t-get-very-excited-about-a-musician-who-can-do-art-tatum/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) [Explore all 22 Gary Giddins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You're writing for some version of yourself. You're writing the kinds of things that you like to read or wanted to read at a certain point. So, primarily for most of my career, I've written the kind of criticism that fascinates me. 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