--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sometimes think that I can't do the…" description: "\"I sometimes think that I can't do the bigger thing that [Zadie Smith] do so beautifully, as in Swing Time, with so much world in it and so much rapturo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/george-saunders-317_bigger_i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bi_3125094.jpg" --- # I sometimes think that I can't do the bigger thing that… ![“I sometimes think that I can't do the bigger thing that [Zadie Smith] do so beautifully, as in Swing Time, with so much world in it and so much rapturous paint thrown around. I don't think it would be possible to write a book on that scale with as much OCD as I have.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/george-saunders-317_bigger_i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bi_3125094.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/george-saunders-317_bigger_i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bi_3125094.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/george-saunders-317_bigger_i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bi_3125094.jpg) > “I sometimes think that I can't do the bigger thing that \[Zadie Smith\] do so beautifully, as in Swing Time, with so much world in it and so much rapturous paint thrown around. I don't think it would be possible to write a book on that scale with as much OCD as I have.” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## 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 feels limited by personal OCD, doubting ability to match another writer's expansive, vivid storytelling. **In simple terms:** Self‑doubt can hinder creative ambition. Key Takeaway Accept your style while aiming higher. Themes creativity self‑esteem literary ambition mental health Mood introspective hopeful Type literary motivational When to use this quote - writing workshops - mental health practice - reading diverse authors - setting realistic goals Key Concepts authorial voice perfectionism Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to manage OCD in writing? - How can you honor your voice while expanding scope? A Different Perspective Perfectionism may stifle output. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Ocd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocd/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Possible Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-write-300887/) [Scale Ocd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scale-ocd-5503563/) [Scales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scales/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Swings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swings/) [Thing Zadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-zadie-5503564/) [Think Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-possible-293627/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thrown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrown/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zadie-smith-223032/) ## Related quotes > [ I feel nervous because I revere \[Zadie Smith\] so much. I don't want to be stupid. If I say something stupid, just interrupt me. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-feel-nervous-because-i-revere-zadie-smith-so-much-i-don-t-want-to/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Zadie Smith's 'NW' is keeping me company on my solo travels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-amelia-windsor/zadie-smith-s-nw-is-keeping-me-company-on-my-solo-travels/) [Lady Amelia Windsor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-amelia-windsor/) > [Authors often become identified with an item of clothing - Zadie Smith, for instance, is known for her head wraps, and Fran Lebowitz is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/authors-often-become-identified-with-an-item-of-clothing-zadie-smith/) [Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/) > [“It’s not very often that a writer’s words can punch through the paper and throttle the lifeblood out of you, but Tony’s words manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-o-neill/it-s-not-very-often-that-a-writer-s-words-can-punch-through-the-paper/) [Tony O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-o-neill/) > […maybe the whole Internet will simply become like Facebook: falsely jolly, fake-friendly, self-promoting, slickly disingenuous….” - Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/maybe-the-whole-internet-will-simply-become-like-facebook-falsely/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“A LITTLE BIT before Adeline made her unforgivable mistake, a billionaire named Sheryl Sandberg wrote a book called Lean In: Women, Work, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarett-kobek/a-little-bit-before-adeline-made-her-unforgivable-mistake-a/) [Jarett Kobek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarett-kobek/) > [People say, 'You're like Dickens', but I'm not like Dickens. Zadie Smith is a Dickensian writer because she's writing about society now, just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/people-say-you-re-like-dickens-but-i-m-not-like-dickens-zadie-smith/) [Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/) > [“A friend of mine asked me if it's still possible to write a classic. I told him we will never know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hays/a-friend-of-mine-asked-me-if-it-s-still-possible-to-write-a-classic-i/) [Gary Hays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hays/) > [“I wish you would, because I’m not sure how long I can put up with this.” “I’ll bet you can put up with it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/i-wish-you-would-because-i-m-not-sure-how-long-i-can-put-up-with-this/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [I think the thing that has made it possible for me to write personal songs and sing them year after year is the sensibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/i-think-the-thing-that-has-made-it-possible-for-me-to-write-personal/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [“You were with Margo Roth Spiegelman last night? At THREE A.M.? I nodded. Alone? I nodded. Oh my God, if you hooked up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-were-with-margo-roth-spiegelman-last-night-at-three-a-m-i-nodded/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I wrote an album about being in love. I don't think it's possible to write an album while you're in love - why on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lightbody/i-wrote-an-album-about-being-in-love-i-don-t-think-it-s-possible-to/) [Gary Lightbody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lightbody/) > [I think it's absolutely possible to write a song and go somewhere where no one's been before, uncharted territory. In terms of content, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thompson/i-think-it-s-absolutely-possible-to-write-a-song-and-go-somewhere/) [Richard Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thompson/) > [Gustave Flaubert said, "Emma Bovary, c'est moi." It is not possible to write something you are not, but to have a new form, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lore-segal/gustave-flaubert-said-emma-bovary-c-est-moi-it-is-not-possible-to/) [Lore Segal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lore-segal/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. These and all things started as nothing, latent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/none-of-it-was-real-nothing-was-real-everything-was-real/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“We must see God not as a Him (some linear rewarding fellow) but an IT, a great beast beyond our understanding, who wants something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-must-see-god-not-as-a-him-some-linear-rewarding-fellow-but-an-it-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [America, to me, should be shouting all the time, a bunch of shouting voices, most of them wrong, some of them nuts, but please,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/america-to-me-should-be-shouting-all-the-time-a-bunch-of-shouting/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [In my case, when I am trying to be "kind" I often default in a sort of toothless loving-all stance that is, actually, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-my-case-when-i-am-trying-to-be-kind-i-often-default-in-a-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Whatever your supposed politics are - left, right - if you put it in a human connection, most people will rise to the occasion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/whatever-your-supposed-politics-are-left-right-if-you-put-it-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“A Clinton staffer tells me his theory. Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What America is, to me, is a guy doesn't want to buy, you let him not buy, you respect his not buying. A guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-america-is-to-me-is-a-guy-doesn-t-want-to-buy-you-let-him-not/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What good the prophet in the wilderness may do is incremental and personal. It's good for us to hear someone speak the irrational truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-good-the-prophet-in-the-wilderness-may-do-is-incremental-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We're in the transition between birth and death. But the one that people often know about is the transition between the moment of death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-re-in-the-transition-between-birth-and-death-but-the-one-that/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [You don't want to be that parent - the one who dresses his kid in a cloth sack when all the other kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-don-t-want-to-be-that-parent-the-one-who-dresses-his-kid-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) [Explore all 690 George Saunders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## More Bigger quotes > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Max—you have a bigger mission than finding the flock's parents. Focus on helping the whole world, not just your friends. I held my wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/max-you-have-a-bigger-mission-than-finding-the-flock-s-parents-focus/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Sometimes people can write really great scenes and even a great episode, but they can't see the bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/sometimes-people-can-write-really-great-scenes-and-even-a-great/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [If you consider yourself a part of the culture, then finances can't allow you to be bigger than the actual art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/if-you-consider-yourself-a-part-of-the-culture-then-finances-can-t/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [If we get better our customers will demand we get bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/if-we-get-better-our-customers-will-demand-we-get-bigger/) [S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I think everyone has been annoyed at school or in their life, that's a type of bullying. So, you can take those feelings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodi-smit-mcphee/i-think-everyone-has-been-annoyed-at-school-or-in-their-life-that-s-a/) [Kodi Smit-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodi-smit-mcphee/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) [Browse all 3,614 Bigger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I sometimes think that I can't do the bigger thing that [Zadie Smith] do so beautifully, as in Swing Time, with so much world in it and so much rapturous paint thrown around. I don't think it would be possible to write a book on that scale with as much OCD as I have.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Saunders" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bigger-thing-that-zadie-smith/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bigger-thing-that-zadie-smith/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/george-saunders-317_bigger_i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bi_3125094.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/george-saunders-317_bigger_i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bi_3125094.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/george-saunders-317_bigger_i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bi_3125094.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I sometimes think that I can't do the bigger thing that [Zadie Smith] do so beautifully, as in Swing Time…” — George Saunders", "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": "George Saunders", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I sometimes think that I can't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bigger-thing-that-zadie-smith/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-sometimes-think-that-i-can-t-do-the-bigger-thing-that-zadie-smith/#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 } } ] } ```