--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No writer need feel sorry for himself if…" description: "\"“No writer need feel sorry for himself if he writes and enjoys the writing, even if he doesn’t get paid for it.”\" — Irwin Shaw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/irwin-shaw-11005_feel-sorry_no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if_3002145.jpg" --- # No writer need feel sorry for himself if he writes and… ![“No writer need feel sorry for himself if he writes and enjoys the writing, even if he doesn’t get paid for it.” quote by Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/irwin-shaw-11005_feel-sorry_no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if_3002145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/irwin-shaw-11005_feel-sorry_no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if_3002145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/irwin-shaw-11005_feel-sorry_no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if_3002145.jpg) > ““No writer need feel sorry for himself if he writes and enjoys the writing, even if he doesn’t get paid for it.”” [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing for enjoyment is enough; financial reward is not a prerequisite for artistic fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Write because you love it, not for money. Key Takeaway Create for joy, not profit. Themes creativity ful fulfillment artistic integrity motivation Mood motivational reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal journals - creative retreats - freelance projects - hobby writing Key Concepts intrinsic motivation artist’s purpose financial independence Questions to Reflect On - What would you write if money were irrelevant? - How does financial stress affect your creativity? A Different Perspective Money can still pressure artists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enjoys Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoys-writing-3019139/) [Feel sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-sorry/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-need-813127/) [Writes Enjoys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writes-enjoys-4771533/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-doesn-259801/) [Writing life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-life/) ## Related quotes > [No writer need feel sorry for himself if he writes and enjoys it, even if he doesn't get paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if-he-writes-and-enjoys-it-even/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [“Sloan enjoys writing in the fictional world because in fiction you can be anything, do anything...even fall in love for the first time over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloan-parker/sloan-enjoys-writing-in-the-fictional-world-because-in-fiction-you/) [Sloan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloan-parker/) > [An author who enjoys writing may sometimes please other people by accident, but he can never pass on to any one else the zestful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-e-buckrose/an-author-who-enjoys-writing-may-sometimes-please-other-people-by/) [J. E. Buckrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-e-buckrose/) > [“Writing doesn’t get any easier with time or talent. If writing is easy for you, you’re probably still learning the craft. You haven’t perfected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/writing-doesn-t-get-any-easier-with-time-or-talent-if-writing-is-easy/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I've always felt that the cool thing about being a writer is that all you need is paper to do the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/i-ve-always-felt-that-the-cool-thing-about-being-a-writer-is-that-all/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [I have always thought of myself as a writer, only because I need things to direct, and I can't not write the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lowery/i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-a-writer-only-because-i-need/) [David Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lowery/) > [To be a writer you need to see things as they are, and to see things as they are you need a certain basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-wolff/to-be-a-writer-you-need-to-see-things-as-they-are-and-to-see-things/) [Tobias Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-wolff/) > [I've always believed that as an artist, as a writer, you need a lot of contact with other people to make your art good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-ve-always-believed-that-as-an-artist-as-a-writer-you-need-a-lot-of/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [The hierarchy plays out in the writers room, and you, as a staff writer, need to know your place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-saracho/the-hierarchy-plays-out-in-the-writers-room-and-you-as-a-staff-writer/) [Tanya Saracho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-saracho/) > [As a writer, I need an enormous amount of time alone. 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And when it comes to writing, I've always had that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/as-a-writer-you-need-a-strong-sense-of-self-belief-and-when-it-comes/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) ## More by Irwin Shaw > [“The world," said Pavone, "will swing to the left. The whole world except America. The world will swing, not because people read Karl Marx,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/the-world-said-pavone-will-swing-to-the-left-the-whole-world-except/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [A writer has to live with a sense of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/a-writer-has-to-live-with-a-sense-of-honor/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Special-interest magazines are dangerous places for writers to start out in because the writing quickly falls into a routine and people are likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/special-interest-magazines-are-dangerous-places-for-writers-to-start/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [It's those damn critics again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/it-s-those-damn-critics-again/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I haven't stuck to any formula. Most great writers stick to the same style, but I wanted to be more various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/i-haven-t-stuck-to-any-formula-most-great-writers-stick-to-the-same/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Writing is like a contact sport, like football. Why do kids play football? They can get hurt on any play, can't they? Yet they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/writing-is-like-a-contact-sport-like-football-why-do-kids-play/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [At the height of the McCarthy period, writers were being hounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/at-the-height-of-the-mccarthy-period-writers-were-being-hounded/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [“This time it is not a simple, understandable war, within the same culture. This time it is an assault of the animal world upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/this-time-it-is-not-a-simple-understandable-war-within-the-same/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [A good editor understands what you're talking and writing about and doesn't meddle too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/a-good-editor-understands-what-you-re-talking-and-writing-about-and/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Writing is like a contact sport, like football. You can get hurt, but you enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/writing-is-like-a-contact-sport-like-football-you-can-get-hurt-but/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [“The abuse of alcohol,” Mr. Parrish said in a solemn, preacher-like voice, as he reached for his glass, “is the one thing that puts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/the-abuse-of-alcohol-mr-parrish-said-in-a-solemn-preacher-like-voice/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [A writer is a human being. He has to live with a sense of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/a-writer-is-a-human-being-he-has-to-live-with-a-sense-of-honor/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Ernest Hemingway did a great deal toward making the writer an acceptable public figure; obviously, he was no sissy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/ernest-hemingway-did-a-great-deal-toward-making-the-writer-an/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I never show anything to anybody until I've finished it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/i-never-show-anything-to-anybody-until-i-ve-finished-it/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) [Explore all 62 Irwin Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) ## More Feel sorry quotes > [“People feel sorry for your pain, and pain just is. It doesn’t only happen when you’re worthy of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-butler/people-feel-sorry-for-your-pain-and-pain-just-is-it-doesn-t-only/) [Erin Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-butler/) > [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [If it's me against 48, I feel sorry for the 48.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/if-it-s-me-against-48-i-feel-sorry-for-the-48/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [It's core to my beliefs now: Sometimes in being given a challenge, you're actually being given a real opportunity, and a lot of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/it-s-core-to-my-beliefs-now-sometimes-in-being-given-a-challenge-you/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Don't feel sorry because my life is over. Be happy that it happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-burns/don-t-feel-sorry-because-my-life-is-over-be-happy-that-it-happened/) [Pat Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-burns/) > [I really feel sorry for kids who aren't interested in history - recent history, either, because it is this that made us what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-really-feel-sorry-for-kids-who-aren-t-interested-in-history-recent/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I can and will say that I feel sorry for myself, however I'm just locking the truth behind me. I don't feel sorry for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/i-can-and-will-say-that-i-feel-sorry-for-myself-however-i-m-just/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) > [For the first time in my life I actually feel sorry for Carol. I'm only seventeen years old, and I already know something she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-actually-feel-sorry-for-carol-i-m/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“You must first feel sorry for your sins, to seek the free gift of grace of salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-must-first-feel-sorry-for-your-sins-to-seek-the-free-gift-of/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [You don't get there the easy way. If you feel sorry for yourself, and you let yourself go down, you will drown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/you-don-t-get-there-the-easy-way-if-you-feel-sorry-for-yourself-and/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [“Feel sorry for anyone who thinks what they think is right should be some universal law”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/feel-sorry-for-anyone-who-thinks-what-they-think-is-right-should-be/) [Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/) > [Ifelt today that… she is only for me but, em late she is not for me. I was for her when she was loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saami-saham/ifelt-today-that-she-is-only-for-me-but-em-late-she-is-not-for-me-i/) [Saami Saham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saami-saham/) > [So you're probably looking at this and making fun of my outfit, right? Anyway here's all you really need to know about today; if...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-davis/so-you-re-probably-looking-at-this-and-making-fun-of-my-outfit-right/) [Brooke Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-davis/) > [I don't want anybody to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-ings/i-don-t-want-anybody-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Danny Ings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-ings/) > [“Judge me if you must, but keep in mind how very little pleasure I could have possibly derived from a one-thrust sex session, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-madison/judge-me-if-you-must-but-keep-in-mind-how-very-little-pleasure-i/) [Kate Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-madison/) [Browse all 434 Feel sorry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-sorry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No writer need feel sorry for himself if he writes and enjoys the writing, even if he doesn’t get paid for it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Irwin Shaw" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if-he-writes-and-enjoys-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feel sorry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if-he-writes-and-enjoys-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/irwin-shaw-11005_feel-sorry_no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if_3002145.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/irwin-shaw-11005_feel-sorry_no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if_3002145.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/irwin-shaw-11005_feel-sorry_no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if_3002145.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No writer need feel sorry for himself if he writes and enjoys the writing, even if he doesn’t get paid for it.” — Irwin Shaw", "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": "Irwin Shaw", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No writer need feel sorry for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if-he-writes-and-enjoys-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/no-writer-need-feel-sorry-for-himself-if-he-writes-and-enjoys-the/#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 } } ] } ```